LAKE CHELAN

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Lake Chelan National Recreation Area Washington

APPENDIX G: EXCERPTS FROM FIRE MONITORING HANDBOOK

Forest Methods

LAY OUT INDEX PLOT

Refer to Figure 2 as you read this section.

Locate the Plot Origin

You have arrived at a randomly derived plot origin point (the plot center); mark this point by installing a reference stake at the "Origin" as shown in Figure 2A.

Establish the Plot Centerline

Next, select a random azimuth (Appendix B) and measure out a 50-m line from the reference stake along this azimuth. The centerline is defined by a tape measure laid-out as straight as possible. To lay out this 50-m tape, stand at the plot origin and run the 0 end of the tape toward the OP point (along the back azimuth) and the 50m end of the tape to the 50P (Figure 2A). The azimuth of the line runs from the OP toward the 50P point. The 25-m mark will be located at the plot origin.

Orient the Plot Quarters

The plot is divided into quarters which are assigned numbers according to the following protocol. The monitor should stand at the plot origin, with both feet on the centerline and the 0 point (OP) on their left. Quarter 1 (Q1) is to the monitor's forward-right. Quarters 2, 3, and 4 are numbered clockwise from Q1 as shown in Figure 2A,

Establish the Plot Boundaries

Laying out the tape to define the plot boundaries requires at least two monitors--one for each end. These plots are very large and one monitor could lose sight of the other, making it difficult to "square" the plot corners (900 angles). The monitors must take the time laying out the plot to create a true rectangle. A few helpful hints to accomplish this task are provided here.

Table 7. Forest plot specifications by variable

MONITOR PREBURN VEGETATION CHARACTERISTICS

Plot Specifications

Recommended plot size and sampling locations vary for each monitoring variable (see Figure 3 and Table 7).

Figure 3. Sampling areas and transects for forest plot monitoring variables. For

Overstory trees are defined in this monitoring system as both living and dead trees with a diameter at breast height (dbh) of > 15 cm,

Tag and Measure all Overstory Trees in all Four Quarters

Living and dead trees are tagged with sequentially numbered brass tags nailed into the trees at dbh. Orient the tags so that each faces the plot center, except in areas, such as near trails, where the tags must be oriented to make them less visually obtrusive.

The dbh of trees on a slope shall be determined while standing at the midslope side of the tree. The dbh of a leaning tree is measured by leaning with the tree. Aluminum nails are driven so that the tag hangs down and away from the tree and several centimeters of nail remains exposed, leaving ample space for tree growth. Trees on the plot boundary line are included if their base is halfway or more inside the plot defined by the 20-rn x 50-in rectangle. Start in quarter 1 and tag through quarters 2, 3, and 4 consecutively.

Nonsprouting trees forked below dbh should be considered separate trees and tagged separately. If the bole of a fallen tree is below dbh, and the individual is resprouting, the sprouting branches should be treated as individuals. Resprouting trees should be considered on a species by species basis. When it is possible to identify a parent plant, it should be tagged as one individual and measured at dbh on the largest stem. If a parent individual cannot be identified, individual stems should be tagged and measured. Clarifying comments may be included on the datasheet, especially for resprouting trees.

MAS Procedures

Record the plot identification code, whether this is a burn or control plot (B/C), the data collection date, and names of the data recorders on the Overstory Tree Data Sheet (FMH-8 in Appendix A). For all overstory trees record the quarter the tree occurs in (QTR), the tree tag # (TAG), species code (SPP) (refer to Appendix C for coding guidelines), diameter (DBH), and circle whether the tree is alive (Yes or No). Record miscellaneous overstory tree information in COMMENTS.

Map each overstory tree by tag # on the Full Plot Tree Map (form FMH-9) which covers a 1000-m² area. If overstory trees are dense, use four of the Quarter Overstory Tree Maps (FMH-10); one for each quarter.

Crown Position and Tree Damage (recommended)

Monitor the recommended variables "crown position" and "tree damage", if possible. Space is provided on the FMH-8 data sheet for these data. Procedures and forms for monitoring mortality are not given.

Crown Position. Crown position, an assessment of the canopy position of live overstory trees (Avery and Burkhart 1963), is recorded in the column marked CROWN using a numeric code, see Figure 5 (crown position of dead overstory trees is optional):

1=Dominant: Trees with crowns extending above the general level of the crown cover, and receiving full light from above and partly from the side; these trees are larger than the average trees in the stand and have well-developed crowns, but may be somewhat crowded on the sides.

