1. Land Surveying as it Relates to Forestry Wisconsin Society of Land Surveyors-Central Chapter UWSP Treehaven Facility Tomahawk, WI July 9th, 2013

2. Presenters: Chris Fieri Chris Fieri Registration: - Licensed as a Registered Land Surveyor in Wisconsin Education: - Land Surveying Technician – Nicolet College Current Employment: - Registered Land Surveyor – Riverside Land Surveying, LLC in Weston, WI - Current Vice President of WSLS - Central Chapter Experience Summary: - 10 years of experience in property boundaries, subdivisions plats, construction layout, section remonumentation surveys.

3. Presenters: Jay Dick Jay Dick Registration: - Wisconsin Registered Land Surveyor Education: - Land Surveying – Nicolet College - Surveying Engineering – Michigan Tech Current Employment: - Marathon County Surveying Technician & Town Board Supervisor, Town of King, Lincoln County - Side note: Treehaven is in my town Experience Summary: - 18yrs of exp. in boundary surveying, topographic surveying, subdivision design & construction layout, and PLSS remonumetation.

4. Presenters: Ted Sommer Ted Sommer Registration: - Wisconsin Registered Land Surveyor #2964 Education: - Forestry & Wildlife / Natural Resource Technology Degree – Vermilion CC - Land Surveying Degree – Nicolet College Current Employment: - Land Surveyor and Forester – Steigerwaldt Land Services, Tomahawk Experience Summary: - 12 years of Natural Resource related experience in both the public and private sector as Logger; NRCS Conservation Technician; Project Forester Technician with Clark County; Land Surveying Tech, Forester, and Wildland Firefighter with the US Forest Service - Current President of Northern Lakes Chapter of WSLS - Regularly performs surveys in conjunction with Timber Sales and other Natural Resource related projects

5. Overview – How Land Surveying relates to Forestry – PLSS system and other Surveying terms – Proper methods of researching records – Accuracy of equipment new and old – Field reconnaissance – Establish lines – Problems and Disagreements/Resolutions – Questions and Answers

6. How Land Surveying relates to Forestry – Harvesting the timber from public and private lands by setting up timber sales – Establishing Cutting Lines along approximate boundary lines – Management plans in relationship to property boundaries

7. PLSS System – Why do we have the PLSS system Simplified way to dispose of public land – Fundraising mechanism for newly formed government – Simplified system to identify new boundary lines » Fence rolls come in 1320’ (length of a “40”) – Measurements Chains- 1 chain to 66 feet 80 chains to mile Rods- 1 rod to 16.5 feet Link- 100 links to chain Mile- 1 mile to 5280 feet

8. PLSS System – Sections, Townships, Ranges and (Town, Village or City) Section – 1 Mile by 1 Mile with 8 corners set at ½ mile around the exterior » Sections are not 5280 feet and not N, S, E, W. » Fractional Sections – “40’s” and Government Lot

9. Section, Township, Range

10. PLSS System – Boundary Lines, Property Lines, and Occupation Lines They do not mean the same thing but they can be the same location.

11. Section Closing Corners

12. Section Breakdowns

13. Survey Crew-1892

14. Survey Crew

15. Proper Methods of Researching – Plat Books – Online GIS Mapping Wisconsin State Cartographers Office – Register of Deeds Office Deeds and Subdivisions – Property Description – County Land Surveyors Office · Tiesheets and Plats of Survey

16. Plat Book Page

17. GIS Mapping

18. GIS Mapping Considerations – Public On-line GIS maps are excellent sources of general property information – Public On-line GIS maps are NOT SURVEYS – On-line parcel mapping have inherent inaccuracies – Coordinates generated from on-line GIS sources may or may not be tied to actual surveyed coordinates – Air photos as represented on On-line GIS sources may have large shifts from actual locations

20. Accuracy of Equipment Old and New – Compass and Tape – Electric Distance Meter with a transit – Total Stations – GPS Handheld (30 foot accuracy) – Standard – Meter – Sub-meter – GIS grade Survey Grade (0.04 foot accuracy)

21. Handheld GPS

22. RTK GPS

23. Field Reconnaissance – Figure out your location and plan – Look for monuments, improvements, and evidences Section Corners Fences Tree lines – Gather all the evidences before marking

24. Section Corner Field Verification

26. Section Corner Search

27. When is it appropriate to request a survey? – If you are going to cut up to a property/ possession line. – Make improvement at or near a property line. – At the time of a real-estate transaction. – If anything is in question.

28. What is the basis of cost for a survey? – Terrain Vegetation, topography, and ease of access – Survey Records Previous surveys available PLSS corner maintenance Location of courthouse – Online records – Use of technology Cell phone coverage GPS vs. Conventional

29. Marking the “Cut” line – Use good judgment – Talk to all the property owners – If the cut line is questionable ……stop. – Make owner aware that the cut line is not the boundary line If the owners don’t agree get a land surveyor involved

30. Fence Lines

31. Problems and Disagreements/Resolutions – Once the line is marked it effects all of the surrounding property owners – Fences Line fence Cattle fence – Uneducated land owners – When the cut line is not agreed upon all parties get a Land Surveyor involved. Professional opinion Consequences

32. Land Surveying

33. Questions and Answers Thank you