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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

Section, Township, Range

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

Section Closing Corners

Section Breakdowns

Survey Crew-1892

Survey Crew

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

Plat Book Page

GIS Mapping

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

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)

Handheld GPS

RTK GPS

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

Section Corner Field Verification

Section Corner Search

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.

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

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

Fence Lines

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

Land Surveying

Questions and Answers Thank you