Notes from Forest Metrix, the timber cruising and forest inventory app, 2013 to 2020.https://forestmetrix.com/en-ushttps://forestmetrix.com/forest-metrix-pro-on-the-desktop/https://forestmetrix.com/forest-metrix-pro-on-the-desktop/Since 2013, we have promoted iPhones and iPads in the field for data collection, analysis, and reporting. Time is valuable, and spending time transcribing data in the office is an Thu, 03 Dec 2020 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/qgis-a-crash-course-for-foresters/https://forestmetrix.com/qgis-a-crash-course-for-foresters/While I am a consulting forester, much of my time is spent consulting to consulting foresters. A consultant to consultants, if you will. Our business focus is to provide timber invThu, 02 Apr 2020 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/the-death-of-the-forestry-vest/https://forestmetrix.com/the-death-of-the-forestry-vest/We work with foresters all over the country, and this means we get to see a million different ways that things are done. While some tools are universally accepted everywhere (lookiThu, 13 Dec 2018 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/a-droning-introspective-part-1-of-4/https://forestmetrix.com/a-droning-introspective-part-1-of-4/When I was a kid, one toy that I wanted more than any was a radio controlled airplane. Maybe it’s because I’ve always wanted to learn to fly a plane and this seemed like the next cWed, 12 Dec 2018 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/client-visit-surprise/https://forestmetrix.com/client-visit-surprise/Watch the video Visiting a client yesterday, I was pointed to a ground nest, where juncos had burrowed out a cavity in a small berm next to a lawn. Over the course of the visit I wSun, 08 Jul 2018 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/oregon-is-terribly-beautiful/https://forestmetrix.com/oregon-is-terribly-beautiful/Each year we go to a lot of conferences, and invariably the ASCA conference properly caps things off. Generalizing, the ASCA people are really engaged in pushing the science of arbFri, 08 Dec 2017 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/mapping-what-you-need-to-know/https://forestmetrix.com/mapping-what-you-need-to-know/We just published a 20-page white paper of mapping for Arborists and other tree pros. It explains what tools – many free – are available now to quickly get field data and convert tFri, 14 Jul 2017 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/demonstration-of-urban-forest-metrix/https://forestmetrix.com/demonstration-of-urban-forest-metrix/[Note: this post was written in 2016. A newer demonstration has been made since, and can be found here: Tree Inventory and Arborist Software Demonstration . Here is a 9-minute run-Wed, 19 Oct 2016 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/young-hawks-and-cars-otters-fast-cruisers-living-with-creatures-and-mortality/https://forestmetrix.com/young-hawks-and-cars-otters-fast-cruisers-living-with-creatures-and-mortality/With raptors, unlike some birds, their risk factors for death don’t diminish much once they leave the nest. The danger really just starts. They must learn to hunt and navigate any Thu, 04 Aug 2016 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/unexpected-visitor-in-camera-trap/https://forestmetrix.com/unexpected-visitor-in-camera-trap/This past winter, we spent some weeks trying to pin down the location of a bobcat den in our back forest. It was an exhilarating chase that I likened to a game of Battleship, whereWed, 27 Jul 2016 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/coopers-hawks-update-4-empty-nest/https://forestmetrix.com/coopers-hawks-update-4-empty-nest/2015 fledgling on a ‘butchers block tree,’ feeding on grouse It has now been more than a week since we last saw the Cooper’s hawk fledglings. Weather intervened, taking a few days Mon, 25 Jul 2016 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/dawn-at-the-loon-nest-site-timelapse/https://forestmetrix.com/dawn-at-the-loon-nest-site-timelapse/With the Forest Metrix cameras trained on the loon nest and its environs, we get to see the foggy transformation from night to day and couldn’t resist processing the images into a Wed, 20 Jul 2016 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/loon-monitoring/https://forestmetrix.com/loon-monitoring/A hunkering loon pressured by a boat on the other side of the sign In a lake near Forest Metrix’s offices, a pair of loons started nesting for the first time in a number of years. Tue, 19 Jul 2016 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/coopers-hawks-update-5-flight/https://forestmetrix.com/coopers-hawks-update-5-flight/Yesterday was day 31 of the Cooper’s hawks’ first hatching. A lot has happened in the past 7 days, since the last update. As I suspected, soon after the last update, they fledged. Mon, 04 Jul 2016 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/coopers-hawks-update-4-flight/https://forestmetrix.com/coopers-hawks-update-4-flight/The last