Mapping & Inventory — Quick Start Guide

Overview

The Timberland Investor gives you the tools to map your property, delineate forest stands, estimate standing timber inventory, and build a sustainable harvest plan — all in one place. This guide covers the core functions of the platform. For guidance on how to collect field data (timber cruising, basal area measurement, tree height estimation, and stand delineation), refer to How to Read Your Forest.

1. The Mapping Application

Navigating the Map

Open the mapping application and use the map view to navigate to your property. Zoom to a resolution that suits your needs before beginning any work.

Data Layers

The mapping application includes several data layers accessible from the Data Layers tab in the bottom left corner of the map view. Toggle layers on and off as needed for your task.

  • Base Layer — Standard street and terrain map. Use as a general reference layer.
  • NAIP Imagery — High-resolution aerial photography of the ground surface.
  • CIR (Color Infrared) — Infrared aerial imagery that highlights differences in vegetation. This is the most useful layer for identifying stand boundaries, as different species compositions and canopy conditions appear as distinct colors and tones.
  • LiDAR Elevation / Slope Model — Terrain data derived from LiDAR. Useful for identifying topographic features like slopes, drainages, and low-lying wet areas that may warrant stand boundaries. Elevation layers are transparent and are best viewed paired with the base street layer.

2. Exporting a GeoTIFF Basemap

The Timberland Investor allows you to export a GeoTIFF of any area for use as an offline GPS basemap on your mobile device.

  1. Navigate to your property and zoom to the desired resolution.
  2. Click the Export button in the top left corner of the map view.
  3. Select GeoTIFF as your export format.

The exported GeoTIFF is georeferenced, meaning it contains coordinate data and can be used with GPS applications without any cell service or internet connection. It is compatible with a range of mobile mapping applications.

3. Importing Field Data (KML)

After collecting GPS tracks and waypoints in the field, export your data from your mobile application as a KML file and transfer it back to your computer.

To import into SilviCultural:

  1. Open the mapping application.
  2. Use the Import function to upload your KML file.
  3. Confirm the upload. Your tracks and waypoints will appear as an overlay on the map.

4. Digitizing Objects

Once your field data is loaded, you can trace over it to create clean, permanent map objects.

Getting Started

Click Add New Object to open the digitizing tools. You will see the available object types (Property, Stand, Road, etc.) as well as a Use Snapping Tool toggle at the top. The snapping tool automatically attaches your cursor to the nearest existing vertex, which is helpful for connecting adjacent polygons cleanly but can interfere when tracing over KML lines. Toggle it on or off as needed.

Drawing a Polygon

  1. Select the object type you want to create (e.g., Property or Stand).
  2. Click once on the map to place your first vertex.
  3. Continue clicking to trace the shape of the polygon.
  4. To pan the map while digitizing, hold the left mouse button and drag.
  5. Double-click to close and complete the polygon.

Naming and Organizing Objects

After completing a polygon, a dialog will prompt you to enter a name and description. You can also assign the object to a Group. Groups allow you to organize objects by type or property — for example, creating separate groups for boundary polygons and stand polygons. Keeping your objects organized in groups makes it easier to control visibility and manage your map as it grows.

5. Entering Inventory Data

Once your stand polygons are created, you can enter timber cruise data to generate standing volume estimates.

  1. Click on a stand polygon to open its details.
  2. Click the Inventory button.
  3. Enter your cruise data for that stand. Data is organized by species and includes basal area and merchantable height inputs.
  4. Review your entries carefully before confirming.
  5. Click Confirm to save. Volume estimates will populate automatically, broken down by species and volume metric.

Inventory data can be edited at any time by returning to the Inventory button on the stand polygon.

For instructions on how to design and conduct a timber cruise, including how to use an angle gauge, measure basal area, and estimate merchantable height, refer to How to Read Your Forest.

6. Growth Projection

Once inventory data has been entered for a stand, you can generate a forward-looking growth projection.

  1. Open the stand and click the Inventory button.
  2. Enter the approximate average age of the stand, the silvicultural system (natural or managed), and site quality.
  3. Click Calculate. A graph will display projected volume growth over the next 50 years, broken down by species.

For all field data collection procedures, refer to How to Read Your Forest.