Appendix 5. Field marking conventions

Transect surveys for areas 10 ha and smaller

Point of commencement (POC)

• Use two blue ribbons and two pink-striped ribbons.
• Label the first blue ribbon with "SDS" (for "soil disturbance survey"), the ID number on the survey form, the date, and the surveyor's initials (e.g., SDS FFR-1 94/04/27 S.T.).
• Label the second blue ribbon with the distance and bearing to the baseline (or first transect, if not using a baseline) (e.g., 42 m @ 104° to B/L 0+000).

Baseline (optional)

Choose a convenient colour and mark the location of each transect.

Transects

• Mark the beginning and end of the transect with one pink-striped ribbon and one blue ribbon at each location.
• Label the ribbon with "SDS," followed by start of transect (SOT) or end of transect (EOT), the transect number, and the bearing (e.g., SDS SOT T-3 @ 134°).
• Flag at 100-m intervals with pink-striped ribbon, labelling each ribbon with "SDS," the transect number, the distance, and the bearing" (e.g., SDS T-3 0+100 m @ 134°).

Transect surveys for areas larger than 10 ha

POC

• Use two blue ribbons and two pink-striped ribbons.
• Label the first blue ribbon "SDS" (for "soil disturbance survey"), the ID number on survey form, the date, and the surveyor's initials (e.g., SDS FFR-1 94/04/27 S.T.).
• Label the second blue ribbon with the distance and bearing to the first grid centre (e.g., 42 m @ 104° to GC-1).

Grid centres

• Use one blue ribbon and one pink-and-black-striped ribbon.
• Label the blue ribbon with "GC -," followed by the grid centre number, and a random bearing (e.g., GC-101, 143°).

Transects

• Mark the ground with blue flagging at the start and end of each transect, exactly at the 0-m and 30-m marks (or the appropriate endpoint if the transect goes outside of the NAR).

Road traverses

POC

• Use a new POC for each type of road surveyed (e.g., a haul road, a spur road, and a permanent skid trail would require three separate POCs).
• Use two blue ribbons and two pink-striped ribbons.
• Label the first blue ribbon with the word "Road -," followed by the road number, the ID number on survey form, the date, and the surveyor's initials (e.g., Road-1, FFR-1, 94/04/27, S.T.).
• Label the second blue ribbon with the distance to the first width cross-section, followed by "to R -," the road number, "x -," and the cross-section number (e.g., 18 m to R-1, x-1).
• Leave a blue ribbon on the cutbank at each width-measuring station.

Landing surveys

• Mark the start and end of each landing length and width measurement with a blue ribbon and a pink-striped ribbon.
• Mark the location of each transect on a sketch map of the landing in the field notes.
• If traversing the landing:
  - mark the starting point of the traverse with a blue ribbon and a pink-striped ribbon;
  - label the blue ribbon with an "L -," followed by the landing number and "POC Traverse" (e.g., "L-1 POC Traverse"); and
  - mark each station of the traverse by painting the ground with a blue cross or by leaving a blue ribbon.