The Heureka Research Programme - Mistra

the end of the project period. The main deliverable from this project was anoperational field survey method including:• Definition of variables,• Recommendations of field equipment and specifications for the field surveysoftware,• Routines for planning field surveys (including stratification and selectionof stands), routines for correction of collected data and algorithms for stateestimates and standard error estimates in the application.Methods used in the projectIn the scientific part of the project, different designs and estimators for plotwisefield surveys within stands were compared through Monte Carlo simulations(e.g., Lämås & Ståhl 1996). In these simulations, data from a fieldsurvey and airborne laser scanning at the Remingstorp estate in southwestSweden were used (Holmgren & Wallerman 2006). Different measures fromlaser data were extracted for each field plot and used as auxiliary informationeither in the layout of plots (stratification) or for estimation (calibration estimator).Different alternatives for calculation of calibration ratios for height andvolume predictions (from regional functions) were tested on sample tree datafrom an objective field survey using FMPP in Västerbotten performed by thecompany SCA. Effects on estimates of the different alternatives were studiedthrough Monte-Carlo simulations.In the development-oriented part of the project, a large portion of thework consisted of writing instructions for the system development group.Many of the routines were already used in the FMPP but still needed to bedescribed for this group.The developed application for field computers was tested within this projectin a field survey at the test site Krycklan in Vindeln. Data from this fieldsurvey were then also used for testing routines for calculating calibrationratios and estimating the current state in the application PlanStart (Ringvall2009).User valueBased on the descriptions of routines created within this project, a systemfor objective field surveys has been developed. Although alternatives werestudied, the final methodology largely resembles the methodology used inFMPP. With the developed system, implemented in the applications Iventand PlanStart, the same type of analyses as previously made by FMPP can bemade by PlanWise. The applications Ivent and PlanStart also have some newfunctionality in comparison with FMPP. The two applications can also beused independently for other types of plot surveys. For example, Ivent hasalready been used for field surveys in remote sensing-oriented research studies.77