12/21/2024 5:14:13 AM	NRM 73 Course Outline as of Spring 2005	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  NRM 73	Title:  INTRO FOREST MEASUREMENT
Full Title:  Introduction to Forest Measurements
Last Reviewed:3/23/2015

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	2.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	35.00
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	3.00		17.5 min.	Lab Scheduled	52.50
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	5.00			Contact Total	87.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  70.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade Only
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly:  FOR 73

Catalog Description:

Introduction to timber inventory systems, cruise designs, aerial photographic interpretation, and log scaling. Measurement of timber stand growth, quantity and quality, and other forest products including water, range, wildlife and outdoor recreation.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Course Eligibility for ENGL 100 and Course Completion of CSKL 372 ( or CSKLS 372 or CSKL 372) and Course Eligibility for MATH 150A OR Course Eligibility for EMLS 100 ( or ESL 100)

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Introduction to timber inventory systems, cruise designs, aerial photographic interpretation, and log scaling. Measurement of timber stand growth, quantity and quality, and other forest products including water, range, wildlife and outdoor recreation.

(Grade Only)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Course Eligibility for ENGL 100 and Course Completion of CSKL 372 ( or CSKLS 372 or CSKL 372) and Course Eligibility for MATH 150A OR Course Eligibility for EMLS 100 ( or ESL 100)
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Spring 1984	Inactive:	Fall 2020
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Certificate Applicable Course

COURSE CONTENT

Outcomes and Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Discuss the objectives and goals of a forest inventory project.

2. Apply fundamental measurement and statistical methods to the

  mensuration of a variety of ecosystem components.

3. Measure and record data from a forest setting using state-of-the-art

  technologies utilized in the forest industry as well as simple

  measurement devices.

4. Select and apply appropriate problem solving techniques to specific

  measurement situations.

5. Collect and analyze data on the growth and yield of forest products

  over time.

6. Select appropriate software and measurement tools to perform forest

  inventory, cruising, and scaling in an efficient manner and according

  to industry standards.

7. Download GPS (Global Positioning System) data from recorder to PC to

  generate map and data tables.

8. Manipulate stand data using modeling software.

9. Apply various field-sampling methods.

10. Cruise standing timber and determine the quantity and quality of wood.

11. Scale logs for the board foot volume based on mathematical

  formulations.

12. Delineate timber types, cultural features and areas using stereoscopic

  aerial photography.

13. Identify commercial species of logs by bark and wood characteristics.

14. Assess the damage to wood volumes from insect, fire, suppressed

   conditions, and human factors, and estimate the financial loss.

Topics and Scope

I. Forest Inventory

 A. Goals and objectives

 B. Scope of forest measurements

 C. Theory of forest measurements

 D. Units of measure

 E. US vs. metric

 F. Volumes

 G. Area determination

II. Forest Measurements

 A. Scope of forest measurements

 B. Theory of forest measurements

 C. Units of measure

 D. U.S. vs. metric

 E. Volumes

 F. Area determination

III. Measurement Analysis Tools and Technologies

 A. Tools

     1.  Field data collectors

     2.  Hypsometers

     3.  Loggers tapes

     4.  Prisms

     5.  Clinometers

     6.  Relaskops

     7.  Hand held distance lasers

     8.  Cruisers sticks

     9.  Scaling sticks

     10. Hand compass

     11. Planimeters

  B. Technologies

     1.  Programmable hand held data collectors

     2.  Hand held GPS units

     3.  Laser range finders

     4.  Stereoscopes

     5.  Basic forest modeling software

     6.  Increment borers

     7.  Compensating polar planimeters

IV. Timber Cruising

  A. Identification of species

  B. Measurement of Trees

     1.  Inventory Equipment

     2.  Utilization Standards

     3.  Height and Diameter Measurements

     4.  Gross Volume Determination

  C. Grading of logs

     1.  Recognition of Defect Types

     2.  Cull Allowance for Defects

     3.  Log Grade Estimation

     4.  Net Tree Volume Determination

  D. Types of Cruises

1.  Strip Cruising

     2.  Plot Cruising

     3.  Variable Plot Cruising

  E. Volume tables

     1.  Local Volume Tables

     2.  Standard Volume Tables

     3.  Form Class Volume Tables

     4.  Volume Table Construction

  F. Growth studies

V. Log Scaling

  A. Log scaling defined

  B. Gross and net volumes

  C. Defects

     1.  Recognition of Defect Types

     2.  Cull Allowance for Defects

     3.  Log Grade Estimation

     4.  Net Log Volume Determination

 D. Log scale tables and tools

     1.  Board Foot Log Rules

     2.  Cubic Foot Log Rules

     3.  Diagram Rules

     4.  Formula Rules

 E. Identification of species of logs and finished lumber

VI. Timber Type Mapping

 A. Aerial photo interpretation

 B. Species identification

 C. Delineation methods

VII. Other Forest Measurements

 A. Wood products

 B. By-products

 C. Water

 D. Range

 E. Wildlife

 F. Recreation

 G. Soils

 H. Fisheries

VIII. Inventory Analysis and Techniques

 A. Data collection

 B. Data analysis

Assignments:

Assignments may include:

1.  Reading assignments that will average 10 - 15 pages per week.

2.  Four timber inventory reports totaling twenty pages.

3.  Timber inventory field notebook totaling twenty-five pages

   of field measurements, including measurements of  tree heights,

   diameters, basal area, slope, aspect, stocking levels, species

   composition, log volumes and defects, growth rates fuel loading, and

   stand types, using measurement and analysis tools.

4.  Five practice sets totaling fifteen pages of computations.

5.  Laboratory exercises emphasizing the collection, examination, and

   evaluation of field data.

6.  Locate points on the ground from a map or photo and stratify timber

   stands and identify species differences on aerial photography.

7.  Prepare simple and accurate maps from field data.

8.  Quizzes; final exam.

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 20 - 30%
Timber inventory reports.
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 40 - 50%
Homework problems, Field work, Field notebook; lab exercises.
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 0 - 0%
None
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 30 - 40%
Completion, SHORT ESSAY QUESTIONS
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 0%
None

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Introduction to Forestry. Sharpe, Grant, Henlee, John, and Sharpe,

Wenonah. McGraw-Hill College, 2003.

Forest Mensuration. Husch, Bertram, Thomas Beers, and John A. Keershaw,

Jr. John Wiley and Sons, 2003.

Trees and Forest Measurement. West, Phil. Springer Verlag, 2003.

Aerial Photography and Image Interpretation. Paine, David P. and James D.

Kaiser. John Wile & Sons, 2003.

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