Once we arrived at the plot, we first had to assign jobs for each person. The jobs were: flagger, measurer, tagger, and recorder. Also, everyone had to lay 50m lines of measuring tape so we clearly defined each sub-plot. That way we could easily distinguish which part of the plot the were in. There was already rebar that was placed to mark each corner of each sub-plot so we knew exactly where to start and stop the lines.

   The flaggers' duty was to walk through the fifty by fifty meter plots searching for every single tree, even the smallest ones imaginable, and to mark each tree by placing a small flag by it so the people with the next jobs didn't have to search as well. This was sometimes extremely difficult because some of the trees were only about two or three centimeters tall.

   Once this was done, it was the measurers turn. They had to gather precise measurements of the heights and diameters of the bases of every single tree. To find the diameter of trunks we used calipers. It wasn't always easy to get precise measurements because some of the tree trunks were less than one millimeter in diameter. So, we rounded the tiniest ones up to one millimeter when we recorded it on the data sheets. To find the height of the tree, we either used a metric tape measure or a meter stick. The measurements started at the base of the tree from where it came out of the ground and ended at the highest living point on the tree. We recorded it in centimeters.

   Following closely behind the measurers were the taggers. Their job was to create new tags for trees that either needed a new tag, or for new trees that had no tags. Every once in a while the tagger got confused because two people were asking for different tag numbers at the same time. To make the tags, we used an impression tool on thin sheet metal. To use the tool we selected a character we wanted to imprint on the sheet metal and squeezed the handle together. The naming scheme corresponded with what grid we were in. We divided the 50x50m grids into 5x10m sub-plots. the 10m long spaces were labeled 1-5. The 5m wide spaces we labeled A-J. So, the first subplot was labeled A-1. When the taggers made the labels for each tree, he/she first entered the letter of the sub-plot, followed by a hyphen, and then the plot number.

Say there were six trees in that sub-plot eight years ago when they last counted trees and we found more. The first tag we made for new trees started with the number seven. Say we couldn't find an old tree. We would record it in the data sheets as not found and assume elk ate it or it was weathered away. We would not make another tag that would replace the lost tree. After making the tags, we loosely tied them around the trunk of the trees with metal wire. Bending the wire through the sheet metal to hold it, bending the ends of the metal wire together, and slightly burying the tags underground so they wouldn't disappear was the hardest part of the project.

   While the measurements were being taken, they were also being recorded. The recorders had to write down the species of tree, the tag number, the measurements and the condition of the tree. What we recorded for the species name was the first two letters of genus name and then followed by the first two letters of the species name. So, ABPR is a noble fir, Abies procera. The recorders had to focus greatly on their tasks because the information had to be exact.

   After we had collected all of the data, we gathered all of the gear and started to pack up. Then, we all got ready for the long hike back to camp.

 

                                               - Mike Kloss
                                               - Kyle Breakey