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Plant Monitoring Observations

Observations are conducted in the field using the Terraware mobile app. Before heading out, make sure your Observation has been scheduled in the Terraware web app by an Admin or Manager, and that you have the Terraware mobile app installed on your device. For more information about downloading the mobile app, see Downloading the Mobile App.

Field staff can monitor plots simultaneously — multiple users can claim and monitor different plots at the same time, even within the same Planting Site.

Before you go

Review the monitoring plot locations before leaving for the field. Plot coordinates are available in the Terraware mobile app once you've claimed your plots, and can also be downloaded as a CSV file from the web app by an Admin or Manager. For more information, see Scheduling and Managing Observations.

Make sure you have the following equipment:

  • Stakes or corner posts — four per plot, at least 1 meter long, made of durable material (PVC pipe, fiberglass rod, rebar, or hardwood). Paint or tape the above-ground portion in a bright color that doesn't occur naturally in vegetation.
  • Measurement lines — a 30-meter length of landscaping tape, cord, or rope for measuring between plot corners. Avoid yarn or string, which stretches and tangles easily.
  • Compass — monitoring plots are aligned with true north. A quality compass declinated to true north will help you orient correctly in the field.
  • Plant markers — brightly colored flagging tape or small flags to mark plants as you count them and avoid double-counting. Remove all markers before leaving the plot.
  • GPS device — a handheld dual-band GPS unit (such as a Garmin eTrex 10) to validate your mobile device's GPS accuracy at plot corners.
  • Writing pad and pen — as a backup in case your phone runs out of battery or malfunctions. Data recorded on paper should be entered into Terraware as soon as your device is operational again.
  • Waterproof phone protection — a plastic bag or waterproof case to protect your phone from rain and wet vegetation.

Claim your plots

Before you can monitor a plot, you need to claim it in the mobile app while connected to the internet. Claiming a plot signals that you plan to monitor it. Once claimed, a plot cannot be claimed or monitored by anyone else.

  1. Open the Terraware mobile app and tap Assigned Plot Observations.
  2. Tap Start in the Get Ready to Monitor screen.
  3. In the Claim Plots screen, tap the points on the map that represent the plots you plan to monitor. Note: Only claim as many plots as you can complete in a single day of field work.
  4. Tap Confirm to claim the selected plots.
  5. Read the Go to Site screen for information about whether any of your claimed plots will need boundary setup, then tap Next.

Set up plot boundaries

The first time a permanent plot is monitored, you'll need to physically mark its four corners and take photos from each one. You won't need to repeat this step for permanent plots in future Observation cycles.

  1. In the Select Plot screen, tap the plot you want to set up.
  2. Tap Confirm to start boundary setup.
  3. In the Boundary Check screen, tap Create Boundary to begin marking corners. Note: If you tap Skip, you won't need to mark the boundary physically, but you'll still need to take photos from each corner.
  4. In the Select Starting Corner screen, tap a corner on the map to select your starting point, then tap Confirm.
  5. Go to the coordinates shown for that corner and physically mark it with a stake. Note: If the app detects low GPS accuracy, wait until it improves before proceeding. This can take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.
  6. Tap Next, then use the camera to take a photo from that corner facing the center of the plot.
  7. Follow the directions to the next corner and repeat until all four corners are marked and photographed.
  8. When all corners are complete, you'll see a Setup Complete screen and can proceed to plant tracking.

Track plants in a plot

Once the boundary is set up, you can begin counting plants within the plot. Once you start tracking, you cannot pause and come back without restarting the process.

  1. In the Tracking screen, all Species planted in the Planting Site appear in a list. Record the number of Live and Dead plants for each Species as you move through the plot. Note: When you increment a plant count, you have a few seconds to undo it. After that, the increment cannot be changed.
  2. If you observe a Species not in the list, tap Live or Dead under the Other option and enter the Species name.
  3. If you observe a plant whose Species you can't identify, tap Live or Dead under the Can't Tell option.
  4. On the first monitoring of a plot, you'll have the option to record Existing plants — plants that pre-existed your planting activities. Recording these helps establish a baseline.
  5. When you've counted all plants in the plot, tap Done.
  6. Review the summary statistics that appear and confirm they look correct, then tap Save Plot Tracking.
  7. In the Plot Tracking Summary screen, select any conditions you observed in the plot from the list, add any notes, and tap Save.

Upload monitoring data

After completing your plots for the day, upload the data to Terraware while connected to the internet. All saved plot data that hasn't yet been uploaded will be included in the upload.

Note: Uploading can take time depending on your connection speed, due to the volume of data and photos being transferred. Make sure your device is charged and connected to a stable network before starting. Do not close the app during the upload.

  1. In the Plant Monitoring screen, tap the Upload Monitoring Data notice that appears at the top of the screen.
  2. Tap Upload Monitoring Data to begin. When the upload is complete, the notice will disappear and you'll be returned to the Plant Monitoring screen.

Once uploaded, the plot's status will change from In Progress to Completed, and the data will be available in the Terraware web app.

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