woodland condition survey

[Doug Blease]

The above is true but you have to write a report which ticks a number of boxes and that might be read by a variety of people with differing interests in different parts of the report.

 

The idea of the exec summary is that those who do not need to read the repetition withi the body of the text.

 

The difference becomes apparant if your report is torn apart by a planning commitee or legal representative.

 

Robustness and justification is the key. Its not all about the results.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

The above is true but you have to write a report which ticks a number of boxes and that might be read by a variety of people with differing interests in different parts of the report.

 

The idea of the exec summary is that those who do not need to read the repetition withi the body of the text.

 

The difference becomes apparant if your report is torn apart by a planning commitee or legal representative.

 

Robustness and justification is the key. Its not all about the results.

 

Well then, i have nothing to worry about!

 

Robust justifications, no problem.

 

so what fe are you asking for a template?

[arb culture]

Talk about giving people what they dont need. That management plan could have been condensed to 1 1/2 pages, a saved us the need to re-read the same thing again and again.

I wish that people would remember K.I.S. Keep It Simple

 

Sorry rant over

 

You are absolutely right, but two points:

 

It's produced by the woodland trust for the woodland trust, so I assume it meets their needs.

 

Secondly, it's a good starting point if you've never done one before. You can read through it and think, "I like this bit", "That bit's pointless", or "They haven't included this bit". Which is what you have already done, I think.

 

From there you can build your own template to suit your client's needs.

 

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

O.K I dont want a template then, but can someone at least give me a clue as to the term woodland condition survey! I guess what i am asking is not what the broadest interpretation is, but the simplest interpretation, as this is all the brief asks for, simply a woodland condition survey, so they will simply get, a woodland condition syrvey!

 

but so far all ive seen is full bodied eye glazing reports that I am certain the client doesnt want, and this is a subby job so have no direct contact with client to ask details.

 

please please tell me, it really isnt that tough a question to an academic person!

 

I would even pay a donation to this site in your name

[Lee Winger]

The questions I always ask are,who owns the woodland or trees, who requested the report and for what purpose, and I occasionally ask how much do you want to spend I go from there.

 

No point going into massive detail, if its a small woodland owned by a housing association, and there main concern is H&S, on the same token a bare bones job won't be adequate for a commercial report on a parcel of valuable hardwood.

 

Key word here is ''communication'' anyway how have you got on so far Hama?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

The questions I always ask are,who owns the woodland or trees, who requested the report and for what purpose, and I occasionally ask how much do you want to spend I go from there.

 

No point going into massive detail, if its a small woodland owned by a housing association, and there main concern is H&S, on the same token a bare bones job won't be adequate for a commercial report on a parcel of valuable hardwood.

 

Key word here is ''communication'' anyway how have you got on so far Hama?

 

Put it this way lee, I never would have thought surveying a woodland was such a long slow proscess or as hard work as it is!

 

got a new respect for the survey guys!

 

ive only done a third the site so far, Im happy with what I am doing, VTA assesment of the stock, theres a few issues that i think are a bit "iffy" but how far do you take recomendations and pressure on the client?

 

Its got a lot of thin, slender typ forest trees, some have historicaly failed at the small root balls and there are now due to the development several freed trees that are on the move, thats cool easy to make a call on but what about the ones behind these, sure they are standard close grown tree slenderness isnt an issue there but everytime you take an edge tree out a new on gets expose to new forces, its not an easy call as a lot of the trees fill this bracket.

 

The soil is very sandy, with od pockets of chalk and this isnt helping that scenario, unstable soil matrix, I used to hate clay!, love it now!

[Lee Winger]

 

Its got a lot of thin, slender typ forest trees, some have historicaly failed at the small root balls and there are now due to the development several freed trees that are on the move, thats cool easy to make a call on but what about the ones behind these, sure they are standard close grown tree slenderness isnt an issue there but everytime you take an edge tree out a new on gets expose to new forces, its not an easy call as a lot of the trees fill this bracket.

 

I always recommend another survey in X amount of years, this should get you around that problem.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I always recommend another survey in X amount of years, this should get you around that problem.

 

Thats what I was thinking too, im going to suggest these slender ones be monitored at least in the red high risk zones, otherwise they would have to come out and thats just not cool, and totaly unjust.

[Amelanchier]

From Tony to Tony, don't suggest anything unless you're happy for them not to do it. If you want them to monitor the trees - tell them they must. You'll find it hard to defend giving them the option should anything go wrong. Suggestions are fine for two equally valid options that achieve the same mitigation of risk but have cost/habitat implications (e.g., fell to ground level or dismantle to 4m high stump) but when it comes to risks and hazards be authoritarian. The client expect you to tell them what to do.

 

Also don't just write 'monitor' in the survey sheet. You might as well write 'get anyone to casually look at it whenever they want and to do nothing regardless of their findings'. You need to explicitly state who, when, what for and what they should do after finding something. Remember, you can monitor something as it fails or falls - the act of monitoring is useless without action. I prefer the term re-assessment.

 

Sorry if you were already aware, just thought there was an oppoutunity to stick my oar in!

[Doug Blease]

Hamadryad,

 

It sounds like you can get a decent template for free from the Woodland Trust or the FC.

 

I haven't carried out a woodland 'condition' survey. I have written woodland 'statements' . These include a:

Title page;

Contents;

Summary;

Scope;

Background to the woodland or plantation;

Desk Study;

Phase 1 habitat survey, possible NVC if you think that might be required or paid for;

A full species list;

Description of the dominant species;

European Protected Species Survey;

applicable policy/legislation and mitigation;

Discussion about future operations to meet the owners aims; and

Appendices

 

What is the ultimate purpose of your survey? Development? Planning? Woodland management plan? etc etc

 

I understand that you are in the dark a bit with regards this job, I am sorry for firing off at you about it. I just took umbridge to the fact that it does take a LONG time to develop report writing techniques (I am still learning).

 

But I have in the past felt tarnished with your anti-Degree standard approach. So felt a little insulted then to read your request for free help, which, in all honesty, I feel is likely to come from a consultant with a Degree level education.

 

A template is all very well but it not YOUR report. This is something that someone of your knowledge and experience will want to develop personally. Even though you are a subby- I would demand direct contact with the customer to ensure a high quality of service. You will need this for your Background and Desk Study any way.

 

Apologies again

 

Doug