Tools for Planning A Harvest Layout

There are some very important tools you have access to as you begin creating a plan for a timber harvest. These include aerial imagery, topographic maps, NCRS soil surveys, a site visit, and landowner maps. Let’s take a look at each one in depth.

Aerial Imagery

Aerial imagery and photographs can be a very helpful tool in the planning and layout of your harvest operation. Aerial imagery can provide clues to important questions:

  • Are there any rivers or streams nearby?
  • What are my choices for access to the tract?
  • Are there any right-of- ways of concern?
  • Where are the existing roads and the best locations for new forest roads?
  • Where are the property boundary lines?
  • What forest cover types are present?

There are several places to obtain current aerial photos, available at these links:

Topographic Maps

Topographic maps show land forms, topographic features, and elevations by means of contour lines in order to convey 3-dimensional surface features on a 2-dimentional map.

They can be very useful to do the following:

  • Identify existing roads and locate new roads.
  • Locate landings on firm, flat ground away from SMZs.
  • Classify streams.
  • Locate drainages, steep slopes, and wet depressions that should be avoided.
  • Determine what and where BMPs will be necessary.

Topographic maps can be obtained from:

NCRS Soil Surveys

Knowing what type of soils to expect before you start your operations can go a long way in saving you time and money.

Soil surveys display areas with similar soils and identify the soil type with a letter or number code.  Some of the information you can obtain from a soil survey includes the following:

  • Erosion hazards (on and off roads),
  • Suitability for haul roads, skid trails, and landings,
  • Suitability for equipment operation, and
  • Soil rutting hazard.

This information, used in conjunction with topographic maps and aerial photos, can help determine the best layout of your operation and the need for BMPs.

You can find USGS Soil Surveys for the county you are working in at:

Click the following links for examples of some of the information you can obtain from a soil survey about the Na soil code expressed in the image:

Site Visit

Of course nothing better prepares you during planning than visiting the site. During this time, you can meet with the landowner or forester, determine the most efficient and practical layout, and begin making plans to install BMPs.

The previous pages already presented a number of tools that will aid in your decision making and planning process, but those tools can’t show you the actual conditions on the ground.  For that, you need site reconnaissance.

Here are a few things to look for or keep in mind when visiting the tract:

  • Roads –Existing roads on the tract may be used for your operation, but make sure they are properly located and in usable condition;
  • Streams –Are there any streams, ponds, wetlands or wet areas on the tract?  Knowing the location of these water features will help you to determine the layout of your operation, locate areas that will need to be protected or avoided, and can help determine if stream crossings can be avoided;
  • Crossings –Are crossings necessary?  If you must cross a stream, the site visit can help you determine the best place to cross.  Look for places that have level firm banks and are located in a straight section of the stream;
  • Landings –Look for the best locations for your decks and skid trails.  Locate areas away from natural drainage channels and balance skidding distances against road densities for the most efficient operations;
  • Topography –Steeper slopes will require more BMPs, while flatter sites may have “ponding” issues; and
  • Soil type –How well does it drain?  How erosive is it?  Will it support your equipment? What type of BMPs will be needed?  Remember, it is usually easier to make waterbars on clay soils than sandy soils.

Now that we understand how important BMPs are and found some valuable tools for planning and harvest layout, its time for the first quiz. To begin, click Harvest Planning & Layout Quiz in the box below.