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- Posted by: @flga-2
In a recent post about tree location our beloved Uncle Paden pointed out an often overlooked important part of tree location, that is, Proper Identification of the species located.
@flga-2 not to be contrary but you don’t want to overlook another important part of tree location which is IMPROPER Identification of the species located! Following GLO notes in this part of Oregon you may be looking for “Oregon Pine”, “Pine”, “Douglas Spruce”, or “Red Fir” which are all nonsense; you are looking for Doug(las) Fir.
There are some historical tree mapping projects to determine forest structure in the past, like this, https://inr.oregonstate.edu/book/export/html/608 that may cover some of the names or how the names/types were classified.
This BLM publication on the durability of bearing trees (and scribing on them) also has good name cross references just in case you need some help at the import skill of IMPROPER tree identification, https://www.ntc.blm.gov/krc/uploads/538/Durability_of_Bearing_Tree.pdf ????
Just last week, I used an 18″ hickory tree as a property corner that had been mistakenly labeled as a 12″ ash tree on two separate deeds of adjacent descriptions. Of course, my deed called for a rock in the middle of a small creek at that point but that is generally how it goes around here.
I cut and sold firewood for a living in college and got a lot of experience identifying trees and don’t miss often even in mid winter when all you have is bark, branch pattern, and hopefully some nuts in the dirt.
My feeling is that it’s good to get it close, but it doesn’t have to be perfect. Pine, maple, oak is good enough for most survey work. If the client needs species-level tree ID, then it’s time for them to hire an arborist or forester.
@peter-lothian Agree. The places I’ve worked have simply put evergreen or deciduous and it seemed to work out.
Tag em and bag em…let the arborist fight about the species!
-All thoughts my own, except my typos and when I am wrong.Pseudotsuga menziesii
and I always have trouble with the difference between a garry oak and an Oregon white oak
????
I was told early in my career that tree names have no more than four letters, and usually only three: pine, palm, oak, ash, elm, fir, euc.
If an apple falls on my head it might be an apple tree. If a pecan falls on my head it might be a pecan tree. That’s about it.
Well what happens if just a tree falls on you?
I “brush” it off and continue working.
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