image I have of the smallest chick is from Tuesday the 21rst a bit after 2 p.m. It wasn’t doing well, sleeping much, not appearing terribly successful in the food scrums, Sun, 26 Jun 2016 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/coopers-hawks-update-3-winnowing/https://forestmetrix.com/coopers-hawks-update-3-winnowing/To see earlier posts on the Cooper’s hawk project, see these links: Update 1 Update 2 This third update recounts events starting on June 18, 2016. June 18: The larger of the young Mon, 20 Jun 2016 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/coopers-hawk-update-2/https://forestmetrix.com/coopers-hawk-update-2/June 12 I had been starting to despare that we’d only have three chicks this year. Which is a perfectly normal of chicks for a Cooper’s nest, if a bit on the low side. But more wouFri, 17 Jun 2016 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/layers-of-wildlife-data-coopers-hawks/https://forestmetrix.com/layers-of-wildlife-data-coopers-hawks/One of 5 successful fledglings in 2015 The Forest Metrix staff came together over time in part because of shared interests that go beyond making professional software for forestersSun, 05 Jun 2016 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/ufm-jumps-to-version-2-0-adds-features/https://forestmetrix.com/ufm-jumps-to-version-2-0-adds-features/Urban Forest Metrix made its first major leap, jumping to version 2.0. It also now comes in an enterprise version, geared for larger firms with more than 10 people. The features beTue, 08 Sep 2015 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/arborists-survey-biz-great-industry-gets-younger-ufm-tops-software-satisfaction/https://forestmetrix.com/arborists-survey-biz-great-industry-gets-younger-ufm-tops-software-satisfaction/Last year, we ran a poll of about 2,500 arborists and other tree care professionals to gauge how the industry was faring. A month ago, we ran the poll once more, this time against Tue, 08 Sep 2015 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/observations-on-risk-assessments-traq/https://forestmetrix.com/observations-on-risk-assessments-traq/Here at Forest Metrix have a unique perspective on the roll-out of TRAQ. Our program is the only one we know of currently that has all of the TRAQ data fields integrated into an elTue, 08 Sep 2015 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/gifford-pinchot/https://forestmetrix.com/gifford-pinchot/On a recent visit with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, we spent some time meeting in a vacant corner office, unremarkable in every way except for the large aged wooden desk. IThu, 30 Jul 2015 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/2nd-annual-forester-survey-results/https://forestmetrix.com/2nd-annual-forester-survey-results/2 nd ANNUAL FORESTER SURVEY RESULTS We recently released our second annual survey to about 2,500 foresters (SAF members and a few hundred others). The survey is intended to provideTue, 21 Jul 2015 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/ticks-permethrin-and-deet-oh-my/https://forestmetrix.com/ticks-permethrin-and-deet-oh-my/It shouldn’t surprise anyone that one of the most frequently cited “worst things” about forestry is the increasing tick population in many parts of the country. You MUST READ the sTue, 21 Jul 2015 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/july-2015-tech-update/https://forestmetrix.com/july-2015-tech-update/Here are a few tech accessories that have been introduced in the past year. LifeProof ( www.lifeproof.com ) waterproof rugged cases are starting to get built-in auxiliary batteriesTue, 21 Jul 2015 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/new-ufm-features/https://forestmetrix.com/new-ufm-features/New Features Added to Urban Forest Metrix Since Last Quarterly: – Geolocation data can be modified graphically on the map , and reflect back in the actual latitude and longitude daWed, 19 Nov 2014 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/the-industry-adjusts-to-many-more-tree-risk-assessments/https://forestmetrix.com/the-industry-adjusts-to-many-more-tree-risk-assessments/Many arborists who offer tree risk assessments are new to this sort of service offering. After having customized software to a good number of these professionals, we can now share Wed, 19 Nov 2014 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/most-desired-software-features-arborists-have-not-had/https://forestmetrix.com/most-desired-software-features-arborists-have-not-had/Over the course of customizing Urban Forest Metrix for dozens of different firms and arborists each quarter, we get to know how people work alike and how they work differently. HerWed, 19 Nov 2014 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/free-and-cheap-tree-care-apps/https://forestmetrix.com/free-and-cheap-tree-care-apps/This quarter we review a few favorites, ranging from free soil software that will use the GPS and indicate the structure and content of what’s underneath your feet