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Cali o nia P esc ibed Fi e Moni o ing P og am P o ocol
I. O e iew
This ield p o ocol is based on and modi ied om he US Fo es Se ice Common S and Exam
p o ocol (USDA, 2015). While p ima ily u ilizing he "in ensi e" measu emen le el, i excludes
measu emen s o ee age o g ow h and employs a ixed-a ea plo design. A se ies o
modi ica ions we e made o e he yea s o imp o e e iciency and concen a e da a collec ion
on a iables o in e es o i e and uels manage s. The e sion o he p o ocol desc ibed he e is
cu en as o May 2025.
II. Sampling design
Wi hin each delinea ed bu n uni , a bu e zone o a leas 35 me e s om he bu n uni bounda y
is inco po a ed in o he sampling design, wi hin which no plo s a e es ablished o a oid edge
e ec s. Addi ionally, a minimum dis ance o 50 me e s is main ained be ween all plo s. Howe e ,
a g ea e sepa a ion o 100 me e s, and occasionally up o 150 me e s, is gene ally main ained
be ween plo s o ensu e adequa e co e age ac oss la ge bu n uni s. The speci ic g id spacing,
and hus in e -plo dis ance, is adjus ed based on he size o he bu n uni and he desi ed
numbe o plo s. The a ge sampling in ensi y aims o a minimum o 20 plo s o be es ablished
wi hin each bu n uni , con ingen upon he uni 's spa ial ex en .
The basis o whe e plo s we e ins alled was due o a bu n uni iden i ied by he pa ne on si e
(S a e Pa ks, Fo es Se ice, e c.) as likely o be bu ned soon.
Field da a is collec ed a each plo du ing mul iple sampling pe iods. P e- i e da a a e ga he ed 1
o 6 mon hs be o e he p esc ibed i es, while immedia e pos - i e da a a e collec ed 1 o 4 weeks
a e wa d. Follow-up measu emen s ake place 1 yea la e , wi h addi ional sampling conduc ed
a some si es a 2, 4, 5, and 8 yea s a e he i es.
Pe manen ci cula plo s o 0.04 hec a es (~0.1 ac e) a e es ablished wi hin each bu n uni o
ege a ion moni o ing. These main plo s, also e e ed o as mac oplo s, ha e a de aul adius o
11.35 me e s (405 sq m) o o es ed ege a ion. A smalle subplo , e med a mic oplo , is
es ablished a he cen e o each mac oplo o he ee egene a ion p o ocol. These mic oplo s
a e 60 sq m (0.006 ha o 0.015 ac), wi h a adius o 4.37 me e s. (Figu e 1)
All da a eco dings a e comple ed in da ashee s designed o able s.
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Figu e 1 Vege a ion and Fuels Moni o ing Plo Diag am.
III. Da a collec ion me hods
A. Plo ins alla ion
To es ablish plo s, loca e he p ede e mined plo coo dina es on he map gene a ed in GIS ( e e
o maps o p ojec a ea pe si e), u ilizing ei he a GPS uni o A enza Map applica ion. Once
posi ioned a he p ede e mined plo coo dina es, pe manen ly ma k he plo loca ions wi h a
60-cm (2- ) piece o 3/8” o 1/2” (1-cm o 1.25-cm) eba and opped wi h a ubbe /plas ic
o ange eba cap. Lea e 10-15 cm o he eba abo e g ound. Use a pe manen ma ke (Sha pie)
o label he cap wi h plo ID and UC Da is.
In ins ances whe e he p e-de e mined plo cen e is unsui able o es ablishmen (e.g., due o
inabili y o ins all eba due o ock o ee boles, p esence o ails o oads wi hin 35 m dis ance,
p oximi y wi h he 35m bu n uni bounda y bu e , dissec ion by ences, o ewe han wo li e
ees wi hin he p ede e mined plo ), mo e he plo cen e in a ca dinal di ec ion un il he plo
a ea mee s sampling equi emen s. Disca d he plo s ha emain unsui able a e hese
adjus men s and make a no e (which plo and why i was disca ded) in he da ashee .
