[Talk-ca] Mapping cut blocks in "wooded" areas

[Samuel Longiaru]

I very much see your point which is why I was asking for some direction.
I guess it comes down to whether the map should reflect what we see at
some given snapshot in time, or whether it is reflecting the overall
landuse scheme.  In short, while standing in the middle of a clear-cut,
would it be more accurate that my map show that spot as wooded or not
wooded?

Sam L.


-----Original Message-----
From: Bryan Crosby <azubryan at gmail.com>
To: 'talk-ca' <talk-ca at openstreetmap.org>
Subject: Re: [Talk-ca] Mapping cut blocks in "wooded" areas
Date: Fri, 04 Mar 2011 21:11:20 -0800

RE: cut-blocks

 

As someone who has spent done time as a forest technician, I strongly
advise against mapping forestry activity.  Cut block spatial data
changes daily and any images used to trace are out of date.  There are
literally tens of thousands of clear cuts in British Columbia alone and
there is absolutely no way OSM mappers would be able to keep up with
changes.  Keep in mind that most clearcuts on crown land (and in some
cases, private land) are temporary openings in various stages forest
development.  A 2 year old stand is just as much a forest as a 25 year
old free-to-grow stand or a 250 year old stand of timber.  I believe
that mapping a privately held ‘Christmas’ tree farm would be pertinent,
but these are radically different from commercial forestry openings.  

 

I would also advise extreme caution in using images to map forest
development roads unless are working on a high traffic mainline.  Many
spur roads are in various stages of deactivation.  It may look like a
road from the outdated image, but it may have been completely
deactivated and replanted.  A site inspection is the only way to be
sure.  

 

Bryan

British Columbia

 

From: Daniel Begin [mailto:jfd553 at hotmail.com] 
Sent: March-04-11 8:19 PM
To: 'Samuel Longiaru'; 'talk-ca'
Subject: Re: [Talk-ca] Mapping cut blocks in "wooded" areas


 

Hi Samuel,

 

About tagging forested areas, I would use landuse=forest only if it is
obvious on the field that the area is managed/harvested, as for
landuse=orchard or landuse=vineyard. We have a lot of Christmas tree
plantations in the area and I map them as landuse=forest because it is
obvious on the imagery and on the field.  

 

If it is difficult to determine if an area is under timber lease or not,
because it looks the same, I would keep it natural=wood...

 

About Cut blocks, I would map the hole they create that wooded area.  If
the area is replanted, then some OSM contributor will remove the hole
you map in 10-20 years from now! 

 

Mapping the reality is the best we can do and because the reality
changes over time, we can keep mapping !-)

 

Daniel

 

                                    
________________________________________________________________________
From: Samuel Longiaru [mailto:longiaru at shaw.ca] 
Sent: March-04-11 21:45
To: talk-ca
Subject: [Talk-ca] Mapping cut blocks in "wooded" areas


 

Hi Everybody,

I've been importing CanVec mostly south of Kamloops for the past several
weeks and am going to take some time now to go back and bring stuff up
to date.  One question I have though is in regards to how to treat cut
blocks in the wooded areas.

I see according to the map features wiki, that the CanVec imported tag
of natural=wood is technically not correct, at least for here, as wood
is to be reserved only for completely reserved/unmanaged areas.  I guess
most of what I have should really be mapped as landuse=forest but I have
not made the change because what is under timber lease and what is not
would be difficult to determine.  In one sense it's all managed to some
degree or other.  But my point is rather what should be done with the
cut blocks, which in some areas constitute up to 50% or more of the
forested area.  http://osm.org/go/WJ1cj_R is a typical area.  It seems
improper to keep them as wooded when they are clearly not, and yet most
are replanted and will be wooded again someday... or at least that's
what they keep telling us.

I started mapping them as it truly gives a more accurate representation
of the current state of affairs on the ground... but thought I'd better
get some guidance before proceeding too far.  

Thanks,

Sam L.
Kamloops 


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