How are the locations of monitoring plots chosen?
Monitoring plots are randomly located by Terraware within each stratum that has had plants planted in it. Since each stratum may contain multiple substrata, it is not guaranteed that every substratum will have at least one monitoring plot in it. The locations are truly random within each stratum.
How many monitoring plots will I need to monitor?
The number of monitoring plots is determined per stratum and depends on a number of factors. Terraware uses a formula to determine the minimum number of monitoring plots necessary to draw statistically significant conclusions about the entire stratum. This formula is based on the Common Stand Examination protocol developed by the United States Forestry Service, and uses standard methods in statistics and forestry science.
The main factor that will affect the number of monitoring plots you'll need to monitor per stratum is the variance of planting density. The higher the variance, the more plots are necessary to achieve a statistical significant result.
When will I know where the plots are that I need to monitor?
The locations of the monitoring plots are not determined until the observation starts. There are a couple of reasons behind this. First, this prevents any biases in the treatment of plots during planting. Second, this allows the plot locations to be located with the most up-to-date plant withdrawal information. Once the observation starts, you will be able to download a CSV file of the coordinates of the plots to use to plan your monitoring activities. You will also be able to view the coordinates within the observations in the mobile app.