Fieldwork Procedures Summer 2000

Identification Information

Citation:
Citation Information:
Title: Fieldwork Procedures Summer 2000
Description:

Abstract: Fieldwork was performed in New York State; including Huntington Wildlife Forest, Heiberg Memorial Forest, Pack Forest, Ninham Forest and Lennox Forest. Continuous Forest Inventory (CFI) Plots were measured with GPS receivers to provide control for satellite images. This fieldwork will be used to provide information to better forest management procedures for state foresters.

Purpose: This fieldwork will help to integrate remote sensing and forest management at a state level. The data collected help to provide location and plot information for later use with satellite imagery.

Supplemental Information: Leica GPS300 Receivers and local base station were used. Distance between plot centers varied from 14 chains to 20 chains apart. Plot sizes ranged from 1/10 acre (Pack Forest and Heibgerg Forest) to 1/5 acre areas (Huntingtin Forest). Ninham and Lenox Forests were set-up slightly different, each having the distance between plot center 2 meters apart and a plot size of 1/24 acre. GPS receivers were positioned on the plot center for 10 minutes or 120 epochs. The base station was positioned on a predetermined, nearby point of known coordinates. The base station was set up on a control point of the highest order that could be found in the vicinity each forest. Detailed information on fieldwork procedures can be found here.

Time Period of Content:

Time Period Information:
Range of Dates/Times:
Beginning Date: 6/1/2000
Ending Date: 10/1/2000

Status:
Progress: In Work
Maintenance and Update Frequency: As needed
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme Keyword Thesaurus: None
Theme Keyword: Huntington Forest
Theme Keyword: Heiberg Forest
Theme Keyword: Pack Forest
Theme Keyword: Ninham Forest
Theme Keyword: Lennox Forest
Theme Keyword: CFI Plots
Theme Keyword: GPS data
Theme Keyword: Leica recievers
Use Constraints: These receivers have a precision of a decimeter to meter, however not all points are this precise. Consult individual forest spreadsheets for specific plot data.
Point of Contact:

Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Bill Stiteler
Contact Organization: SUNY-ESF
Contact Position: Research Scientist
Contact Voice Telephone: 315-470-6939
Contact Electronic Mail Address: wmstitel@syr.edu

Data Quality Information

Completeness Report: This fieldwork has provided plot location information for a representative number of plots at each forest. However, not all plots have been recorded. Future work includes: Crews would occupy each plot center for 180 epochs to ensure enough data for processing and to help collect enough data for resolving ambiguities between the code and carrier phase of the GPS unit. In addition to a base station location, other known reference areas near each property would be found before visiting for accuracy assessment. Next summer, the intent is to establish plots to record to ensure a mix of forest types.

Positional Accuracy:


Horizontal Positional Accuracy:
Horizontal Positional Accuracy Report: The receivers have a precision of roughly a decimeter to a meter. Due to the nature of the readings, some plots are more precise than others. For the exact precision of a specfic plot center, consult the individual forest reference data.
Lineage:

Process Step:

Process Description: Crews carried data sheets containing plot and individual tree information as well as maps of the forest and compasses to aid in locating the CFI plots. The magnetic declination was set for each area visited. This allowed for the crews to better use the reference sheets with plot reference information. Using the reference sheets, the distances and azimuths from certain reference trees were measured to provide a relatively accurate location of the plot center. Once the plot center was located, a standard procedure was followed. The GPS receiver would be placed on the plot center and left to collect data for 120 epochs with five seconds between each epoch. While the receiver was collecting data, the crew would write down information about tree type within the plot and its surrounding area and any information that would help to further describe the plot in the field book. Commonly, pictures of the plot would be taken with a digital camera. In the event that a plot center could not be located, the GPS receiver was set up near a reference tree within the plot.

Process Date: Summer 2000
Process Contact:


Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Bill Stiteler
Contact Organization: SUNY-ESF
Contact Position: Research Scientist
Contact Voice Telephone: 315-470-6939
Contact Electronic Mail Address: wmstitel@syr.edu

Spatial Data Organization Information

Indirect Spatial Reference: various forests in New York
Direct Spatial Reference Method: Point
Point and Vector Object Information:
SDTS Terms Description:

Spatial Reference Information

Horizontal Coordinate System Definition:
Geographic:
Geographic Coordinate Units: Degrees, minutes, and decimal seconds
Geodetic Model:
Horizontal Datum Name: WGS84
Ellipsoid Name: WGS84
Semi-major Axis: 6378137
Denominator of Flattening Ratio: 298.257223563

Entity and Attribute Information

Overview Description:

Entity and Attribute Overview: The plot centers were recorded in geographic WGS84, UTM NAD 27, and UTM NAD 83. Tree data within each plot is also available on the individual forest spreadsheet. This includes information on tree type, dbh, crown position, size, etc.

Entity and Attribute Detail Citation: Individual forest personnel and archives.

Distribution Information

Distributor:

Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Bill Stiteler
Contact Organization: SUNY-ESF
Contact Position: Research Scientist
Contact Voice Telephone: 315-470-6939
Contact Electronic Mail Address: wmstitel@syr.edu

Distribution Liability: The user is required to consult the accuracy of each plot and use only for the intended accuracy.
Custom Order Process: Distribution is exclusively through the website of the project.

Metadata Reference Information

Metadata Date: 1/1/2001
Metadata Review Date:
Metadata Future Review Date:
Metadata Contact:

Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Bill Stiteler
Contact Organization: SUNY-ESF
Contact Position: Research Scientist
Contact Voice Telephone: 315-470-6939
Contact Electronic Mail Address: wmstitel@syr.edu

Metadata Standard Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata