Forest Survey Project

Submitted to: Jim Richard

Submitted by: Evan Grant

Date: March 27, 2015

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Table of Contents

Contents Page #

List of Tables and Figures 3

Purpose 4

Methodology 4

Location 4

Results 5-7

Stems per Hectare 8

Recommendations for Further Treatment 8

Sources of Error 8

Conclusion 8

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List of Tables and Figures

Table Page #1. Forest Health Survey Results 52. Diameters by Class 6

Figure Page #1. Google Map of Site Location 42. GeoNOVA Arial Photo of Site 53. Species Composition 64. Balsam Fir Health Results (%) 66. Spruce Health Results (%) 77. Diameter Distribution Results 7

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Purpose

The purpose of this exercise was to complete a forest survey on a woodlot. In this forest survey data was collected to find the forest health, stems per hectare, diameter distribution, and species composition.

Methodology

The forest survey was conducted in groups of four or five spread out through the woodlot. Each group was equipped with PPE including hardhats, hard toe boots, eye protection, and high visibility vests. The groups picked five different areas in the stand for plot samples. Each plot had a radius of 3.99 meters (50m²). Inside the plot sample circle, every tree diameter was measured and the health was recorded. The diameters were broken down into classes which were 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 centimeters, and so on. The health was classified as either healthy (0-15%), or infested (16%-59%), or dead (60%-100%). Equipment used included: diameter calipers, diameter tapes, 50m measuring tapes, map of property, clipboard, pencil, and compass.

Location

The property is located at the intersection of Port Malcolm Road and the Highway 104 in the county of Richmond, Nova Scotia. It is located between the community of Evanston and Port Hawkesbury. The woodlot that was surveyed is located east of St. Francis de Sales Parish, 17 Church Rd., RR1 Cleveland B0E 1J0. Figure 1 shows a map of the approximate area of woodlot. Figure 2 shows an aerial photograph of the Forest Health Study Area.

Figure 1. Showing an image of the woodlot taken from Google Maps (2015).

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Figure 2. Showing an aerial photo of the woodlot taken from GeoNOVA (2008).

Results

The data results from the survey indicate forest health, density, and diameter categories in the tables and figures below. The forest health investigated the health of the spruce and balsam fir of the current state of the stand.

Table 1. Showing data collected for forest health (2015).

Healthy Infested Dead Healthy Infested Dead1 4 0 1 27 3 9 1 3 3 0 512 5 7 1 4 27 12 7 1 0 0 643 1 0 0 34 6 7 1 0 0 1 50

Total 10 7 2 65 36 28 9 4 3 1 165

LA OT Total

Forest Health

Plot # Spruce Balsam Fir RM WB

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Table 2. Showing the data collected of the diameter class (2015).

8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28+ AverageGroup 0 4 7 11 9 7 6 4 2 0 0 16.31 cmTotal 7 12 20 30 25 23 18 16 6 5 5 16.44 cm

Diameter Class (cm)

Spruce Balsom Fir Red Maple White Birch Larch other0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Species Composition- Group vs. Total Results

Group Total

SPECIES

PERC

ENTA

GE

(%)

Figure 3. Showing the species composition.

Healthy Infested Dead0

1020304050607080

70.7317073170732

7.31707317073171

21.9512195121951

50.3875968992248

27.90697674418621.7054263565891

Balsam Fir Health: Group vs. Total

Group Total

HEALTH

PERC

ENTA

GE

(%)

Figure 4. Showing balsam fir health (2015).

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Healthy Infested Dead0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

9080

0

20

52.6315789473684

36.8421052631579

10.5263157894737

Spruce Heath: Group vs. Total

Group Total

HEALTH

PERC

ENTA

GE

(%)

Figure 5. Showing spruce health (2015).

8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 280

5

10

15

20

25

0

7.84313725490196

13.7254901960784

21.5686274509804

17.6470588235294

13.725490196078411.7647058823529

7.84313725490196

3.92156862745098

01.96078431372549

Diameter Class Group vs. Total

Team 1 Total

DIAMETER CLASS

PERC

ENTA

GE

Figure 6. Showing diameter class (2015).

Stems per Hectare

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The SPH calculation provides an indication of the stocking levels of the current state of the woodlot. The results from our group and the total data from the class shows that the stand is well-stocked. The results were as follows:

Group

51 Stems / 5 Plots * 200 = 2040 Stems per Hectare

Total

165 Stems/ 16 Plots * 200 = 2062 Stems per Hectare

Recommendations for Further Treatment

The compiled data throughout the forest health survey indicates that some forest management practices are required to minimize any further contamination of the unharmed softwoods. Harvest of the infected and dead trees should be practiced to remove them from the stand, which will reduce the potential spread of the decease. The limbs and other debris from the trees should be placed into piles throughout the woodlot to be burnt under Nova Scotia Burn Guidelines. Permanent Plot Samples and a forest health monitor plan should be established and followed into the next five years. A clear-cut could also be completed and harvest and burn the remaining piles of debris.

Sources of Error

Being a first year class in the Natural Resources program at NSCC means there is a lack of experience, which would be the most common source of error in this survey. Record keeping, tree identification, knowledge of the health of a stand, and skills using equipment required are possible sources of human error. There could be a lack of consistency when collecting data because the students took turns with different tasks throughout the survey. Weather conditions such as snow could cause the data to be off, and example is the snow making the diameter at breast height to be too high.

Conclusion

The results of the Forest Health and Stocking Survey determined by the Natural Resources Environmental Technology program show the balsam wooly aphid is attacking this forest and causing damage and death to the trees. Stocking levels are consistent in this woodlot, the majority of the trees are healthy and under the proper management. The problem could be resolved with further silviculture procedures and monitoring.

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