A freely available publication and data collection template is now available to help forest owners and forest inventory providers with electronically capturing carbon forest inventory data for the MPI Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) Forest Measurement Approach (FMA).
The manual is a free download from the www.interpine.co.nz website, with only free online registration required to gain access.
This provides the New Zealand forest industry with the first way to capture all the ETS FMA data electronically in one place. Data can be captured in PlotSafe forest inventory software in the field using Windows mobile field computers, or in the office using the Windows desktop version of PlotSafe. PlotSafe being the most widely used dedicated forest inventory software in New Zealand and Australia, current licensed users can use this freely available template “FMA11” to collect ETS FMA data immediately without any additional costs.
While the guide outlines the collection of ETS FMA data within PlotSafe it also covers practical tips for implementation and measurement of survey plots that compliments the information provided in the MPI ETS FMA Guide. Topics covered include:
- FMA11 PlotSafe Template for ETS FMA Data Collection
- Data entry structure.
- Plot, subplot and subsample naming.
- Additional data fields available for the full complement of data collection from shrubs, small trees, entry of all stand record datasets, entry of PSP standard fields or stem cruising using overlapping features.
- Known limitations of FMA11
- Conversion of data to MAF XML standards
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Practical Tips for Implementation and Collection of ETS FMA Data
- Background learning
- Locating plots, including topics on relocating plots, locating plot centres with vertex equipment, witness tree measurements.
- Measurement impact and tree marking
- Plot photos
- Stand history observations
- Dead and wind-thrown/toppled tree measurement
- Use of sub-plot and sub-samples
- Definition of multiple stems at DBH height
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Quality Assurance Audit System
- Plot grading and auditing system built around industry standards
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Contracted Inventory Specifications Template
- A useful question and specification template to ensure ETS FMA inventory is deployed consistently and instructions are well understood by forest owners, inventory contractors and survey field teams.
If you already have a login for the website you can follow this link to download the guide and PlotSafe templates.
Just complete our Feedback form for a free login to the website or to request further information about this guide and the PlotSafe templates.
NTENT: This field manual has been produced by Interpine Forestry Ltd (Interpine) as a reference guide for the use of PlotSafe forest inventory software for the collection of New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme Field Measurement Approach Inventory. The data collection procedures are based on the Ministry of Primary Industries Forest Measurement Approach (FMA) standards and guidelines referenced below. This guide is intended for public release to current users of PlotSafe software, and assumes a level of familiarity with PlotSafe and its terminology. For more information on PlotSafe see the provided help documentation by pressing <F1> from within the software.
Update 16/02/2012: V2 of the guide is now available from the download links shown above.