Timber Cruising and Timberland Appraisals

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P-3-P selection

Although many people think that 3-P can only be used for doing more costly 100% timber inventories, it's really a method that can be used to make a weighted random sample of a population at many levels, including at the tree, acre, and timber stand. 3-P will weight the higher volume units of any population for sample selection. Since we may be concerned about getting more accurate cruise figures for those polygons that have a higher value, we would prefer to sample those polygons at a higher frequency than lower volume/value polygons. Of course, any legitimate sample of a population must be done using an unbiased selection process. forex

The primary advantage of 3-P selection is that it allows us to make unbiased weighted sample selections; which permits us to achieve a higher level of efficiency by leveraging the data collected from fewer field samples. Golden Cherry Depositing Methods look here. It is interesting to

We've tried and proven that the P-3-P method is much more economical to use than traditional 100% 3-P and can even save time and money when used in conjunction with conventional variable plot cruising.
Rather than taking measurements on every cruise plot, we make a simple volume estimate at every plot, take full measurements on those plots selected by the P-3-P program, and correct our estimates with an adjustment ratio. The cruise statistics are then calculated on the mean of the adjustment ratios.
In the event that a client has a 10,000-acre timbered tract with no previously designated polygons, we could even employ our 3-P program at the stand level to make a weighted selection of which stands we will cruise.

The goals for the hypothetical project:

· Stratify the 10,000-acre timbered tract into no more than 100
individual polygons. Research shows that more accurate volumes can be achieved for a tract by determining volumes for each individual polygon, rather than just applying an average volumes for all of the polygons within a similar timber type strata.
· Achieve an industry-acceptable 10% sampling error for the
inventory effort.

Table 3. 3-P procedure & associated costs

Specific Requirement

Units

Cost$/Unit

Totals $

Office- Purchase current aerial photos and load onto a computer hard-drive

100

12.00

1,200

Office- stratify property into polygons on photos & maps. Calculate polygon acreages.

6 man-days

500.00

 3,000

Make volume estimates for all polygons. 

   

    Option 1- Ocular estimate method

8 man-days
 

*5,170

    Option 2-  Photo extrapolation method

6 man-days
 

*3,000

Use P-3-P to select polygons and complete cruises of 10 selected polygons:

 
   

Complete 150 plots in each polygon

4 man-days

500.00

2,000

Vehicle Mileage

320 miles

0.60

192

Quad Use

2 days

35.00

70

Office-cruise compilation and map prep

0.5 man-days

500.00

250

 

Subtotal

$ 2,512

Polygon sample cruise cost * 10

45 man-days
 

25,512

Office-Adjust the estimate volumes and prepare inventory report

2 man-days

500.00

$1,000

                   

48 man-days

Subtotal

$ 30,712

Total Project Cost, with use of the ocular estimate option

56 man-days
 

$35,882

Total Project Cost, with use of the photo extrapolation option

54 man-days
 

$33,712

Summary. As shown by our example calculations, the cost to cruise this area, using the conventional inventory method, would be $43,120 and take 15 weeks to complete. Using our P-3-P method, the project could be completed in 3 weeks less time and cost $8,323 less than the conventional inventory method; a 19% savings to the client. For a 50,000-acre inventory project, our 3-P method could potentially save the client over $40,000.
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