Monitoring Ecosystem Services

Below you’ll find all the forms and information referenced in the Monitoring pages. By incorporating forest inventory measurements, biodiversity assessments, and evaluating forest conditions post-harvest, you are comprehensively documenting forest conditions. Monitoring is a critical component of good forest stewardship and is a means to evaluate the ecosystem services that a forest produces.

Guides to Ecosystem Services Monitoring

Start Here! ->Introduction to Tools for Ecosystem Services Monitoring
Forest Inventory & Monitoring Guidelines
How to Conduct a Forest Biodiversity Assessment

Field Forms

Forest Inventory Field Datasheets
Post-Harvest Assessment

Forest Biodiversity Assessment Forms:
Douglas-fir/mixed coniferous forests west of the Cascades
Early seral or young stands
Oak/Douglas-fir and Oak/pine woodlands
Ponderosa pine and lodgepole forests

Analysis

Forest Inventory Program (without Carbon Calculator)-Use this version of the Inventory Program if you wish to complete an extensive inventory that includes more than 5 stands and more than 3 plots per stand.

Forest Inventory Program with Carbon Calculator-Use this version of the Inventory Program if you wish to calculate the amount of carbon you have on your property. Please note that this Program can be used for forest inventory work when there are 3 or fewer plots in 5 or fewer stands. For inventory work involving more plots and stands, use the the Forest Inventory Program (without Carbon Calculator).

Background Reading

Ecosystem Services Payment Programs
Monitoring for Forest Carbon
Monitoring for Biodiversity
Developing the Forest Biodiversity Assessment

NNRG wishes to thank our partners in developing these materials:

Forest Stewardship Council-US
Stewardship Forestry
Swedeen Consulting
Willamette Partnership

NNRG would like to thank the NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant Program, as well as other dedicated community and foundation partners, for funding this important work.

About the NRCS–CIG Program

The purpose of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)–Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) voluntary program is to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies, while leveraging federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection in conjunction with agricultural production.

CIG projects are expected to lead to the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and innovative approaches (such as market-based systems) into NRCS policy, technical manuals, guides and references, or to the private sector.

Visit the NRCS CIG website for more information.

About NNRG and NCF

NNRG specializes in working with non-industrial forest landowners, conservation organizations and public entities interested in conservation-based forest stewardship. Northwest Certified Forestry is NNRG’s landowner stewardship and certification program developed to assist small forest landowners in Oregon and Washington with optimizing the economic and ecological potential of their forestlands.