2=Codominant: Trees with crowns forming the general level of the crown cover and receiving full light from above, but comparatively little from the sides; these trees usually have medium sized crowns, and are more or less crowded on the sides.

3=Intermediate: Trees shorter than those in the two preceding classes, but with crowns either below or extending into the crown cover formed by codominant and dominant trees, receiving little direct light from above, and none from the sides; these trees usually have small crowns and are considerably crowded on the sides.

4=Subcanopy: Trees with crowns below the general level of the crown cover receiving no direct light from above or from the sides.

Figure 5. Crown Position Codes: 1 =Dominant; 2=Codominant; 3=Intermediate; 4 =Subcanopy.

Tree Damage. It is often desirable to identify living overstory trees exhibiting signs of stress (loss of vigor) before the burn. By doing this you can infer that if those trees die relatively soon following the fire, their death may not be wholly attributable to the fire, but to a combination of factors.

The monitor's ability to evaluate prefire damage will determine the value of the data. A trained specialist will undoubtedly observe more. (Appendix H contains several forest pest and disease references).

The following list of structural defects and signs of disease is simplistic (certainly not all inclusive), but should serve as a useful guideline. Parks may add categories to include damage of local importance. Record this data for living overstory trees (tree damage assessment is optional for dead trees) under DAMAGE on the FMH-8 form in Appendix A.

ABGR	Abnormal growth pattern for the species of concern. This category would include a range of physical deformities not included in the remainder of the damage codes.
BIRD	Bird damage such as woodpecker or sapsucker holes.
BLIG	Blight is generally defined as any plant disease or injury that results in general withering and death of the plant without rotting. Blight can result from a wide variety of needle, cone, and stem rusts, and canker diseases, and are often species or genus specific. Knowledge from local plant pathologists may assist in identifying specific blight conditions.
BROK	Broken top in the tree.
BROM	Witches broom diseases are characterized by an abnormal cluster of small branches or twigs on a tree as a result of attack by fungi, viruses, dwarf mistletoes, or insect injury. Brooms caused by dwarf mistletoe and from yellow witches broom disease are common in the Western Region area.
BURL	A hard woody, often rounded outgrowth on a tree. May be naturally occurring in some tree and shrub species, and a sign of an infection or disease in other species.
CONK	The knobby fruiting body of a tree fungal infection visible on a tree bole, such as a shelf fungus.
CROK	Crooked or twisted bole.
EPIC	Epicormic sprouting, adventitious shoots arising from suppressed buds on the stem, often found on trees following thinning or partial girdling.
FIRE	Fire scar or cambial damage due to fire.
FORK	Forked top of a tree, multiple primary leaders in a tree crown.
INSE	Visible insects in the tree bole or the canopy, or their sign, such as frass or pitch tubes, bark beetle galleries, or gall infections.
LEAN	Tree is leaning.
LIGT	Lightning scar or other damage to the tree caused by lightning.
MAMM	Damage caused by mammals, such as bear claw marks, porcupine or beaver chewings, and deer or elk rubbings.
MISL	Mistletoe is visible in the tree (as opposed to signs of mistletoe such as broom without visible mistletoe).
SPRT	Basal sprouting, new shoots arising from the root collar or burl.
ROOT	Large roots are exposed.
ROTT	A rot of fungus in a tree other than a conk, often associated with a wound or crack.
SPAR	Unusually sparse foliage for that species and size of tree.
TWIN	A tree which forks below DBH and has two or more boles.
UMAN	Human caused damage such as axe marks, embedded nails or fence wire, vandalism.
WOND	A wound to a tree which cannot be identified by one of the other damage codes, wounds, or cracks, of unknown cause.

Record Species Codes Used

Every time a species code is used for any plot or transect in the park the species name and code must be recorded on FMH-6. This form serves as a running list of used codes. Only one list is kept for the entire monitoring program. Monitors should always carry this sheet when they are collecting data and should refer to it every time they assign a species code (see Appendix C for coding guidelines). Use of this sheet will keep the same code from being used for two different species, and will greatly facilitate data processing.

Chapter 4: Methods for Monitoring Forest Index Plots