Photo Interpretation Change Management Log
April 2013
The following document highlights the changes to the VRI photo interpretation
procedures, photo interpretation QA procedures and standards, and photo
interpretation Field Calibration procedures for 2013.
This list may not be all inclusive/complete, see the actual procedures documents
for complete and official documentation.
Change list for Photo Interpretation procedures
Dead Layer Specific Changes
 Dead stand delineation and attribution instructions
 Guides to aid the interpretation of attributes for dead stands. (IE
species comp, age, height, BA and Density)
 Requirements for dead layer age and height to be all dead layers
combined.
 Basal area for all layers (dead and live) must be reasonable when
combined.
 Dead layer density must = VRI snags per hectare
RESULTS Specific Changes
 Complete re-write with examples
 Highlights:
o All records shall be V records now.
o Guidelines for outer opening boundary’s with reserves against
the edge of the identified opening.
o Retention of recent results survey information even if declared
Free Growing
o Complete interpretation required if tree attributes not
available in results (regardless of Free Growing status)
Other Items
 Edge ties instructions provided in Delin and attribution sections
 Remove section on confidence indices.
 Estimated Site index required for stands that are completely dead
(Clarification)
Change list for Photo Interpretation QA procedures and standards
 Facilitate payment added as part of objectives
 New data source transfer (Calibration Summary sheet) – must match field
data exactly.
 Historic data source transfer – scoring added for softcopy to calib summary
sheet
 Minor modification on available old data sources (we only have locations
for AC’s and GC’s from old FC1’s, not PSP’s and TSP’s as well).
 Ages and heights that were recorded in “classes” in the previous inventory
should only be recorded in the comments field of the calibration summary
tile
 Modifications to selection of polygons to attribute. Previously we selected
3% of all polygons to audit. Now we are selecting based on the following:
o Select 5% of VT polygons and audit all Critical Attributes (species,
leading age, leading height, BA, CC)
o Select 2% of VT polygons for Standard Attributes (second age, height,
vertical complexity , site index, layer and density). Note this 2% is of
the total VT for the map, but they are selected from the 5% audited
in critical attributes
o Select 1% of the VT polygons for auditing all other attributes. Again
this 1% comes from the 5% above
o Select 1% of the NON VT polygons and audit all attributes (there may
be some trees in non VT polygons so audit everything).
 Clarification on “reasonable” QA test. Be careful in stands where there is
low crown closure as determination of tree attributes is very difficult.
 Modified Critical attribute scoring. Points were assigned based on
weighting relative importance of attributes, but we are not summarizing by
polygon for critical attributes, it’s by attribute, so weighting doesn’t matter.
 Modification to Critical attribute scoring in Appendix D - all 1 point except
for species comp (same issue as above)
 Added a RESULTS reasonableness test. Old procedures said the data had to
match RESULTS exactly. Modified procedures state that it must match, but
be reasonable (to avoid inputting erroneous data from RESULTS)
 Non veg criteria changes. When the amount of non veg is minimal (<5%
cover), being in the correct “class” (ie soil, water, etc) is acceptable
 Scoring provided for transfer of data sources from photo to calibration
summary spreadsheet
 Added polygon number and opening ID to example attribution QA
comparison table.
 Final delineation points increased. Interpreters should be looking at
delineation one more time during final attribution to make sure it is
correct. Increase points from 1 to 2 during final attribution QA.
Change list for Photo Interp Fieldwork and Fieldwork QA procedures
 Requirements for 75% of the planned calls must be within 200m of the
intended location provided to the Ministry. If less than 75% are within
200m, then the % of calls that are less than that will not be paid. (IE 70% of
calls within means that 5% of calls will not be paid)
 Added air call extents to the shape file calibration plan requirements.
 Layer ID added for one point in GC /AC standard
 Establishment location must be with 30m of the coordinate, not 30m of the
ortho image location (most crews are not pin-pricking photos now).
 Ground calls that are CLEARLY not representative of the polygon will be
rejected (no Payment)
 Each audited attribute in a batch of ground calls must overall meet 85% in
order for the batch to pass. Previously only ages and heights had to be 85%,
other attributes such as tree count, species ID only had to achieve 75%