Fo ecu en sampling e en s, gene ally a e he ea men s a e conduc ed, eloca e he
es ablished plo cen e s by iden i ying he pe manen eba . In cases whe e he eba is absen ,
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GPS coo dina es, in conjunc ion wi h wi ness ee measu emen s eco ded du ing ini ial
es ablishmen , a e used o eloca e and e-es ablish he plo cen e . Plo s should be pe manen ly
d opped om he s udy i new oads eme ged wi hin a 35 m p oximi y o in e sec ed he plo , i
he plo is di ec ly impac ed by mechanical ea men s (e.g., bulldozing), o i he plo cen e
could no be accu a ely eloca ed.
B. Plo Desc ip ion (mac oplo )
1. En e he plo ID, da e, and all obse e s’ ini ials.
2. En e he bu n uni ID. I unknown en e “TBD”.
3. Iden i y he wi ness ee - his is he i s li e ee (≥ 7.6 cm Diame e a B eas Heigh , DBH,
measu ed a 1.37m o 4.5 ee o heigh ) agged, clockwise om 0 deg ees ( ue no h).
Whe e pe mi ed, ma k wi ness ee wi h pink o o he highly isible lagging a app ox. eye-
le el. Reco d he dis ance (nea es 0.1m) om base o ee o plo cen e and he azimu h
looking om he wi ness ee o cen e . No e ag numbe . I ees a en’ o be agged, eco d
ee species and DBH ins ead o ag numbe .
4. Assess he i e se e i y class o any ecen i e, based on Table 1.
Table 1. Fi e se e i y assessmen s (Welch e al., 2016).
Fi e Se e i y
Class
Desc ip ion
0
Unbu ned
1
Ligh pa chy bu n pa e n, e y li le o e s o y mo ali y, g oups o su i ing
sh ubs/saplings
2
Ligh ly bu ned, isola ed o e s o y mo ali y, mos sh ubs/saplings dead
3
Mode a ely bu ned, mixed o e s o y mo ali y, unde s o y mos ly bu ned o g ound
4
High bu n se e i y, signi ican p opo ion (75-90100%) o o e s o y killed, dead
needles emaining on ees 1 yea la e
5
Ve y high bu n se e i y, o al/nea o al mo ali y o o e s o y, mos needles
consumed in i e
5. En e he UTM zone and eas ing and no hing measu emen s om he GPS uni .
6. Adjus he compass declina ion used o he p ojec loca ion.
7. Slope: using a clinome e , measu e he slope o he nea es 1% om he highes poin
( opog aphically) along he ou e edge o he plo , looking downslope. Al e na i ely, measu e
he slope om poin cen e looking up slope and hen down slope and a e age hese wo
numbe s.
8. Aspec : using a hand-held compass, measu e and eco d he p edominan aspec (a e aged
ac oss he en i e plo ) o he nea es 1 deg ee. The aspec is he compass di ec ion o he
slope. This is also bes done om he highes edge o he plo .
9. Vege a ion Co e : Es ima e pe cen co e ( o nea es 1%) o o al plo o he ollowing
classes, as iewed om abo e (ai plane/sa elli e), while igno ing o e laps o he ege a ion
in each class;
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a) To al Vege a ion: is he o al co e o all li ing ege a ion as a pe cen age o he plo when
iewed om abo e. This measu e igno es o e laps among ege a ion. This is he
complemen o he un ege a ed a ea in he plo .
b) To al O e s o y T ees: is he o al co e o li e ees (≥ 1.37m heigh , DBH ≥ 7.6 cm) as a
pe cen age o he plo when iewed om abo e. This measu e igno es o e laps among
ees. This is he complemen o he plo a ea ha is no co e ed by ees.
c) To al Unde s o y Laye : is he o al co e o li e saplings (= ees ≥ 1.37m all and DBH <
7.6 cm) and seedlings (= ees <1.37m all) and esp ou s combined, measu ed as a
pe cen age o he plo when iewed om abo e.
d) To al li e Sh ub co e : is he o al pe cen co e o li e sh ubs, igno ing o e lap among
sh ub indi iduals, as iewed om abo e.
e) To al He b Laye : is he o al pe cen co e o o bs and g aminoids as seen om abo e,
igno ing o e lap. In addi ion, measu emen s o modal heigh s o g aminoids and o bs
a e eco ded.
10. G ound co e : Using he ca ego ies o ba e soil, li e , ock , coa se woody deb is (CWD), bu n
piles (i p esen ) and basal ege a ion (li e and dead), es ima e pe cen g ound su ace co e
o he nea es 5%. Values mus sum o 100%. Fo basal ege a ion, hink abou wha he plo
would look like i you cu e e y hing o igh a g ound le el, cap u ing jus he eme ging
s ems/ unks o plan s. I is a e o ha e basal ege a ion ha is mo e han 2-4% o he o al
plo a ea.
