• Address:
  705 Spear Street
  South Burlington, Vermont 05403
  United States of America
  
  Phone: (802) 391-4135
  Email: femc@uvm.edu
  Website: www.uvm.edu/femc

Annual measurement of sugar maple forest stands to determine tree condition, trends and possible causes of sugar maple decline. Assess the variation in within-season timing of measurements, using same plot design as in the National Forest Health Monitoring Program (NFHM). Initially part of a cooperative monitoring program with other states and Canada, since 2002 Vermont has measured these plots independently for internal use. NAMP is primarily an overstory/forest health monitoring program but they have collected regeneration data beginning in 1998.

• -73.3247, 42.79744
• -72.1710446, 42.79744
• -72.1710446, 44.9638304
• -73.3247, 44.9638304
• -73.3247, 42.79744

• Label: Tree azimuth

• Description: Azimuth from plot center to tree

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: degree
• Precision: 1
• Unit: degree
• Number Type: integer

• Label: Bole damage code

• Description: Code describing the type of bole damage

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Cause of first damage

• Description: Damage-causing agent

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Custom List: NAMP Cause_Damage Codes
• Code: 0
• Definition: not idenfitied
• Code: 1
• Definition: insect
• Code: 2
• Definition: fungus
• Code: 3
• Definition: weather
• Code: 4
• Definition: animal
• Code: 5
• Definition: human
• Code: 6
• Definition: fire
• Code: 7
• Definition: silvicultural
• Code: 8
• Definition: tapping
• Code: 9
• Definition: overmaturity

• Label: Cause of second damage

• Description: Damage-causing agent

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Custom List: NAMP Cause_Damage Codes
• Code: 0
• Definition: not idenfitied
• Code: 1
• Definition: insect
• Code: 2
• Definition: fungus
• Code: 3
• Definition: weather
• Code: 4
• Definition: animal
• Code: 5
• Definition: human
• Code: 6
• Definition: fire
• Code: 7
• Definition: silvicultural
• Code: 8
• Definition: tapping
• Code: 9
• Definition: overmaturity

• Label: Cause of third damage

• Description: Damage-causing agent

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Custom List: NAMP Cause_Damage Codes
• Code: 0
• Definition: not idenfitied
• Code: 1
• Definition: insect
• Code: 2
• Definition: fungus
• Code: 3
• Definition: weather
• Code: 4
• Definition: animal
• Code: 5
• Definition: human
• Code: 6
• Definition: fire
• Code: 7
• Definition: silvicultural
• Code: 8
• Definition: tapping
• Code: 9
• Definition: overmaturity

• Label: Cluster

• Description: Each maple stand has a cluster of 5 plots

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Counter

• Description: Record counter

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ordinal

• Label: Crown rating defoliation

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ordinal

• Label: Current tapholes

• Description: Current tapholes

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: number
• Precision: 1
• Unit: number
• Number Type: integer

• Label: First damage type

• Description: Types of damage

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Custom List: NAMP Damage Codes
• Code: 21
• Definition: sweep or crook
• Code: 22
• Definition: swelling
• Code: 23
• Definition: dead branches
• Code: 31
• Definition: large open wounds
• Code: 32
• Definition: small open wound
• Code: 33
• Definition: dead bark
• Code: 34
• Definition: sloughing bark
• Code: 35
• Definition: closed wound
• Code: 36
• Definition: seams or cracks
• Code: 37
• Definition: other

• Label: Second damage type

• Description: Types of damage

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Custom List: NAMP Damage Codes
• Code: 21
• Definition: sweep or crook
• Code: 22
• Definition: swelling
• Code: 23
• Definition: dead branches
• Code: 31
• Definition: large open wounds
• Code: 32
• Definition: small open wound
• Code: 33
• Definition: dead bark
• Code: 34
• Definition: sloughing bark
• Code: 35
• Definition: closed wound
• Code: 36
• Definition: seams or cracks
• Code: 37
• Definition: other

• Label: Third damage type

• Description: Types of damage

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Custom List: NAMP Damage Codes
• Code: 21
• Definition: sweep or crook
• Code: 22
• Definition: swelling
• Code: 23
• Definition: dead branches
• Code: 31
• Definition: large open wounds
• Code: 32
• Definition: small open wound
• Code: 33
• Definition: dead bark
• Code: 34
• Definition: sloughing bark
• Code: 35
• Definition: closed wound
• Code: 36
• Definition: seams or cracks
• Code: 37
• Definition: other

• Label: Diameter at breast height

• Description: Diameter of tree at breast height. Note that DBH is measured on a 5 year cycle and is not measured every year.

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: centimeter
• Precision: 1
• Unit: inch
• Number Type: integer

• Label: Dieback

• Description: A measure of an unhealthy condition - branch mortality that begins at the end of a limb and progresses downward. This is an estimate of the proportion of the crown silhouette.

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: percent
• Precision: 1
• Unit: percent
• Number Type: integer

• Label: Direction to tree

• Description: Direction from plot center to tree

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: degree
• Precision: 1
• Unit: degree
• Number Type: integer

• Label: Foliage Discoloration

• Description: An estimate of the amount of discolored foliage in the foliated (leaved) part of the crown. Foliage is considered discolored when 50% or more of the leaf is more red or brown than green. Can indicate tree health problems.

