I was able to get in touch with Brian Wagaman on Friday April, 13th 2012. What we had landed on was that I will meet him at Keystone precision on April 19th, 2012. I sent Brian Wagaman an email of Dr. Ellis email regarding billing for the data collector rental. When we get together on Friday Brian has agreed to instruct me on how to establish a network of control points via the traverse method with the data collectors that Keystone has available. This instruction will be completely free, the only charges will be for those of the data collector. I was going to ask if it is ok to take the instrument home Friday at the meeting Wednesday, Brian and I will use it for a couple hours then on Saturday I will work a twelve hour day Surveying the Bananas out of Herbert Run. I will need two volunteers for two shifts because I do not think anyone person should have to help me for more than six hours. the week following that I will have a gap between exams that will allow me to do the Knoll so it would be best to rent the data collector from Friday April,19th 2012 up till Monday April 30th that way I will definitely have ample time to finish the survey. 

I believe that this will dramatically increase productivity because I will not have to wait on control points. It will speed up the process ten fold. The survey of both the Knoll and Herbert Run should be complete by 4/30/2012.

I could have met up with Brian on Monday but I was swamped with two exams this week therefore I thought it would be best to rent the data collector for a short amount of time instead of just having it while paying for it and not actually using it for any surveying work.

There has been a new data sheet designed to address the specific needs of the forest we are working with. Because the method for mapping the trees has changed, the data sheets also needed to be altered. We are returning to the previous used method of laying out a 1x1 meter grid within our 5x5 meter grid. Once this is complete the location of the trees will be marked on the graph found on the data sheet. There has also been a "codes" column added to the data sheet to represent trees that may need special attention. This could include a leaning stem, a stem broken below breast hight, or as seen in the picture multiple stems from one trunk forming below breast height. However, before the trees can be mapped the grid must first be sectioned into 5x5 meter squares. Jonathan, fellow students, and I are hoping to get one of the 25x25 meter plots sectioned off so we can begin to test our tree mapping stratgies. We are also tackling the problems we may face concerning drastic elevation changes. In summary we have all of our supplies ready and in bags we just need to find a time to get dirty and see how our ideas work.

Just a quick post welcoming Jessica Breen and Steve Klosterman as new members of the Ecosynth blog.

Jessica will be pursuing a Ph.D. with Dr. Ellis in the UMBC GES Department this coming fall.  She has had experience with kite aerial photography and is interested in citizen science remote sensing.  She keeps up a blog about her experiences, An Accidental Geographer.

Steve is pursuing a Ph.D. at Harvard University with Dr. Andew Richarson.  He is interested in deploying multirotors for personal remote sensing of forest canopy phenology.

Welcome Jessica and Steve!