Forest Surveying
FE 208 Syllabus - 2020
Instructor: Jim Kiser
Office: Richardson Hall 214
Phone: 737 - 2192
Office Hours: Open – email for office hour appointments or stop by
Email: [Link]@[Link]
Course Credits: This course combines approximately 90 hours of instruction and
assignments for 4 credits. The course combines approximately 3 hours of
lecture time per week with approximately 4 hours per week of
laboratory/homework exercises.
Prerequisite: Trigonometry (Math 112), A statistics course is strongly recommended
prior to taking this course.
Course Format: Remote Learning for 2020 –
Lab M,T,TH,F 12:00-4:00 PM – Zoom meetings for 2020
Course Website: [Link]
Required Text: Kiser, J. 2010. Surveying for Forestry and the Natural Resources. 2nd
ed. This is a field and class text that is focused on surveying practice in the
forest environment. This is a hands-on text that will be used in several
other forestry classes.
Optional Text: Ghilani, Charles. D. 2017. Elementary Surveying, An Introduction to
Geomatics. 15th ed. This is a classic surveying text and will be a very
useful reference in your professional career. The book is available in
hardcover for approximately $197.37 from [Link].
Additional Reading: Buckner, Ben. 1997. The Nature of Measurement. This is a 12 part
series that will be made available.
Materials: No additional materials are needed for 2020 although you may find a field
notebook is handy. Recommend the Rite in the rain transit fieldbook
[Link] Available online or at the
bookstore
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The Sequence of Surveying and Measurements Courses:
FE 208 is one course from an integrated sequence of three courses in Forest Surveying and
Measurements (FE 208, FE 310). FE 208 is an introduction to the theory and practice of
surveying methods and measurements as applied to the specifics of forestry problems and their
solutions. FE 208 provides fundamental instruction for surveying and field measurements. FE
208 is also intended to prepare forest engineering students for Forest Route Surveying (FE 310,
Control Surveying (CE 463), Property Surveying (CE469), and Survey Law (CE 465). This
sequence of courses is designed to prepare students for the Fundamentals of Land Surveying
exam that is necessary to become a Professional Land Surveyor.
Course Goals:
There are two primary goals for this course. The first is to learn and become proficient in basic
forest survey techniques including surveying fundamentals, field notes, distance and angle
measurements, and leveling techniques. The second goal, which is consistent throughout all
Forest Surveying and Measurement courses, is the development and application of good
professional practices.
Course Objectives:
The course objectives are built around lecture and lab combinations. Material presented in
lecture will focus on the theory of surveying measurements and the application of surveying
techniques to forestry related problems. The field labs will focus on the hands-on use of
equipment, proper field measurement techniques, proper field note keeping, and the application
of classroom material in forest field conditions. Field labs will not be available for 2020
Students who successful complete this course will be able to:
• Understand and apply the theory of measurement errors and be able to calculate uncertainty
in survey measurements.
• Successfully solve surveying problems of horizontal distance, vertical distance, and angular
measurement.
• Successfully solve Survey problems of adjustments to horizontal and vertical measurements
• Understand the principles of map creation and projection and use maps to successfully solve
problems of measurements and legal descriptions.
• Understand the concepts and development of the Public Land Survey System in the United
States and Oregon, and use these concepts to successfully analyze and solve problems of
division of public lands.
• Become proficient in various field survey techniques and field note-keeping.
• Understand the concept of survey order.
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Students with Disabilities
Accommodations are collaborative efforts between students, faculty and Disability Access
Services (DAS). Students with accommodations approved through DAS are responsible for
contacting the faculty member in charge of the course prior to or during the first week of the
term to discuss accommodations. Students who believe they are eligible for accommodations but
who have not yet obtained approval through DAS should contact DAS immediately at 737-4098.
Oregon State University policy on Student Conduct
[Link] Students are expected to uphold the
Academic Honor Code published by their respective Academic Unit. The code is based on the
assumption that all persons must treat one another with dignity and respect in order for
scholarship to thrive, (2) Students are also expected to follow the academic and professional
standards of the academic units, and (3) Choosing to join the Oregon State University
community obligates each member to a code of responsible behavior.
College of Forestry Code of Professional Conduct
[Link] The
College of Forestry is a community of faculty, staff, students, and visitors that stretches across all
spectrums. Every member of the College community is responsible for conduct that creates,
promotes, and maintains a learning and work environment that is open to and welcomes all
persons. As a community, we embrace each member through the acknowledgement, honoring,
and celebration of our commonalities and our differences.
