Professor:

Dr Alistair M.S. Smith
Assistant Professor of

Forest Measurements

Department of Forest Resources
College of Natural Resources
Email: alistair@uidaho.edu

Teaching Assistant:

Nolan Brewer
Department of Forest Resources
College of Natural Resources
Email: brew1100@vandals.uidaho.edu

Before You Arrive for the First Day:

Required Forester Materials (suppliers include Forestry Suppliers Inc. or Ben Meadows):

These are required BEFORE the first lab. If you have your own, please make sure they meet the following minimum characteristics. If you do not own these items, please purchase them BEFORE arriving at the class.  Although easier to arrange the UI bookstore charges a 70% markup, as such we recommend the suppliers shown above.

1 Silva Ranger Compass: Azimuth model, with sighting mirror, and declination adjustment screw. Typical cost: up to $45

1 Bullard Fire Helmet: We recommend a fire-fighter's helmet with Ratchet support. Typical cost: up to $45

1 x 100 foot Spencer Loggers Tape + nail: We recommend a 100' combination tape - this includes distance and diameter measurements. Typical cost: up to $75

A calculator with trigonometric functions.

Course Structure

The class format will include:

3 x 50 min Lectures

1 x 3 hour Lab (per section).

Assignments: Each assignment will be available during the week we cover the material and will be due by end of the following Friday. Hand in assignments in my departmental mail box.

Course Duration: This course will end with the final written exam in the first week of December . The course is accelerated to take advantage of the fall weather for the majority of the lectures and lab times.

Labs: The 3 hour lab will consist of up to 2 hours of measurements outside with the remainder of time for inside discussion and analysis. During the inside portion, time is set-aside to ask questions about the weekly assignments.

Special Class Lab Requirements:

• Each student must sign a waiver before being allowed on fieldwork (will be provided in first lecture).

• Each student must also bring and wear a hardhat to each lab located at the Blodget Tract..

Books & Resources

Required Textbook (Purchase at UI Bookstore or Amazon.com):

          Husch, Beers, and Kershaw, Forest Mensuration, 4th Edition

Other Material that may be Helpful:

FREE Forest Sampling: Agricultural Handbook No. 232 (PDF)
FREE USDA Book on Sampling and Measurement Methods (PDF) 

Avery and Burkhart, Forest Measurements, 5th Edition

RNGE 404 - Principles of Vegetation Measurement and Assessment Online Resource

Grading (A-F)

Assignments	150
Measurement Quizzes	200
Spot Quizzes (2 during tutorials)	100
Stand Exam (individual)	350
Final Written Exam **	200
Total	1000

Grades: 90+ = A, 80-89 = B, 70-79 = C, etc This class rounds up but does not scale class scores.

** If you have a grade of 85% or above prior to the date of the final written exam, you are exempt from the final written exam and will be awarded that grade (85-89% = B, 90%+ = A). Those in this upper B range (i.e. 85-89%) can elect to take the final exam to try and improve their grade to an A, but regardless of their final exam score they will not be awarded less than the B they have already received from the exemption.