1. Ethics in Performing Land Boundary Retracement Surveys
I have prepared this presentation to explain proper procedures and ethics of performing a land boundary retracement survey of an original survey.
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2. Introduction:
Most land surveyors today spend 95% of their time performing retracement surveys of an original survey.
A land surveyors job consists of 1/3 office research and 2/3 field research.
Proper ethics should be followed in the retracement of an original survey.
Land surveyors will spend approximately 1/3 of their time researching in the office and 2/3 of their time investigating in the field. There is no set time limit that is acceptable or unacceptable as far as how much time is spent researching in the office or the field. A land surveyor is required to spend as much time as it takes to properly research their current assignment before going into the field, allowing them to have the most information possible to compliment their field research. A land surveyors job consists of mostly retracement surveys in this day and age and it is important that they show the proper ethics and procedures in the field that is required of them by law so that they do not risk their liability.

3. What is a retracement survey?
Definitions:
Original Survey: Is a survey performed to mark the locations of a non- existent boundary. There can only be one original survey and description, all future inquiries are considered retracements.
Retracement Survey: Is a survey performed to recover existent or obliterated corners of an original survey.
The original survey is the first survey that is performed on a non existent property boundary. All other surveys performed thereafter are considered retracement surveys. If you work for federal service such as the BLM, forest service or the USGS etc. you will spend 95% of your time in the field retracing original surveys. Original surveys can be retraced and redefined but never changed, they are permanent even if old monuments are not recovered and unable to be found. America was surveyed by the government starting in the 1700’s, this is known as the general land office survey, they created the system we know as the PLSS system, or the public land survey system. This was the creation of townships and sections across America. The PLSS system created by the government is why you spend most of your time retracing original surveys in federal service. If you work for a private company you are more likely to be performing original surveys on subdivided property boundaries or private property boundaries.

4. First step to a retracement survey
Office research:
County records.
BLM records.
Forest Service records.
The first and most important step to performing a retracement survey is doing the proper research to obtain both the information such as plats, deeds and maps and the location such as GPS coordinates to help you discover what you are looking for in the field. Proper ethics and procedure is to spend as much time as it takes to acquire this information without wasting time. These days you can find most of what your looking for online but in smaller counties their information is often times still sitting in the recorders office or city hall. In this case it is essential that the land surveyor drive to the county office to obtain the information that they need to perform a retracement survey. If it is federal property that you are working on the BLM and Forest Service can also be helpful in finding corners and survey caps. They keep and record all information to do with their own federal surveys. However every surveyor federal or private is required by law to file the proper paperwork of their surveys to the county they are working in, this is why the county holds most of the information that you need. A good understanding of the terrain that you will be working in is essential, maps of the area and GPS coordinates of section corners prove to be extremely helpful in finding corners of an original survey.
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5. Proper field ethics Retracing Methods: GPS/Trimble. Compass.
Next step after you are done searching in the office is to start your field search. You will want to create a base point and run an OPUS on the GPS coordinates of the base location. As a land surveyor it is extremely important that we are as precise as we can be measuring and recording each point to within a hundredth of its proper location. Once you have this you can set up your base and begin searching in the field. It is possible to retrace an old surveyors tracks by using a compass, many surveyors still use this technique, however using modern technology proves to be massively successful in obtaining information in the field. Whatever method you choose to use proper ethics requires an extensive field search to acquire corners of an original survey before preceding further.
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6. Field Investigating What to look for: Ax marks in trees, writing.
Broken tree limbs, cut trees.
Fence line.
Surveyors caps.
Rebar.
Orange tape or other markings.
Boundary signs, markers.
A very important part of making an ethical search for land boundary is investigating. Land surveyors are investigators to the extent of crime scene investigators, as land surveyors we are looking for marks on the earth that were often put there a hundred or more years ago. We are “retracing” the prior surveyors footprints so it is our job to be ethical professional investigators in the field. Fence line, monument caps, rebar, tape these are all things to be looking for and to investigate to come to the conclusion whether or not they affect the survey you are looking for. Often times while in the field you will come upon evidence that does not concern your current job, it is ethical to record all evidence even if it does not concern your current job. Take pictures, write field notes and record your find so that surveyors behind you will prosper from your find also. Again there is no set amount of time to perform a retracement survey, if you cannot find monument caps or boundary you will have to discuss with your supervisor what he wants you to do. Of course if not finding evidence of boundary is common for you, your supervisor might find someone else to do your job. Contacting the county is always your best bet when you are unable to find a monument cap, you can file the proper paperwork and they will perform an extensive search and either find it for you or call it “lost” and replace it.
Source: Justin Blaine Stocking

