Over the years I have developed my own programme - CaliperBase - for the processing of data captured by Masser RACAL and the old Masser “one Button” calipers.

I now offer the facility to process UK and Irish woodland data. I also offer help to clients on using the calipers and processing the data, prior to sending it to me.

Surveys handled by CaliperBase are sample plots, and abbreviated tariffs. Mixtures and Pure crops are catered for with ease.

Data is processed using UK Forestry Commission conventions, and the results are presented as either PDF’s, Spreadsheets or CSV files. The latter two methods allow managers to further interpret the data and see the methodologies used in the calculations, thus giving comfort that the sampling is accurate.

Volume assessments for Felling and Forest Investment Appraisal are quickly processed and returned to the manager/forest surveyor.

Pricing is modest and represents a massive time saving for the busy forest manager. 

All you need do is download and correct the .dat produced by the Masser calipers (which you have to do anyway) and email it to me with the following data:

• Code name of the survey (Optional)
• Planting year of each strata (Yield class for each strata is calculated based on this, of course)
• Area of each strata (% stocked - the allowance for unplanted areas, roads ride etc)
• Conversion factor - M3 to tonnes (Optional)

Turn around for the results will normally be within one working day. It could be as little as one hour.

Email address: mark@pageforestry.co.uk

CONFIDENTIALITY

This is always a concern in commercial situations, and all surveys will be protected by you, by the simple expedient of you creating a code name for the survey. No geographical data is required, neither is client nor market data.

Sample Plot Pricing

This is a standard charge of £100 per request plus the sum above per plot, to a maximum of £300. So a sample that consists of 35 plots would incur a charge of £205 (£100 plus 35 plots at £3). Any more than 67 plots and the price is capped at the maximum. All prices are plus VAT

Abbreviated Tariff Pricing

This is a standard charge of £100 per request plus the sum above based on the number of stems, to a maximum of £500 plus VAT. So a sample that consists of 6750 stems and 5000 m3 would incur a charge of £275 (£100 plus 5000 m3 at 5p per m3). Any more than 10000 stems and the price is capped at the maximum. All prices are plus VAT

Example survey

See the following example for the results of a complex sample plotting, involving mixtures and many sample plots.

The sample consisted of 142 plots of which 40 consist of a mixture of two species, there is 14 strata and 7 species sampled. It would be very rare to have a a sample of such complexity in the real world.

Each document is presented as a PDF and a spreadsheet. Feel free to download them and tinker and check the results against your current methods of processing the information.

This survey from completion of the DAT file verifications is processed by CaliperBase in 15 seconds, and the subsequent preparation of the PDF’s and or Spreadsheets takes about 5 further minutes.