FOREST SURVEY (FDE 2101)

LECTURE 1
INTRODUCTION OF
FOREST SURVEYING
 INTRODUCTION TO FOREST
SURVEY
What is Forest Survey?
• An inspection or survey of woodlands or forests to ascertain
the kinds, qualities, and number of trees on a given area
(hectarage).
• Forest Surveying is defined as taking a general view of a forest
by observation and measurement determining the
boundaries, size, position, quantity, condition, value of forest
land – presenting the survey data in a suitable form.
• Foresters use forest surveys to obtain information on the
condition of the FOREST and monitor any changes, since there
are not only surveys of standing trees, but also surveys before
and after logging as well as forestry surveys aimed at
prescribing treatments.
 What is Forest Survey?
• Forest inventory is the systematic collection of data on the
forestry resources within a given area.
• Forest Mensuration is that branch of forestry that deals
with the determination of dimensions (e.g. diameter,
height, volume etc.), form, age, and increment of single
trees, stands or whole woods, either standing or after
felling.
• All activities (survey, inventory and mensuration) allows
assessment of the current status and lays the ground for
analysis and planning, constituting the basis for
sustainable forest management.
 The process of surveying is therefore in three
stages namely:
(i) Taking a general view
This part of the definition is important as it indicates the need to obtain an overall picture
of what is required before any type of survey work is undertaken. In land surveying, this
is achieved during the reconnaissance study.

(ii) Observation and Measurement

This part of the definition denotes the next stage of any survey, which in land surveying
constitutes the measurement to determine the relative position and sizes of natural and
artificial features on the land.

(iii) Presentation of Data:

The data collected in any survey must be presented in a form which allows the
information to be clearly interpreted and understood by others. This presentation may
take the form of written report, bills of quantities, datasheets, drawings and in land
surveying maps and plan showing the features on the land.
 INTRODUCTION TO FOREST
SURVEY
History of Surveying (Ancient)
• Surveying has occurred since
humans built the first large
structures.

• In ancient Egypt, a
rope stretcher would use simple
geometry to re-establish
boundaries after the annual
floods of the Nile River.
History of surveying
 In England,
William the Conqueror
commissioned the
Domesday Book in 1086.

 Recorded the names of all the

i. land owners
ii. area of land they owned
iii. quality of the land, and
iv. specific information of the
area's content and
inhabitants.
History of surveying
Gunter's chain or the surveyor's chain (also
known as Gunter’s measurement or
surveyor’s measurement) is a distance
measuring device used for land survey. It
was designed and introduced in 1620 by
English clergyman and mathematician
Edmund Gunter (1581–1626) long before
the development of the theodolite and
other more sophisticated equipment,
enabling plots of land to be accurately
surveyed and plotted, for legal and
commercial purposes.
 History of surveying
(Modern)
In the 18th century, modern
techniques and instruments for
surveying began to be used.

 Jesse Ramsden - the first

precision theodolite in 1787.
 measuring angles in the
horizontal and vertical
planes.
 he created his
great theodolite using an
accurate dividing engine of
his own design.
 History of surveying
• Ramsden's theodolite represented a
great step forward in the instrument's
accuracy. William Gascoigne invented
an instrument that used a telescope
with an installed crosshair as a target
device, in 1640.

• James Watt developed an optical meter

for the measuring of distance in 1771; it
measured the parallactic angle from
which the distance to a point could be
deduced.
History of surveying
• In the 18th century, modern
techniques and instruments
for surveying began to be
used.
Leonard Digges described a Theodolite
that measured horizontal angles in his
book A geometric practice named
Pantometria (1571). Joshua Habermel
created a theodolite with a compass
and tripod in 1576. Johnathon Sission
was the first to incorporate a telescope
on a theodolite in 1725
History of surveying (20th Century)

At the beginning of the

century surveyors had
improved the older chains
and ropes, but still faced
the problem of accurate
measurement of long
distances.
In 1947 Geodimeter was
introduced using E
lectronic Distance Measurement
(EDM) equipment.[7] EDM units use
a multi frequency phase shift of
light waves to find a distance.
These instruments saved the need
for days or weeks of chain
measurement by measuring
between points kilometers apart in
one go.
 Types of Electronic Distance
Measurement Instrument
EDM instruments are classified
based on the type of carrier
wave as follow:
1.Microwave instruments?
2.Infrared wave instruments?
3.Light wave instruments?

What are the difference between these instruments?

