Comparing Pre-settlement, Pre-treatment and Post-treatment Stand Structure at Lonetree Restoration Site: Incorporating GIS into Restoration By Christine Brown & Michael Jow Ecological Restoration Applications November 30, 2004

More Lonetree! Data collected needs to be in a format where it can be analyzed displayed and stored –Including how it relates to the rest of the world –Future monitoring needs to be incorporated in a compatible format for comparison and analysis Average tree density and basal area don’t provide the whole picture –Spatial arrangement is important to reconstructing proper structure –Presettlement site utilization by overstory is difficult to quantify and recreate

Objectives 1.Consolidate, store and organize project data 2.Spatially reference project area, treatment units and plot boundaries 3.Visually display and compare pre-settlement, pre-treatment and post-treatment stand structures 4.Visualize and analyze outcome of various prescriptions

Aerial View of the Lonetree Restoration Site

Treatment Areas Treatment Units Project Boundary Plots

Methods Project layout Boundaries and plot centers were plotted using a Tremble Geoexplorer 2 GPS unit GPS data was and differentially corrected using USDA FS base station data from Cedar City, Utah and brought into an ESRI Arcmap project Plots were created using center points and plot direction Plot data was imported into Arcmap and linked to corresponding features Pre- and post-treatment photos were hyperlinked to the point location they were taken Features were overlaid on an aerial photo and topo map

Topographic View of the Lonetree Site

Methods (Continued) Tree Data Trees were plotted in Arcmap using x-y data collected on site and corresponding data attached to each tree Crown diameter was estimated using allometric equations for ponderosa pine (McTague, 1988) Crowns of trees were projected and canopy closure was estimated Tree density and basal area was calculated using plot data

Formulas for Estimate Canopy from DBH When D > 20 in: C ST = ( D ) / {43.85exp ( / SD )) SD } S = Site Index (60) D = Diameter in inches When D < 4 in: C Y = D When 4 20: C = (D – 4.0)[(C ST, D=20) – 5.7] / (McTague, 1988) C ST =Crown Diameter of Saw timber C Y =Crown Diameter of young trees

Assumptions Area of each plot was slope corrected for estimating tree density and basal area Pre-settlement date used was 1870 (approximate time of fire exclusion) Tree densities –Pre-settlement – assumed pole density by including living pre- settlement trees in total tree density calculation Basal areas –Pre-settlement were calculated using the DSH of remnant stumps –Living pre-settlement trees and pole basal area not included Crown closure –Canopy only estimated within plot using allometric equations –does not include canopy extending beyond plot boundaries or the canopy of trees rooted outside plot

Need for Restoration Average tree density of all the measured plots. Average basal area of all the measured plots. Pre-treatment tree density and basal area are significantly different than pre- settlement tree density and basal area. Restoration is needed to return to a healthy forest similar to historical conditions. Average Basal Area Lonetree Site Basal Area (m 2 /ha) Pre-Settlement Pre-treatment Average Tree Density Lonetree Site Tree Density (# trees/ha) Pre-settlement Pre-treatment

Need for Restoration (cont.) Pre-settlement trees show a normal distribution around cm DBH. The pre- treatment trees show a logarithmic (reverse J) distribution.

Lonetree Restoration Project Plots

NAU-99-2 Pre-settlement, Pre and Post-treatment Canopy Covers NAU-99-2 Tree Densities NAU-99-2 Tree Density (# trees/ha) Pre-settlement Pre-treatment Post-treatment NAU-99-2 Basal Areas NAU-99-2 Basal Area (m 2 /ha) Pre-settlement Pre-treatment Post-treatment NAU-99-2 Crown Closure 0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% Plot NAU-99-2 Pre-settlement Pre-treatment Post-treatment

NAU-99-2: POST-TREATMENT PICTURES (P2) August 21, 2000November 9, 2004

NAU-00-2 Pre-settlement and Pre-treatment Canopy Covers NAU-00-2 Tree Densities NAU-00-2 Tree Density (# trees/ha) Pre-settlement Pre-treatment NAU-00-2 Basal Areas NAU-00-2 Basal Area (m 2 /ha) Pre-settlement Pre-treatment Crown Closure 0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% Plot NAU-00-2 Pre-settlement Pre-treatment

NAU-00-2: PRE AND POST–TREATMENT PICTURES (0P) Pre-treatment. September 6, 2000.Post-treatment. November 9, 2004.

Additional Analyses Location- find coordinates for any feature Measurements- distance, area, perimeter Spatial relationships- clumpiness, connectivity, proximity Patterns- data visualization Trends- changes in data over time Modeling- predict outcomes of different restoration alternatives

GIS to Visualize Restoration Prescriptions 10 m recruitment radius Pre-settlement Evidence Pre-settlement Live tree Post-settlement Live Trees

Comparing Restoration Prescriptions Possible treatment using a 1.5 to 1 replacement for pre- settlement evidence Possible treatment using a 3 to 1 replacement for pre- settlement evidence

Conclusion ALL project data (maps, photos, plot data) can be stored, organized and displayed in one GIS project Project data can utilize other GIS data for additional analysis Pre-settlement canopy closure and spatial distribution (i.e. “clumpiness”) can be reconstructed, analyzed and displayed Spatial analysis can aid in selecting replacement/ leave trees in restoration treatments Various prescriptions can be compared and visualized prior to implementation Future monitoring information can easily be incorporated and compared to previous data