Condition Level VariablesCondition Level Variables

National Manual Version 1.61

Section 2.0

Condition Class NumberCondition Class Number

• Assign a unique number for each condition on the plot

• Plot Center is always condition 1

• The rest of the conditions are numbered as they are encountered on the plot

• Regardless if the subplots are tallied out of order

Land UseLand UseNew Coding SystemNew Coding System

Record the classification that indicates the land use of the condition.

01 Accessible timber land 30 Other developed 31 Cultural (business, residential, etc.) 02 Accessible other forest

land 32 Rights-of-way (road, railroad, utility line) 03 Denied access forest land 04 Hazardous forest land

33 Recreation area (golf course, campground, parks, etc.)

08 Lost subplot (timber land) 34 Mining 09 Lost subplot (other forest)

40 Other non-forest (barren land, rock) 10 Other agricultural land 41 Non-census water 11 Cropland 42 Marsh 12 Pasture (improved) 43 Beaches 13 Idle farmland 14 Orchard 91 Census water 15 Christmas tree plantation 92 Denied access – land use not classified 16 Maintained wildlife

openings 93 Hazardous – land use not classified

94 Area not in the sample (Mexico) 20 Rangeland

Forest Land Use CodesForest Land Use Codes01 Accessible timber land (Site Class = 1-6)

02 Accessible other forest land (Site Class = 7)

03 Denied access forest land

04 Hazardous forest land

SK = 2 only (not used in LA):

08 Lost subplot (timber land)

09 Lost subplot (other forest land)

Agricultural Land UsesAgricultural Land Uses10 Other agricultural land

11 Cropland

12 Pasture (improved)

13 Idle farmland

New Agricultural Land Use Codes:

14 Orchard

15 Christmas tree plantation

16 Maintained wildlife openings

RangelandRangeland

20 Rangeland (natural)

Developed Land UsesDeveloped Land UsesChangedChanged

30 Other developed land

31 Cultural (business, residential, etc.)

New Developed codes:

32 Right-of-way (road, railroad, utility line)

33 Recreation area

34 Mining

Other Non-Forest Land UsesOther Non-Forest Land Uses

40 Other non-forest (barren land, rock)

41 Non-census water

42 Marsh

43 Beach

Non-Sampled Land UsesNon-Sampled Land Uses

91 Census water (not calculated into land base)

92 Denied access – land use not classified

93 Hazardous – land use not classified

94 Area not in sample (Mexico)

Condition StatusCondition Status

First step in delineating conditions on the plot1 Accessible forest land2 Nonforest land3 Noncensus water4 Census water5 Denied access area6 Area too hazardous to visit7 Area that is not in the sample9 Lost subplot/past condition data (SK = 2)

NEW Past CodesNEW Past Codes• Land Use, Condition Status, Forest Type,

Regeneration Status

• Use current procedures to determine the past data as if you were applying the new rules at the time of the last survey (5 years ago for SK1 & 3)

• Previous crew notes, diagrams, and photos

• Best judgement: Only differ with old data if it is OBVIOUS that it would have been different if current procedures had been applied

OLD Land UseOLD Land Use• Record the current code that best matches the

land use that the previous cruiser recorded

• Record the most detailed code available

• Example: Previously most developed land uses were one code – 67 Urban and other. Best match for a road under current system is 32, NOT Other developed – code 30

• Only change the code if it is OBVIOUS that the previous cruiser incorrectly applied past rules

Nonforest YearNonforest YearNew ItemNew Item

• Only record on a landcleared forest condition• Record the year that the forest land was

converted to a non-forest condition

Similar Identified Condition ClassSimilar Identified Condition Class

• Only recorded on SK = 2• Not recorded in Louisiana

Reserved StatusReserved StatusNew ItemNew Item

0 Not reserved

1 Reserved

• Forest condition defining attribute

• Coded separately from land use

Owner GroupOwner GroupNew ItemNew Item

10 US Forest Service

20 Other Federal

30 State and Local Government

40 Private

• Forest condition defining attribute

Owner ClassOwner Class• Specific divisions within the Owner Group• Owner Class is NOT a condition defining

attribute

Owner Class CodesOwner Class CodesChangedChanged

US Forest Service Group

11 National Forest

12 National Grassland

13 Other Forest Service

Private Group

41 Corporate

42 Non-Gov’t Conservation/ Natural Resource Org

43 Unincorporated Partners/ Associations/ Clubs

44 Native American Reserve

45 Individual

Other Federal Land Group

21 National Park Service

22 Bureau of Land Mngmt

23 Fish and Wildlife Service

24 Dept of Defense/Energy

25 Other Federal

State and Local Gov’t Group

31 State

32 Local (County, City)

33 Other Non-Federal Public

Private Owner Industrial StatusPrivate Owner Industrial StatusNew ItemNew Item

0 Land is NOT owned by industrial owner with wood processing mill

1 Land IS owned by industrial owner with wood processing mill

Total Acres and Percent ForestTotal Acres and Percent Forest

• Recorded only on NIPF land owners

• Use acreage obtained when determining ownership information

Stand SizeStand Size• Condition defining attribute

• Conditions that are delineated based solely on Stand Size must be at least two size classes apart

• Two exceptions to this new rule:• If another condition defining attribute (forest type,

regeneration status, etc.) is used to delineate a separate condition, then consider Stand Size as an “ancillary” attribute: Record the specific size class of each condition, even if only one class apart

