Using FPS for Harvest Scheduling and Long-Term Silvicultural Planning
October 17-18, 2023
Hilton DoubleTree, Portland Oregon
The Forest Biometric Research Institute will be holding a 2-day Planning Workshop on October 17-18, 2023, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Portland, OR. This Workshop will emphasize using FPS for Harvest Scheduling and Long-Term Silvicultural Planning. Each participant will come away with a better understanding for developing a long-term forest management plan. Emphasis includes the importance of harvest scheduling integration with inventory and silvicultural methods, alternative silvicultural regimes, site productivity, and regeneration. Detailed examples will identify impacts of stand versus forest-wide optimization strategies.
This workshop is designed to be hands-on, with participants following along with the course material (to be provided). All participants are encouraged to bring their own computers with FPS software installed. FBRI will not be providing computers for attendees at this workshop.
The instructors are: Dan Opalach, FBRI President and Senior Forest Biometrician and Brock Purvis, FBRI technical support. The registration fee is $645 for FBRI members and $850 for non-members. The DoubleTree is located at 1000 NE Multnomah St, Portland, OR 97232, 503-281-6111.
AGENDA
Day 1 (Tuesday 9:00am – 12:00pm)
Fundamentals of Cruise Design
An overview of FBRI’s standard procedures for conducting a timber cruise will be provided which will discuss plot intensity, trees per plot, subsampling, the relevance of specific measurements, and the differences between cruising for inventory versus cruising for a timber sale.
FPS Table Review
Participants will be provided with an overview of the required table structures for compiling, expanding, growing, and harvest scheduling process within FPS. Additionally, the relationship between the Species and Sorts Tables will be discussed and how these tables influence volume and log merchandizing.
Compiling, Growing, and Expanding
Using a standardized database (to be provided), participants will run the cruise compiler and review the associated output tables.
Using the compiled database FBRI will provide step-by-step instructions for growing all stands to a common report year, including the effects of growing with natural regeneration or excluding natural regeneration.
A discussion of the cruise expansion process including the significance of vegetation labels and the role they play in FPS and using FPS to expand cruised stands into uncrusied stands for a working forest inventory.
Day 1 (Tuesday 1:00pm – 4:00pm)
Defect in FPS
A discussion on how FPS assigns defect within individual logs.
Site Index
An overview of FBRI’s recommended procedures for estimating Site Index will be provided which will cover the FPS SiteGrid, FPS compiler supplied site index, Lidar based site index, and optional integration of Jim King’s/Robert Monserud site index into FPS.
Treatments vs Regimes
The difference between treatments and regimes when planning silviculture prescriptions, and why it is an important distinction. Understanding the Silvics Table and how to define treatments and regimes within FPS. Using FPS to analyze the effect of different silviculture treatments. This will include discussion on what to consider when timing silviculture activity and how it can influence the future of a stand.
Day 2 (Wednesday 8:00am – 12:00pm)
What to consider when timing silviculture activity
A case study demonstrating how the timing of treatments based on stand conditions can influence volume over the lifetime of a stand.
Forest Planning
FBRI will provide step-by-step instructions for both uneven and even-aged silviculture regimes for long term forest planning.
Yield Table and the Harvest Scheduler
The Yield table will be reviewed and populated for use with even-aged regimes. The FPS Harvest Scheduler will be utilized in conjunction with the growth projections to develop a long-term harvest plan. Additionally, an overview of the Schedule Table outlining the relationship it has on reporting periods and future available harvestable volume will be discussed.
Day 2 (Wednesday 1:00pm – 4:00pm)
Creating a “New” Regime in the Yield Table
Creating new regimes in the Yield Table can be confusing. Participants will be guided through a step-by-step process for implementing additional regimes in the Yield Table.
Harvest Constraints and Integration with GIS – “Maybe”
The effects of regulatory constraints (wildlife) on long-term forest planning will be analyzed. This will include using GIS to spatially track the changes and stands scheduled for harvest.
Targeting Specific Basal Area of Cut and Leave Trees within a Stand
FBRI will lead an exercise demonstrating how to target specific tree species by basal area for harvesting and retention within an individual stand over a 50-year planning period.
Questions/Adjourn