Condition Level Variables National Manual Version 1.61 Section 2.0

Condition 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 Use New Coding System Record the classification that indicates the land use of the condition.

Forest Land Use Codes 01 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 Uses 10 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

Rangeland 20Rangeland (natural)

Developed Land Uses Changed 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 Uses 40 Other non-forest (barren land, rock) 41 Non-census water 42 Marsh 43 Beach

Non-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 Status First step in delineating conditions on the plot 1Accessible forest land 2Nonforest land 3Noncensus water 4Census water 5Denied access area 6Area too hazardous to visit 7Area that is not in the sample 9 Lost subplot/past condition data (SK = 2)

NEW 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 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 Year New 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 Class Only recorded on SK = 2 Not recorded in Louisiana

Reserved Status New Item 0Not reserved 1Reserved Forest condition defining attribute Coded separately from land use

Owner Group New Item 10 US Forest Service 20Other Federal 30State and Local Government 40Private Forest condition defining attribute

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

Owner Class Codes Changed 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 Status New Item 0Land is NOT owned by industrial owner with wood processing mill 1Land IS owned by industrial owner with wood processing mill

Total Acres and Percent Forest Recorded only on NIPF land owners Use acreage obtained when determining ownership information

Stand 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 Codes Changed Codes are ordered from the small to large size classes, and sawlog sizes are broken up: 0Nonstocked 1Up to 4.9 inches (seedlings/saplings) softwoods/ hardwoods (poles) softwoods/ hardwoods inches inches 6Cover trees (western TX/OK, ignore in LA)

Regeneration Status Changed (formerly “Stand Origin”) Condition defining attribute 0Natural 1Artificial

Artificial Regeneration Species Record species code of artificially planted stands

Tree Density Changed Last condition defining attribute Only record change in density if it is the only reason to delineate a condition Code changes: 1Initial density class 2Density class 2 – density different than 1 3Density class 3 – density different than 1 and 2

Stand 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 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 1Single-storied 2Two-storied 3Multi-storied 4Non-stocked

Disturbance 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 Codes 00None 10 Insects 20Disease 30Crown and ground fire (either prescribed or natural) 31Ground fire 32Crown fire 40Animal other than the following: 41Beaver 42Porcupine 43Deer/ungulate 45Domestic animal/livestock (includes grazing)

Disturbance Codes (cont.) 50Weather other than the following: 51Ice 52Wind (includes hurricane, tornado) 53Flooding (weather induced) 54Drought 60Vegetation (suppression, competition, vines) 70Unknown/ not sure/ other (include a note) 80Human – Any significant threshold human-caused damage not described by other Disturbance or Treatment codes

Disturbance Year New 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

Treatment 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 Codes 00None 10Other cutting 11Clearcut 12Partial harvest 13Seed-tree/shelterwood harvest (include final harvest of the seed trees; don’t record as clearcut) 14Commercial thinning 15TSI 20Site preparation 30 Artificial regeneration (no distinction between afforestation and reforestation) 40Natural regeneration 50Other silvicultural treatment (fertilizers, herbicides, etc.)

Treatment Year New Item Record the year each treatment occurred Since last survey or within last 5 years on SK 1 plots

Physiographic Class Codes 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: 11Dry Tops 12Dry Slopes Beaver and cypress ponds are broken out from the other hydric category: 34Beaver ponds 35Cypress ponds Record the code that best represents the physiographic class of the condition based on land form, topographic position and soil

Operability Codes Changed 0No problems 1Seasonal access 2Mixed wet and dry 3Broken terrain 4Year-round water problems 5Slopes of 20% or more

Water Source Changed Not just permanent water 0None 1Intermittent 2Permanent stream/canal less than 30 feet wide 3Permanent stream/canal feet wide 4Permanent stream/canal 200 feet wide or greater 5Permanent swamp, bog, marsh less than 4.5 acres 6Permanent swamp, bog, marsh 4.5 acres or more 7Permanent lake/pond less than 4.5 acres 8Permanent lake/pond 4.5 acres or more 9Other permanent water (includes ocean) Record the water source that has greatest impact

Distance to Water Source Water within 1000 feet from the lowest numbered subplot 000 – 100Distance to nearest foot (taped on site) – 200 feet – 300 feet * ** ** – 1,000 feet 999None within 1,000 feet

Site Class Changed 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 Grazing Simple presence or absence on the condition

Condition Level Notes New Item Record any pertinent notes for each condition

Questions?