Permanent Sample Plots for Forest Monitoring in Fiji

Pacific GIS/RS Conference,Holiday Inn,

Suva.24th December 2010

“You cannot manage, what you cannot map”

Overview

• Objectives

• Plots Design and Layout

• Plot Forms

• Plots Established.

Permanent Sample Plots

• Establishment of an Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) for Fiji’s natural forest, to ensure that harvesting is done at a level which the forest can biologically support.

Permanent Sample Plots

First Phase:

• Awareness are done to Resource Owners first from Administrative Level and Provincial Level.

• Awareness also conducted to Mataqali Heads where the plots are located.

• Establishment of Sample Plots

Plot Layout

PLOT LAYOUTPLOT LAYOUT

50 m

20m

20m

50 m

3m

CIRCULAR PLOT

3.0cm but less than 1.0m- tallied

>than 1.0 m but less than 9.9cm dbh These trees are tallied

SUB PLOT

All trees greater than 10 cm dbh but less than 29.9 cm dbh are measured.

Height taken & recorded

MAIN PLOT

All trees greater that 30cm dbh are recorded and height measured

5m5m

5m

5m

30cm

30cm

5m

30cm

30cm

BIO MASS CIRCULAR PLOTAll dead or alive materialThis spot only above the ground

3m

20m

20m

Main Plot

• 50m by 50m

• Measure all trees with diameter GREATER THAN 30 cm in diameter using a diameter tape and recorded in the field recording form. The trees are identified, numbered using yellow paint and recorded in the field recording form.

• Tree heights measure using Height Pole.

• Record if the trees bear fruits or seeds during the time of assessment

• Record if there is any dead trees standing or alive within the plot.

Subplots• 20m by 20m

• All regeneration trees which are GREATER THAN EQUAL TO 10cm diameter but LESS THAN EQUAL TO 29.9 cm

• The trees are identified, numbered using red paint and recorded.

• The tree heights are measured using a Height pole.

• Record if the trees bear fruits or seeds during the time of assessment

• Record if there is any dead trees standing or alive within the plot.

Circular Plot• All regeneration trees LESS THAN ONE METER are

identified, tallied on to the field form.

• Also for those trees which are GREATER THAN or EQUAL TO ONE METER height and LESS THAN 3cm DBH.

• Measure trees GREATER THAN EQUAL TO 3cm DBH but LESS THAN EQUAL TO 9.9cm. The color that is being used is blue paint.

• Three meters stick stress out to the circumference of the circular plot. Fishing line or ribbons at the end to locate the circumference of the plot. Clockwise identify the tree species and count the trees making sure not miss a single tree or recount an existing tree.

Biomass Circular Plot

• The 4 corner of the 50 x 50m plot (5m by 5m from main plot)

• All the dead organic matters found on the spots are collected and stored in a plastic bags

• Wet weight are recorded on a digital scale and then dried-up on a oven and then weigh again to record the dry weight.

Plot Forms

DISTURBANCE REMARKS FOREST CHARACTERISTICS REMARKS

Invasive Species  These are invasive species such as African tulips, Rain tree , all exotic species

Primary  Virgin forest and unlogged. No disturbance is done

Clearing  These are clearing done by people for agricultural purposes or by just cutting trees

Secondary with natural regeneration

 Logged forest with regeneration growing as under growth

Fire  If past burning do reached the plot then we assess the extent of fire

Secondary with enriched planting

 Logged forest with some enriched plants like mahogany or other species that do grow in the area

Natural Disaster(Cyclone)

 These are cyclone damages or tycoon which may travelled through these plots

Secondary with enriched plants

 Secondary forest with blown over species such as mahogany, pine seedling or other species exotic species

Livestock  The damages done by the livestock like cows, horse, or wild pigs are assessed and recorded

Plantation  Inside a plantation forest or manmade forest (wood lot).Mainly species that were planted.

Insect Any type of insect damages such as die back, beetle attack

Disturbance and Forest Characteristics

Plots Established

PSP Plot Distribution:

Plots are distributed on the 12 Km on grid spacing on Viti Levu and 11 Km on Vanua Levu.

Plots Established

PLOTS ESTABLISHED BY PROVINCE – Viti Levu

PROVINCE No of Plots Plot Established

Ba 12 12

Nadroga 5 5 

Navosa 10 10

Naitasiri 9 9

Namosi 2 2

Ra 9 9

Rewa 1  1

Serua 7 7

Tailevu 5 5

Total 60 60

ProvinceTotal No of

PlotsPlots

Established

BUA 9 9

MACUATA 15 15

CAKAUDROVE

16 16

TOTAL 40 40

PLOT ESTABLISHMENT FOR VANUA LEVU

Permanent Sample Plots - Measured

Why Manage Forests?

• Better Resource Planning

– Informed decisions by using “what if” scenarios.

– Sustainability of forests resources

– Identifying of areas under threat

– Setting of priority areas

Vinaka Vakalevu

Questions ?????