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FORESTERS'
TIPS, TECHNIQUES,
AND
TRICKS OF THE TRADE | | |
 PLOT TYPE
When making an inventory of natural forest, strip plots are very popular. Typically trees are
recorded within the plot which
fall within 10-20 m of a central access line. For recording purposes use recording units of 50 -100
metre in length. The
starting position and the direction can be set at random or according to a systematic layout. You need
to spend a lot of time
considering the layout of plots before starting operations. Think through the processes of moving teams
to the start and end
of strips.
Try to design the length of the strip so that it can be covered in a convenient time period i.e. one
day or half day. If
lengths seem to be too long, you may be able to change the sampling along the strip to every other plot
or one plot in five
etc. Ideally you want to be able to fix the time to access the area, carry out the assessment and return
to camp as one days
work. Camping on the line or returning to where you finished off the previous day will reduce productivity.
Cluster plots are efficient where the time taken to reach the sampling area is long and you need to
concentrate
activity within specific localities in order to minimise travel time - but you lose on the ability to
map.
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