Rain Drop Survey – Rapid Range Assessment
Introduction
The Rapid Range Assessment protocol is a reconnaissance-level method of vegetation and habitat
sampling. It may be used to quickly assess the extent of vegetation types in relatively large areas (e.g.,
pasture). This protocol can also be used in tandem with other resource assessment protocols such as
wildlife assessments or aquatic/stream assessments (e.g., USEPA Rapid Bioassessment, BLM Proper
Function Condition (PFC), etc). Additional information recorded in the assessments, such as disturbance
history and anthropogenic impacts, can serve to define habitat quality and integrity for plant and animal
distributions.
Rapid Range Assessment
Rapid assessment is defined as "a synoptic” (i.e., a snapshot in time) protocol to produce reliable and
applicable results for a study’s defined purpose (i.e., question(s) of concern). Rapid assessments, when
incorporated into other long-term monitoring programs, can take into account temporal variance, such as
seasonality, in ecosystems. Rapid assessment techniques are particularly relevant to the species level of
biological diversity. Other rapid assessment methods include remote sensing (e.g., satellite and aerial
imagery) techniques, which can be very applicable in determining change over time.
Why is it necessary to know the composition and distribution of vegetation?
• Provides understanding of the commonness and rarity of different forms of
vegetation (e.g., rare, threatened and endangered species, and/or invasive/noxious
weeds).
• Able to link the distribution of rare and threatened plant species habitat with
appropriate vegetation units (e.g., ecoregions).
• Relationships between vegetation types
• Prioritize community-based land conservation goals based on the local
representation of unique types, high diversity areas, etc.
• Associate vegetation types with wildlife and aquatic habitat.
Protocol
The objective of a rapid assessment is to quantify the natural variability in vegetation composition and
structure, and to assess a large enough area so it is representative of the ecosystem of interest. Rapid
Range Assessment uses a semi-qualitative protocol for measuring the presence of vegetation types. The
following Rapid Range Assessment Worksheet is developed for xeric landscapes common in the desert
southwest. The worksheet can be adapted for other parts of North America.
The standard protocol is to assess at least 100 meters at every one meter. The surveyor can lay down a
measuring tape, or if no measuring device is available is to use a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit,
and/or step off 100 steps taking a GPS reading at the start step (i.e., step 1) and at the end step (i.e., step
100). To use the step method, assess the vegetation at every other step.
The assessment is done by determining what a raindrop would hit first as it fell from the sky. As seen in
the Rapid Range Assessment worksheet B stands for Bare ground (e.g., rock, road), T is for a tree, S is
for shrub and G is for grass/forbes. Note: the observer should add notes designating the species of
grass/forbes (e.g., wheat, knapweed, etc.) shrubs and trees (e.g., willow, cottonwood, etc.).
Rapid Range Assessment Worksheet
1
B
T
S
G
26
B
T
S
G
51
B
T
S
G
76
B
T
S
G
2
B
T
S
G
27
B
T
S
G
52
B
T
S
G
77
B
T
S
G
3
B
T
S
G
28
B
T
S
G
53
B
T
S
G
78
B
T
S
G
4
B
T
S
G
29
B
T
S
G
54
B
T
S
G
79
B
T
S
G
5
B
T
S
G
30
B
T
S
G
55
B
T
S
G
80
B
T
S
G
6
B
T
S
G
31
B
T
S
G
56
B
T
S
G
81
B
T
S
G
7
B
T
S
G
32
B
T
S
G
57
B
T
S
G
82
B
T
S
G
8
B
T
S
G
33
B
T
S
G
58
B
T
S
G
83
B
T
S
G
9
B
T
S
G
34
B
T
S
G
59
B
T
S
G
84
B
T
S
G
10
B
T
S
G
35
B
T
S
G
60
B
T
S
G
85
B
T
S
G
11
B
T
S
G
36
B
T
S
G
61
B
T
S
G
86
B
T
S
G
12
B
T
S
G
37
B
T
S
G
62
B
T
S
G
87
B
T
S
G
13
B
T
S
G
38
B
T
S
G
63
B
T
S
G
88
B
T
S
G
14
B
T
S
G
39
B
T
S
G
64
B
T
S
G
89
B
T
S
G
15
B
T
S
G
40
B
T
S
G
65
B
T
S
G
90
B
T
S
G
16
B
T
S
G
41
B
T
S
G
66
B
T
S
G
91
B
T
S
G
17
B
T
S
G
42
B
T
S
G
67
B
T
S
G
92
B
T
S
G
18
B
T
S
G
43
B
T
S
G
68
B
T
S
G
93
B
T
S
G
19
B
T
S
G
44
B
T
S
G
69
B
T
S
G
94
B
T
S
G
20
B
T
S
G
45
B
T
S
G
70
B
T
S
G
95
B
T
S
G
21
B
T
S
G
46
B
T
S
G
71
B
T
S
G
96
B
T
S
G
22
B
T
S
G
47
B
T
S
G
72
B
T
S
G
97
B
T
S
G
23
B
T
S
G
48
B
T
S
G
73
B
T
S
G
98
B
T
S
G
24
B
T
S
G
49
B
T
S
G
74
B
T
S
G
99
B
T
S
G
25
B
T
S
G
50
B
T
S
G
75
B
T
S
G
100
B – Bare ground (e.g., rock, road)
S – Shrub
B
T
S
G
T – Tree
G – Grass (e.g., wheat, knapweed)
For more information, contact Bob Hall, US EPA Reg. 9, hall.robertk@epa.gov, phone 415-947-4123