7. Field Investigating Cont.
What not to do:
Trespass.
Carelessly tear up habitat.
Axe mark trees not on boundary.
Tear out prior monuments.
Tear out prior rebar.
Lie about your findings.
The most important part of a surveyors job in the field is following common law and proper surveying ethics and methodology. It is never okay to trespass in any situation aside from an emergency without the proper permission from a landowner. It is a surveyors priority to respect landowners and their boundaries, if a section corner is on private property make sure you contact the owner to see if they will let you in. 9 times out of 10 they will if you just contact them professionally before hand. Another priority for a surveyor is to make sure they are making habitat markings only on the actual boundary line, it is unethical to claim a boundary by marking trees where the boundary does not actually exist. As surveyors have respect for private property, surveyors should also have respect for prior surveys and the markings from the prior survey. It is not okay to tear prior surveyors caps out of the ground because you think your measurement is better, note that any prior surveying caps or rebar pounded into the ground is considered private property in its own right. Also note that there is a fine for unlawfully disturbing monument caps without proper cause and proper paperwork. In the past there have been cases of surveyor fraud, meaning there have been some unlawful surveyors that have claimed to do a survey but never actually did it. Make sure to never lie about your findings and to document them accordingly, take pictures and write field notes to support your work in the field.
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8. Lost corner Monuments Definition:
A lost corner is a monument that was set on the original survey that is unfindable due to natural hazards or unlawful removal etc.
Often times while performing a retracement survey, surveyors will come upon a lost monument scenario. This is usually the last step of performing a retracement survey. The surveyor must make every effort possible to locate the lost monument. It is considered lost when, the surveyor finds evidence of tampering or removal or due to natural earth processes. Earth quakes, landslides, flooding etc.

9. Lost corner monuments cont.
Options for reinstalling lost monuments:
Contact the county so they can do it.
Do it yourself (if you are professionally licensed).
File the proper paperwork with the county.
Set a reference point instead.
It is ethical for a surveyor performing a retracement survey to make every effort to locate a lost monument and also to reinstall the monument. You can locate the precise position of a lost monument by proportioning or using a combination of evidence and measurements. A professional license is required for this, if the lost monument is in an area that is physically unreachable due to a landslide or a rock slide etc. Or the lost monument is now in the middle of a swamp due to flooding you have an option to set a reference monument in an area that is not disturbed. The reference monument cap will need to be precise in its location and reference the location of the lost monument via survey feet and heading. You always have the option of contacting the county and having them do it. The proper paperwork needs to be filed in any situation. Many surveyors leave lost monuments unfound and proportion their evidence and measurements without replacing them, this is an unethical decision that makes it harder for future generations. Every effort should be made to find lost monuments, if they are unfindable they should be appropriately replaced by the surveyor.
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10. conclusion
It is important for land surveyors to follow proper common law and surveying ethics while in the process of performing a retracement of an original survey. Such as not trespassing, installing lost monuments and not tearing out prior retracement survey monument markers and caps. By following proper procedure and ethics land surveyors will not risk their or their companies liability.
It is important for land surveyors to follow proper common law and surveying ethics while in the process of performing a retracement of an original survey. Such as not trespassing, installing lost monuments and not tearing out prior retracement survey monument markers and caps. By following proper procedure and ethics land surveyors will not risk their own or their companies liability.

11. REFERENCES Bureau of Land Management (2009). Principles of Resurveys.
Manual of Surveying Instructions, 5,
Robillard and Wilson (2016). The Original Boundaries are Sacred.
Brown’s Boundary Control and Legal Principles, 1.19, 31-33
Robillard, Wilson and Brown (2015). Other Types of Species of Evidence.
Evidence and Procedures for Boundary Location, 5,