TreeMapper

Plot Management

Learn how to create and manage monitoring plots in the TreeMapper mobile app.

Overview

Monitoring plots are defined areas within your restoration sites used for systematic, long-term data collection. TreeMapper's mobile app provides comprehensive tools for creating plots, managing plot groups, and tracking individual plants within plots over time.

Plot Types

TreeMapper supports two types of monitoring plots:

Intervention Plots

Plots located within areas where restoration activities have been performed. Use these to monitor the success and growth of planted trees.

Control Plots

Plots in areas without intervention, used as a baseline for comparison. Control plots help you measure the impact of your restoration efforts by comparing treated and untreated areas.

Plot Shapes

Plots can be defined in two shapes, each suited to different monitoring methodologies:

Circular Plots

  • Defined by a center point and radius
  • Common in forestry sampling protocols
  • Easy to establish in the field using a measuring tape from center
  • Area calculated automatically from radius

Rectangular Plots

  • Defined by length and width dimensions
  • Useful for systematic grid-based sampling
  • Easy to subdivide into smaller sampling units
  • Area calculated from length x width

Plot Complexity

When creating a plot, you can choose between two complexity levels:

Standard Plots

Full-featured plots with comprehensive data collection options including nested subplots, detailed measurements, and environmental observations.

Simple Plots

Streamlined plots for basic monitoring with fewer data fields. Ideal for quick assessments or when detailed monitoring isn't required.

Creating a Plot

Follow these steps to create a new monitoring plot:

1

Select Plot Options

Choose plot complexity (Standard/Simple), shape (Circular/Rectangular), and type (Intervention/Control)

2

Enter Plot Details

Provide plot name, dimensions (radius or length/width), and any identification information

3

Mark Location on Map

Use the map interface to draw or position your plot boundary

4

Add Documentation

Take photos of the plot area for reference

5

Save Plot

Confirm and save the plot to begin data collection

Drawing Plot Boundaries

When marking the plot location on the map:

  • For circular plots: Tap to set the center point, then adjust the radius
  • For rectangular plots: Draw the corners or drag to position and resize
  • The app automatically calculates dimensions and area based on your drawing
  • You can manually adjust dimensions after drawing for precise measurements

Managing Plants in Plots

Once a plot is created, you can track individual plants within it. Each plant record includes:

Plant Information

  • Species: Scientific name and local/common name
  • Tag: Unique identifier for the plant
  • Type: Classification of the plant
  • Quantity: Number of individuals (for grouped plants)
  • Location: GPS coordinates within the plot
  • Status: Current condition (Alive, Deceased, etc.)

Adding Plants to a Plot

  • Open the plot details
  • Tap to add a new plant
  • Select or search for the species
  • Mark the plant's location within the plot
  • Add measurements and photos
  • Save the plant record

Plot Groups

Organize related plots into groups for easier management. Plot groups are useful when you have multiple plots that are part of the same monitoring design or sampling strategy.

Creating a Plot Group

  • Navigate to plot groups section
  • Create a new group with a descriptive name
  • Add existing plots to the group
  • Manage group membership as needed

Benefits of Plot Groups

  • Organization: Keep related plots together
  • Reporting: Aggregate data across grouped plots
  • Workflow: Easily find and work with related plots

Plant Timeline

TreeMapper maintains a complete history of each plant in your plots. The plant timeline shows:

  • Initial recording date and measurements
  • All subsequent remeasurements
  • Growth trends over time
  • Status changes (if plant died or was damaged)
  • Photos from each measurement session

Plot Observations

In addition to plant data, you can record environmental observations for each plot. These observations help document site conditions and factors that may affect plant growth.

Managing Plots

Editing Plots

You can update plot information including name, dimensions, and other details. Changes are tracked with timestamps for audit purposes.

Deleting Plots

Plots can be deleted if no longer needed. Note that deleting a plot will also remove all associated plant records, so use this option carefully.

Best Practices

  • Consistent naming: Use a systematic naming convention for plots (e.g., Site-Plot-Number)
  • Accurate boundaries: Take time to precisely mark plot boundaries for consistent data collection
  • Regular monitoring: Establish a schedule for revisiting plots to collect growth data
  • Photo documentation: Take overview photos of each plot during every visit
  • Tag plants: Use physical tags in the field to match digital records

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