The foundation for maintaining this environment requires that all persons must treat all others
with dignity and respect at all times. The College fully supports the mission and goals of Oregon
State University and affirms its support of the University policy against discrimination
([Link] as well as the University’s
policies on honesty, ethics, and substance abuse (including alcohol)
([Link]
Course Policies
1. All assignments are due by the time and date assigned.
2. To receive full credit, assignments must be turned in on time. Late assignments will
be penalized 10% for each day late. A lab worth 20 pts that is 3 days late would
have 6 pts deducted as a late penalty for example.
3. All work must be neat, legible, and complete. All steps should be shown. Sample
calculations and a summary table may be used to illustrate repetitive calculations.
Use words to explain the computations where necessary. Use sketches and drawings
where required or helpful. Incomplete, undocumented work is unacceptable.
4. All figures, drawings, and tables should be titled.
5. There will be no make-up exams or quizzes except by permission of the instructor.
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6. Any requests for deviations in the course policies, schedule, or deadlines must be
made in writing to the instructor. These requests should be made in the form of
a typed business style letter that clearly states and defends your request. E-mail
is acceptable but should be confirmed as having been received.
Grading:
Final grades for the course will be based on the planned following:
Item Total points % of total
Labs (7) 130 31.0
Homework (5) 90 21.4
Midterm Exams (2) 100 23.8
Final Exam 100 23.8
Totals 420 100
Letter grades will be based on the following:
Letter grade % of total
A 90
B 80
C 70
D 60
F < 60
Plus and minus grades will be given where appropriate.
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FE 208 Planned Schedule –
Week 1 Lecture: Class Introduction
L1 What is Surveying
L2 Errors in Measurements
L3 Error statistics
Homework H1 Statistics homework (10 pts) Due 10/9
Lab topic Field Notes, Pacing – No work Due
Reading: Kiser, pp. 1-27
Supplemental Buckner parts 1 through 4
reading:
Week 2 Lecture: L4 Fundamentals of measurements
L5 Survey measurements-horizontal and
vertical
L6 Compass theory
Homework H2 Compass homework (15 pts) Due 10/16
Lab: 1 Horizontal measurements lab Pacing (10 pts)
Due by 5 pm of your lab day week 3
Reading: Kiser, pp. 29 – 53 and 121-133
Buckner parts 6 through 9 and 12
Week 3 Lecture: L7 Traversing
L8 Traverse adjustments
L9 Traverse adjustments continued
Lab: 2 Area Layout – Hand compass (20 pts)
Due by 5 pm of your lab day week 4
Reading: Kiser, pp. 53 – 60
Week 4 Lecture: L10 Angles and Bearings
Homework H3 Traverse Closure problem (20 points) Due
10/30
Lab: 3 Area layout with Control (20 pts)
Due by 5 pm of your lab day week 5
Reading: Kiser pages 53-56 review
* Note that two midterms will be scheduled somewhere in the 10 weeks
5
Week 5 Lecture: L11 Angles and bearings continued
L12 Leveling
L13 Differential leveling
Lab: 4 Profile leveling (20 pts)
Due by 5 pm of your lab day week 6
Reading Kiser pages 61 - 76
Week 6 Lecture: L14 Leveling errors
L15 Leveling adjustments
L16 Traverse adjustments – Review of L8-9
Lab: 5 Closed traverse differential leveling (20 pts)
Due by 5 pm of your lab day week 7
Reading Kiser pages 61 - 76
Week 7 Lecture: L17 Area computation
L18 Topographic mapping/contours
Homework H4 Traverse Closure problem (20 pts) Dur
11/23
Lab: 6 Putting it all together (20 pts)
Due by 5 pm of your lab day week 8
Reading none
Week 8 Lecture: Midterm 2 – Monday
L19 Public Land Survey System
L20 Control Surveys
Homework H5 Traverse Closure problem (20 pts) Due
11/30
Lab: 7 PLSS and contours (20 pts)
Due by 5 pm of your lab day week 10
Reading: Kiser pages 265 - 274
Week 9 Lecture: L21 Maps and mapping
L22 Coordinate systems
Lab: No Lab this week - Thanksgiving Holiday
Reading: Kiser pages 135 - 150
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Week 10 Lecture: L23 Starting to put it all together
L24 Continuing to put it all together
Final exam review
Lab: No lab this week
Reading: No reading this week
Week 11
100 points FINAL EXAM