No e: Fo bo h ege a ion and g ound co e measu emen s, ake in o accoun ha :
a) As a e e ence, in he mac oplo , 4-m2 (o 2 m x 2 m) = 1% o he plo . Fo mos people,
a ms held ou a 90 deg ees om each o he oughly ma k wo sides o a 1-m2 a ea.
b) I any abo e-g ound co e ypes a e p esen in he plo bu make up less han 1%, eco d
he pe cen co e as “ ” - his ep esen s ace co e .
11. Pho os: Plo pho os a e in ended o (1) show he gene al aspec o he plo loca ion and i s
uels and ege a ion; (2) acili a e eloca ion o he plo in he u u e ecu en sampling
e en s; and (3) p o ides a isual compa ison o he plo ’s uel and ege a ion s uc u e and
composi ion p e and pos bu ning.
a) Take a pho o o he labeled eba cap, make su e he plo ID is isible. Al e na i ely, ake
a pho o o a whi eboa d wi h he plo ID w i en on i .
b) Take one pho o o he plo in each ca dinal di ec ion mo ing clockwise, s a ing wi h he
no h pho o ( he o de in he came a should be N, E, S, W).
i. Each pho o is aken acing he ca dinal di ec ion indica ed. Tha is, he N pho o is
aken om he sou h end o he N-S ansec , and he E pho o is aken om he wes
end o he E-W ansec , e c.
ii. Take he pic u e in a ho izon al (landscape) di ec ion wi h he ho izon nea he middle
o he pic u e. S and back om he end o he ansec su icien ly ha he lag
ma king he end o he ansec is isible in he pho o. Make su e he plo cen e is
ob ious, by s a ioning a pe son he e o a backpack.
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C. T ees (mac oplo )
T ee da a: All li e and dead ees wi h ≥7.6cm DBH and ≥1.37 m all a e indi idually measu ed.
All li e ees a e agged in clockwise o de om plo cen e beginning a he No h ansec (0
deg ees). I one ee is di ec ly behind ano he , measu e he closes one o plo cen e i s .
Should a quali ied sp ou ing ee species ha e nume ous indi iduals ha a e ela i ely simila in
size wi hin he plo , hose indi iduals may be assessed oge he as g oup (i.e., modal heigh ,
diame e ). In his case, each ee ge s i s own line, and li e ees ge hei own ag, bu he heigh s
and diame e s will be he same modal numbe s.
1. En e ag #; li e o dead s a us (L o D); and 6-le e species code. Dead ees a e eco ded
bu no agged. Li e ees ha ha e died since p e iously agged should e ain hei ags.
2. Measu e ees a DBH (1.37m) om uphill side o slope wi h diame e inc emen ape
measu e (d- ape) o li e and dead ees. Place ag and nail so ha ag is acing he cen e o
he plo . The nail should be placed a 1.37 m abo e g ound.
3. Fo ees ha ha e a bu l, spli o o he anomaly ha exagge a es hei DBH, ake he DBH
measu emen abo e o below he anomaly and add a ema k in he no es column.
4. A ee on he edge o he plo coun s as “in” i he cen e o he ee bole (pi h) a he base is
a o wi hin 11.3 me e s om he plo cen e (measu e wi h ange inde ). T ees wi h base
o igina ing ou side he plo bu leaning in o he plo a e no coun ed. I only some s ems on
a mul i-s emmed indi idual a e in plo , only measu e s ems ha a e in he plo .
5. Measu e each indi idual ee heigh wi h a ange inde o he nea es decimal. I he ee
bole is hidden behind lea es e c., use a e lec o o highe accu acy.
6. Measu e he Heigh o li e c own base (HTLCB) o he nea es 0.1 m o li e ees only. This
is de ined as he heigh o he lowes li e oliage connec ed o he e ically con inuous c own
(Figu e 2).
7. Fo s anding dead ees (snags), en e decay class (1-5), see Table 2.
8. I you a e in a ecen ly bu ned a ea measu e ee i e se e i y me ics (see pos - i e sampling
p o ocol below).
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Figu e 2 Heigh o C own (b anches in wo quad an s) (USDA, 2015).
Table 2. Snag decay classes and desc ip ions.