(ASSIGNMENT 1)
History of Geodimeter
Erik Bergstrand, the inventor of the Geodimeter, was brought up in an astronomical
observatory as his father was professor of astronomy in Uppsala, Sweden. Erik studied
physics in the 1920's and was a keen builder of radio receivers in the early days of
broadcasting. In 1939 he got a position as geodesist at the Geographical Survey Office in
Stockholm (Rikets allmänna kartverk), as he had suggested a new type of instrument to
measure distances by means of light signals, knowing the speed of light. At that time the
most recent values of the speed of light were those of Michelson (1927) and his assistants
Pease and Pearson (1935) i the US. Bergstrand however chose the Kerr cell method used
by e.g. Karolus in Germany and Anderson, US. Bergstrand was allowed to join the new
Nobel Institute of Physics (a research institute) in Stockholm, under Nobel laureate Manne
Siegbahn. At the institute he built an experimental model with two stations for both light
and radio signals. This model was soon replaced by the single Geodimeter instrument with
a mirror at the opposite point. The first measurements were made near Stockholm in 1947
(published in 1948) and in 1948 Bergstrand had a value of the speed of light. The
experimental Geodimeter model was shown at the IUGG and IAG conference in Oslo in
1948. The famous AGA company (lighthouses, gas, also radio production) built a
prototype, shown in Brussels 1951 and AGA produced the first series of the Geodimeter
(or NASM). The first ten instruments were used in the US, Denmark, UK, Australia and
Sweden. Their main use was to replace baselines and to give very accurate measurements
e.g. in the establishment of satellite tracking stations. Later on many Geodimeter models
followed for all types of surveying work.
EDM stands for Electronic Distance Measurement. EDM is a
surveying instrument for measuring distance electronically
between two points through electromagnetic waves. The
distance measured by EDM is more precise than measured
with chain or tape.

The wave emitted from the EDM reaches the reflector and
return back to the EDM. Then the distance is measured with
the help of time taken for the above process – time taken
by the wave for the emission and return. Then the following
equation used to measure the distance,
Distance= Velocity X time.
Dr. Trevor Lloyd Wadley developed
the Tellurometer in 1957.

It measures long distances using two

microwave transmitter/receivers.
The instrument penetrates haze and
mist in daylight or darkness and has
a normal range of 30–50 km but can
extend up to 70 km.
History of surveying (21th Century)
The theodolite, total station, and
RTK GPS survey remain the primary
methods in use.
Remote sensing and satellite
imagery continue to improve and
become cheaper, allowing more
commonplace use. Prominent new
technologies include three-
dimensional (3D) scanning and use
of lidar for topographical surveys.
UAV technology along with
photogrammetric image processing
is also appearing.
History of surveying
(21th Century)
Malaysia
SURVEYING TODAY
Today surveying affects most everything in our daily lives.
A few of the areas where surveying is being used are:
•To map the earth above and below the sea.
•Prepare navigational maps (land, air, sea).
•Establish boundaries of public and private lands.
•Develop data bases for natural resource management.
•Development of engineering data for :
Bridge construction.
Roads.
Buildings.
Land development.
EQUIPMENT USE IN SURVEY

Surveying equipment?

What equipment to be use in

survey?

How to use the equipment?

Measuring Tapes
Laser Measurers
 Measuring Wheels
Excellent tools for measuring long distances (Flat surface etc: Road)
Prisms
Equipments Use in survey
• Magnetic Locators
 Theodolites
• A Theodolite is a instrument for measuring
both horizontal and vertical angles.
 Abney Levels
• Abney Levels are used to measure degrees, percent
of grade, topographic elevation, and chain
correction.
• A surveying instrument consisting of a spirit level and
a sighting tube, used to measure the angle of
inclination of a line from the observer to another
point
 clinometers
Measure height or slope readings.
An instrument used in surveying for measuring
an angle of inclination
 Horizontal Distance – Tapes
• Horizontal distance between 2 points may be
measured directly by:
– keeping tape horizontal or
– measuring along the sloping ground and applying
a correction to measured distance or
– reducing slope distance to horizontal distance by
trigonometry.
 Horizontal Distance – Tapes

• Depending upon terrain:

– Measure horizontal distance in full tape length or
– Break chain by measuring short distances but still
keeping tape horizontal or
– Measured slope distance and then reduce to
horizontal distance by trigonometry.
 Horizontal Distance – Tapes
• Measuring distance with steel tape is known
as chaining.
– derived from early days of surveying when Gunter
Chain was used.
– 66 feet long and contained 100 steel-wire links.
 Horizontal Distance – Tapes
• Principal sources of error in linear measurement:
– incorrect length of tape
– tape not horizontal
– temperature variation
– tension not standard
– sag
– improper alignment
– tape not straight
– mistakes and errors
 Horizontal Distance – Pacing
• A pace is a measurement of horizontal
distance.
– regardless of slope
– used in construction of inexpensive less precise
type of map (with hand compass)
• Paces never recorded in field notebook as unit
of measurement
– only individual concerned knows length of his
respective pace
 Horizontal Distance – Pacing
• Common practice to give grade of slope in
term of percent (%)
– % of slope is no. of meter rise or fall vertically per
100 m on horizontal
– % slope = (vertical distance × 100)/horizontal
distance
 Horizontal Distance – Pacing

• Learning to pace – must proficient in allowing

for slope  
– steeper the slope, more extra steps must take at
same horizontal distance
– set up table of paces on level ground and on
various slopes
– limitations because slope is seldom uniform  
 Horizontal Distance – Pacing

• A constant rate of travel at a free and natural

walking gait is the key to successful pacing.
– consistency – through continued practice together
with alertness
 Horizontal Distance – Pacing

• Natural tendency to lose accuracy – take every

opportunity to check the pace.
• Two useful tools to improve:
– tally-whacker – counting device
– stick – marked length of one pace
 Horizontal Distance – Pacing

• Error usually develop:

– tendency to stretch out in morning
– inaccurate recording
– various physical condition
– amount of brush
– change in type of shoe
– condition of soil and weather
– walking with someone else
Terima Kasih | Thank You