• Nonstocked forest (code 0) vs. stocked forest (codes 1-4) are always delineated

Stand Size CodesStand Size CodesChangedChanged

• Codes are ordered from the small to large size classes, and sawlog sizes are broken up:

0 Nonstocked

1 Up to 4.9 inches (seedlings/saplings)

2 5.0-8.9 softwoods/ 5.0-10.9 hardwoods (poles)

3 9.0-19.9 softwoods/ 11.0-19.9 hardwoods

4 20.0-39.9 inches

5 40.0+ inches

6 Cover trees (western TX/OK, ignore in LA)

Regeneration StatusRegeneration StatusChangedChanged

(formerly “Stand Origin”)(formerly “Stand Origin”)

• Condition defining attribute

0 Natural

1 Artificial

Artificial Regeneration SpeciesArtificial Regeneration SpeciesRecord species code of artificially planted stands

Tree DensityTree DensityChangedChanged

• Last condition defining attribute• Only record change in density if it is the only reason to

delineate a condition• Code changes:

1 Initial density class

2 Density class 2 – density different than 1

3 Density class 3 – density different than 1 and 2

Stand AgeStand Age• Stand Age is linked to Stand Size Class

• Average age of trees in predominant Stand Size Class that are not overtopped

• When no single Stand Size Class is predominant, assign weights to the age of each size class

• If all of the trees in a condition class are not suitable to be bored for age, record 998

Stand StructureStand Structure• Record the code that best describes the predominant

canopy structure for the condition• As a rule, a canopy should comprise 25% of the stand

1 Single-storied

2 Two-storied

3 Multi-storied

4 Non-stocked

DisturbanceDisturbance• Code up to three

• Most important to least important (use best judgement)

• Threshold: 25% of individual trees in condition

• Positive or negative effect

• Since last survey or within last 5 years on SK 1 plots

• Codes changed: 2 digits instead of 1 digit

Disturbance CodesDisturbance Codes00 None

10 Insects

20 Disease

30 Crown and ground fire (either prescribed or natural)31 Ground fire32 Crown fire

40 Animal other than the following:41 Beaver42 Porcupine43 Deer/ungulate45 Domestic animal/livestock (includes grazing)

Disturbance Codes (cont.)Disturbance Codes (cont.)50 Weather other than the following:51 Ice52 Wind (includes hurricane, tornado)53 Flooding (weather induced)54 Drought

60 Vegetation (suppression, competition, vines)

70 Unknown/ not sure/ other (include a note)

80 Human – Any significant threshold human-caused damage not described by other Disturbance or Treatment codes

Disturbance YearDisturbance YearNew ItemNew Item

• Record the year each disturbance occurred

• Since last survey or within last 5 years on SK 1 plots

• If the disturbance occurs continuously over time, record 9999

TreatmentTreatment• Code up to three

• Most important to least important (use best judgement)

• Since last survey or within last 5 years on SK 1 plots

• Codes changed

Treatment CodesTreatment Codes00 None

10 Other cutting11 Clearcut12 Partial harvest13 Seed-tree/shelterwood harvest (include final harvest of

the seed trees; don’t record as clearcut)14 Commercial thinning15 TSI

20 Site preparation

30 Artificial regeneration (no distinction between afforestation and reforestation)

40 Natural regeneration

50 Other silvicultural treatment (fertilizers, herbicides, etc.)

Treatment YearTreatment Year New ItemNew Item

• Record the year each treatment occurred

• Since last survey or within last 5 years on SK 1 plots

Physiographic ClassPhysiographic ClassCodes ChangedCodes Changed

• Xeric codes are grouped in the 10s• Mesic codes are grouped in the 20s• Hydric codes are grouped in the 30s

• Dry mountain tops and slopes category is split into:11 Dry Tops12 Dry Slopes

• Beaver and cypress ponds are broken out from the other hydric category:

34 Beaver ponds35 Cypress ponds

Record the code that best represents the physiographic class of the condition based on land form, topographic position and soil

OperabilityOperabilityCodes ChangedCodes Changed

0 No problems1 Seasonal access 2 Mixed wet and dry3 Broken terrain4 Year-round water problems5 Slopes of 20% or more

Water SourceWater SourceChangedChanged

• Not just permanent water

0 None1 Intermittent2 Permanent stream/canal less than 30 feet wide3 Permanent stream/canal 30-199 feet wide4 Permanent stream/canal 200 feet wide or greater5 Permanent swamp, bog, marsh less than 4.5 acres6 Permanent swamp, bog, marsh 4.5 acres or more7 Permanent lake/pond less than 4.5 acres8 Permanent lake/pond 4.5 acres or more9 Other permanent water (includes ocean)

• Record the water source that has greatest impact

Distance to Water SourceDistance to Water Source• Water within 1000 feet from the lowest numbered subplot

000 – 100 Distance to nearest foot (taped on site)

150 101 – 200 feet250 201 – 300 feet

** ** *

950 901 – 1,000 feet

999 None within 1,000 feet

Site ClassSite ClassChangedChanged

• Estimate Site Class of condition if no site trees are collected

• No required list of site tree species, only a “preferred” list

• Can record any tree species as a site tree if no preferred species are present

• Estimate Site Class if there is not a site class curve in Appendix 4 for the site tree species recorded on plot

Fire and GrazingFire and Grazing

Simple presence or absence on the condition

Condition Level NotesCondition Level NotesNew ItemNew Item

Record any pertinent notes for each condition

Questions?Questions?