to some of the hWed, 19 Nov 2014 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/the-gps-question-accuracy-and-what-people-actually-use/https://forestmetrix.com/the-gps-question-accuracy-and-what-people-actually-use/A common discussion that we have with new clients regards the accuracy of tablets and smart phones. In our recent survey, lots of folks have already moved to iOS and Android apps fMon, 29 Sep 2014 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/2014-foresters-survey-in-benchmarks-and-trends/https://forestmetrix.com/2014-foresters-survey-in-benchmarks-and-trends/Forest Metrix recently distributed a survey to about 2,000 randomly selected licensed foresters, discovering some benchmarks for forestry practices, as well as some interesting busMon, 29 Sep 2014 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/risk-assessments-made-easy-now-with-isas-traq-values/https://forestmetrix.com/risk-assessments-made-easy-now-with-isas-traq-values/Tree risk assessments are the single strongest growing category of business for arborists aside from tree healthcare. Urban Forest Metrix incorporates several easy methods to conduWed, 23 Jul 2014 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/arborists-biz-growing-competition-worse-were-not-getting-younger/https://forestmetrix.com/arborists-biz-growing-competition-worse-were-not-getting-younger/Urban Forest Metrix released the results of a survey sent to a couple thousand arborists asking about their own local business conditions. The upshot? Demand in the industry is groWed, 23 Jul 2014 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/tree-valuations-made-easy/https://forestmetrix.com/tree-valuations-made-easy/Urban Forest Metrix now lets arborists and urban foresters use both major methods for tree valuations. All of the math is done for you, and the condition ratings are tabulated via Mon, 02 Jun 2014 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/iphone-version/https://forestmetrix.com/iphone-version/At last, Forest Metrix has developed a full-featured version for Apple’s iPhone! We were able to keep all the same features and analytics, and the interface is pretty slick. Some tTue, 25 Mar 2014 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/forest-metrix-wins-massachusetts-forestry-software-contract/https://forestmetrix.com/forest-metrix-wins-massachusetts-forestry-software-contract/Vermont forestry software firm Forest Metrix won Massachusetts Bureau of Forestry’s competitive solicitation for mobile forest inventory software. The contract includes customizingMon, 24 Mar 2014 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/ned-and-silvah-site-down-were-hosting-temporarily/https://forestmetrix.com/ned-and-silvah-site-down-were-hosting-temporarily/With the government shutdown turning off all of the federal websites, foresters could no longer download the USFS’s various software packages. Forest Metrix is helping solve this fFri, 11 Oct 2013 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/saf-reviews-forest-metrix/https://forestmetrix.com/saf-reviews-forest-metrix/The Society of American Foresters trade publication Forestry Source reviewed Forest Metrix and appeared to have a fun time trying it out. For a seasoned third party perspective, chWed, 04 Sep 2013 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/sharon-vt-uses-fm-variant-for-streets/https://forestmetrix.com/sharon-vt-uses-fm-variant-for-streets/The town of Sharon, Vermont worked with Forest Metrix to create an application similar to Forest Metrix to sample and keep track of road segment conditions. The project will extendSun, 01 Sep 2013 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/urban-forest-metrix-launched/https://forestmetrix.com/urban-forest-metrix-launched/Main Dashboard Showing Observations Over Time Forest Metrix is proud to announce the release of its urban forestry application Urban Forest Metrix, allowing private and municipal aSun, 01 Sep 2013 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/forest-metrix-runs-on-microsoft-surface-tablet-the-review/https://forestmetrix.com/forest-metrix-runs-on-microsoft-surface-tablet-the-review/We’ve been developing the Forest Metrix timber inventory app to be Windows compatible all along, so we bought a Surface Pro, loaded the forestry app, and it ran without a hitch theSun, 31 Mar 2013 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/waterproof-tablet-case-for-forest-inventory-app/https://forestmetrix.com/waterproof-tablet-case-for-forest-inventory-app/The Ipega waterproof iPad Mini case appears to work well, even passing the hand-it-to-your-two-year-old-in-the-bathtub test, which says something. If it can do that, it can handleSun, 31 Mar 2013 12:00:00 GMThttps://forestmetrix.com/the-making-of/https://forestmetrix.com/the-making-of/Yay, pizza! Inevitably, as we collected footage of foresters using the system, we collect, well, bloopers. Here are some shots from the few hours we spent outside shooting our intrSat, 19 Jan 2013 12:00:00 GMT