The Monroe project includes two 1.0-acre treatment sites. Within each treatment site four 1/20th-acre (0.05 acres) permanent monitoring plots/acre will be installed prior to implementation of prescribed treatment. Each plot will be permanently monumented with a rebar stake and 4’ white PVC pipe with bright orange ribbon tied to the top. For each plot, the following macro-data will be recorded: GPS plot location, Average stand age, Soil type, Site index & class, Elevation, Rainfall, Aspect, Slope. Pre-activity data will be collected from the treatment sites, the respective treatments will be implemented, then post-activity data will be collected immediately following treatment. Plots will be remeasured at 12 months and 24 months following treatment.
Plot design and data collection for each treatment is as follows:
- TPA
- Species
- Height
- Defect (e.g. browse Y/N)
- Qualitative evaluation of vigor (e.g. yellowing, etc.)
- Shrubs: species, % cover, avg. height of entire shrub layer.
- Photo points from plot center: E, W, N, S