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D. Regene a ion (mic oplo )
1. Es ablish a mic oplo wi h a adius o 4.37 m (a ea = 60 m²). Use pin lags o ma k ou
e e ence poin s a ound he pe ime e , wi h each lag posi ioned 4.37 m away om he plo
cen e ( ypically along ansec apes). See Figu e 1 o e e ence.
2. T ee seedlings:
a) Tally he numbe o ee seedlings (< 1.37 m in heigh ) o each species (coni e and
ha dwood), ca ego ized by age classes: 0 ( i s yea ) and 1+ (olde han one yea ), wi hin
he mic oplo . Re e o Figu e 3 o he dicho omous key o coni e seedlings species.
b) Reco d he heigh o he alles indi idual seedling wi hin each species and age class.
c) I he egene a ion plo is co e ed wi h a homogeneous, ex emely dense seedling
popula ion, coun all seedlings in one qua e o he mic oplo and mul iply by 4.
3. T ee saplings:
Measu e and eco d he DBH, heigh and species o each indi idual ee sapling (≥ 1.37 m all
bu < 7.6 cm DBH) o each species (coni e and ha dwood). Use a sepa a e ow o each
indi idual en y. I g oups o saplings o m an ob ious coho , de e mine he modal DBH and
heigh , and eco d he numbe o saplings in he coho in he da ashee .
4. T ee esp ou s:
a) Tally he numbe o esp ou s o igina ing om each esp ou clump o ee species
(coni e and ha dwood) and eco d he heigh o he alles sp ou .
b) Conside ha dwood esp ou clumps as a g oup i hey a e simila in densi y and modal
heigh . Tally he numbe o esp ou s wi hin a single clump and hen mul iply his coun
by he o al numbe o clumps. Reco d he modal heigh o one o he clumps.
c) Resp ou s mo e o sapling ca ego y when hey each >1.37 m all
d) I he e is no isible s ump o o igin o esp ou , coun s ems as seedlings i heigh <1.37
m, no esp ou .
Figu e 3. Dicho omous Key o coni e seedlings species
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E. Species Co e (mac oplo )
1. Reco d he species li e o m ( ee, sh ub, o b, g aminoid, e n) and li e/dead s a us.
2. En e he laye class o he li e and dead ees species (TOV = o e s o y ee; TSA = saplings;
TSE = seedlings, TRE = ee esp ou s). The e may be mul iple laye classes o each ee
species. Fo example, mos ee species will be in he TOV laye as well as he TSA/TSE laye .
3. Plan ID:
a) Iden i y he plan s o species le el and eco d he 6 le e species code and pe cen co e
o he nea es 1%. I he iden i ied species is uncommon, add ull scien i ic name in he
no es column a leas once.
b) In case o inabili y o iden i y o species le el, eco d “genus_sp”, “ amily_sp”,
“li e o m_unknow” when iden i ied o genus/ amily/li e o m le el.
c) To di e en ia e be ween di e en uniden i ied species on he same si e, ha a e o
he same genus, amily, and li e o m, ollow he ollowing nomencla u e:
• Genus_sp_si ecode_yea _p e/pos _numbe o
• Family_sp_si ecode_yea _p e/pos _numbe o
• Li e o m_unknown_si ecode_yea _p e/pos _numbe
d) I he phenology is no well-aligned wi h he sampling episode, species iden i ica ion o
o bs and g aminoids migh no be possible. I sampling occu s when he baceous species
ha e senesced o he season, hey should s ill be no ed as li e.
4. Reco d he modal heigh o each sh ub species o he nea es 0.1m.
5. Reco d esp ou ing sh ubs as wo en ies: one ow o he pe cen age ha has been op killed
wi h a dead s a us and ano he ow o he pe cen age o li e sh ub ha has esp ou ed, add
“ esp ou ” in no es.
6. I any co e ypes a e p esen in he plo bu make up less han 1%, eco d he pe cen co e
as “ ” - his ep esen s ace co e .
F. Basal A ea (plo less)
1. Fo a plo less measu emen o s and basal a ea (BA), s and a he plo cen e and use a hand-
held basal a ea gauge (e.g., C uzall o p ism) o enume a e he ees ha ha e a DBH ha
alls wi hin o is less han he gauge's ape u e a he selec ed Basal A ea Fac o (BAF).