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: percent
• Precision: 1
• Unit: percent
• Number Type: integer

• Label: DISTANCE

• Storage Type: int

• Label: Dwarfing

• Description: Dwarfing

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: percent
• Precision: 1
• Unit: percent
• Number Type: integer

• Label: Early defoliation

• Description: Amount of defoliation caused by spring and summer defoliators such as pear thrips, forest tent caterpillar, gypsy moth etc.

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Custom List: NAMP Early_Defoliation Codes
• Code: 1
• Definition: less than 30% of crown defoliated
• Code: 2
• Definition: 31-60% of crown is defoliated
• Code: 3
• Definition: more than 60% defoliation

• Label: Location of first damage

• Description: Location of damage

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Custom List: NAMP Location_of_Damage Codes
• Code: 1
• Definition: lower half of tree bole but above 30 cm from ground
• Code: 2
• Definition: upper half of bole
• Code: 3
• Definition: whole bole
• Code: 4
• Definition: stump/roots
• Code: 5
• Definition: whole tree

• Label: Location of second damage

• Description: Location of damage

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Custom List: NAMP Location_of_Damage Codes
• Code: 1
• Definition: lower half of tree bole but above 30 cm from ground
• Code: 2
• Definition: upper half of bole
• Code: 3
• Definition: whole bole
• Code: 4
• Definition: stump/roots
• Code: 5
• Definition: whole tree

• Label: Location of third damage

• Description: Location of damage

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Custom List: NAMP Location_of_Damage Codes
• Code: 1
• Definition: lower half of tree bole but above 30 cm from ground
• Code: 2
• Definition: upper half of bole
• Code: 3
• Definition: whole bole
• Code: 4
• Definition: stump/roots
• Code: 5
• Definition: whole tree

• Label: Notes1

• Description: Notes1

• Storage Type: text

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Notes2

• Description: Notes2

• Storage Type: text

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Notes3

• Description: Notes3

• Storage Type: text

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Notes4

• Description: Notes4

• Storage Type: text

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Notes5

• Description: Notes5

• Storage Type: text

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Notes6

• Description: Notes6

• Storage Type: text

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Notes7

• Description: Notes7

• Storage Type: text

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Notes8

• Description: Notes8

• Storage Type: text

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Open tapholes

• Description: A taphole is considered open when the point end of a pencil pushed into the taphole hits the cambium

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: number
• Precision: 1
• Unit: number
• Number Type: integer

• Label: Previous diameter at breast height

• Description: Diameter at breast height of tree in previous survey

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: centimeter
• Precision: 1
• Unit: inch
• Number Type: integer

• Label: Plot ID

• Description: The 5 plots in each cluster are arranged with one in the center and 1 in each cardinal direction. If they are in a different arrangement then they are numbered 5-9.

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Custom List: NAMP Plot Codes
• Code: 1
• Definition: North
• Code: 2
• Definition: East
• Code: 3
• Definition: South
• Code: 4
• Definition: West
• Code: 5
• Definition: Center

• Label: Crown Position

• Description: Position of the crown relative to neighboring trees.

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Custom List: NAMP Position Codes
• Code: 1
• Definition: dominant (crown extends above canopy)
• Code: 2
• Definition: codominant (crown at general level of canopy)
• Code: 3
• Definition: intermediate (crowns just below canopy)
• Code: 4
• Definition: surpressed (crowns entirely below canopy)

• Label: Seed production

• Description: Used for sugar maples only. Excessive seed production is believed to weaken a tree and is followed by increased dieback the next year.

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ordinal

• Label: Tree Species

• Description: See vegetation species database for list of tree species

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Foliage Transparency

• Description: Determined by estimating the amount of sky light visible through the foliated (leaved) branches, averaged over the entire crown. This is another indicator of tree health.

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: percent
• Precision: 1
• Unit: percent
• Number Type: integer

• Label: Tree ID

• Description: Tree ID number within the plot

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Tree height

• Description: Height of the tree

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ratio
• Standard Unit: foot
• Precision: 1
• Unit: foot
• Number Type: integer

• Label: Tree order

• Description: Tree order

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ordinal

• Label: UniqueTreeID

• Storage Type: text

• Measurment Type: nominal

• Label: Tree vigor

• Description: Coded tree vigor rating

• Storage Type: int

• Measurment Type: ordinal

• Custom List: NAMP Vigor Codes
• Code: 1
• Definition: healthy
• Code: 2
• Definition: light decline
• Code: 3
• Definition: moderate decline
• Code: 4
• Definition: severe decline
• Code: 5
• Definition: dead (natural death)
• Code: 6
• Definition: dead (human caused)

• Label: Year

• Description: Year of survey

• Storage Type: date

• Measurment Type: datetime
• String Format: YYYY

• Tree metrics
  • Started: 1988-06-01
    
  • Method Description: Permanently tagged trees are evaluated annually for crown condition, injury to bole and crown, taphole closure, seed production, regeneration and early and late season defoliation. Plot consists of 5 subplots, 20 X 20 m size. Trees are permanently tagged. Protocols follow international NAMP methods manual.

• Injury assessment after ice storm
  • Started: 1998-01-30
    Ended: 1998-06-01
    
  • Method Description: In 1998, special spring survey was conducted to assess injury from the January ice storm. Addition of regeneration counts was also added.