2. Conduc an ini ial measu emen o he BA wi h a BAF o 20 in mos cases. Adjus he BAF i
he ini ial coun yields ewe han 6 ees (use a smalle BAF) o mo e han 9 ees (use a
la ge BAF). I a lowe BAF does no inc ease he coun , de aul o he la ges BAF ha esul s
in 6-9 ees. No e ha ha dwood s ands o en equi e a BAF o 10. Reco d he BAF used.
3. Reco d he species, s a us, and coun o he ee species enume a ed h ough he gauge's
ape u e. Reco d li e and dead coun s o he same species on wo di e en ows.
G. Woody Fuels (mac oplo )
1. Fuels da a is collec ed om ou B own’s ansec s (B own, 1974). These ansec s a e laid
ou a he ca dinal di ec ions, coinciding wi h he plo axes, and s e ch om he plo cen e
o 11.3 m. The ends o he ansec s se e as he s a ing poin s o measu emen s, meaning
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hey a e ead s a ing om he edge o he plo and heading owa d he cen e . See Figu e 1
o e e ence.
2. Reco d he azimu h o each ansec . Since ansec s a e laid ou in ca dinal di ec ions, eco d
he azimu h as N, S, E, o W o he ou di e en ansec s. I di e ging om ca dinal
di ec ions, eco d he azimu h in deg ees. Fou ansec s will sha e he same plo numbe .
Reco d ansec slope i i exceeds 20 pe cen .
3. Use a Go/No-Go gauge o ally and eco d he ollowing uel classes:
a) 1-h uels (<0.64 cm) ha in e sec he ansec be ween he las 2 me e s o he ansec
line (11.3 m - 9.3 m).
b) 10-h uels (0.64-2.54 cm) ha in e sec he ansec be ween he las 2 me e s o he
ansec line (11.3 m - 9.3 m).
c) 100-h uels (2.54-7.62 cm) ha in e sec he ansec be ween he las 4 me e s o he
ansec line (11.3 m - 7.3 m)
4. Measu e li e , du , and uel bed dep h a he ansec s a ing poin (0 m, plo edge), and
again a he 4 m ma k om ha s a ing poin . These poin s a e called du and uel pi s.
a) Li e is undecomposed o only pa ially decomposed o ganic ma e ial ha can be eadily
iden i ied (plan lea es, needles, wigs, e c.).
b) The du laye lies be ween he li e and mine al soil and comp ises decomposing o ganic
ma e . This ma e ial is decomposed o he ex en ha i lacks clea ly iden i iable whole
o ganic componen s, such as pine needles, lea es, o wigs, al hough la ge decomposing
ee b anches may occasionally be p esen in he du .
c) Fuel bed dep h is he e ical dis ance om he bo om o he li e laye ( op o du ) o
he highes dead uel no o igina ing om a oo ed plan (e.g., b anch, needle, o s ick).
5. Cases equi ing o se o a du and uel pi o an en i e B own's ansec :
a) I an obs uc ion (boulde , s ump, e c.) is p esen a a measu emen pi (li e , du , o
uel bed dep h), o se ha single pi measu emen pe pendicula ly o he ansec , and
no en i e B own’s ansec . Reco d he o se di ec ion and dis ance, keeping he o se
dis ance minimal ye su icien .
b) I a bu n pile is loca ed on he 4 m B own’s ansec (4 m om he end o he ansec ),
o se he en i e B own’s ansec along he ansec ( owa ds he plo cen e ) un il he
bu n pile no longe in e sec s. No e he o se dis ance om he end o he ansec .
6. Reco d diame e and he en i e leng h (e en i i ex ends ou side o he plo pe ime e ) o
e e y piece o coa se woody deb is (CWD) ha in e sec s he ansec s (see Figu e 4) and
mee s he minimum c i e ia:
7. Asses he coa se woody deb is (CWD) pieces ha in e sec he ansec s and mee s he
ollowing minimum c i e ia:
a) Cen al longi udinal axis o he CWD in e sec s he ansec ( e e o Figu e 4)
b) The diame e a he poin o in e sec ion is ≥ 7.6 cm.
8. Fo each quali ying piece o CWD, eco d:
a) The species code o he CWD piece when possible. I unknown, use “unk” as he species
code.
b) The dis ance om he plo cen e (de ined as 0 m) o he poin whe e he CWD piece
in e sec s he ansec .
c) The diame e o he CWD piece a he poin o in e sec ion.
