During this project, several coverages were created or modified to expedite and aid in our analysis. Modified coverages are discussed in section 4.2.3. This section discusses the coverages created, either to do analysis or as a product of it. The following table lists and briefly describes all of the coverages that we created. A more in depth discussion follows the table.

Table 1. Coverages created during the analysis process, either to do further analysis or as a product of analysis done.

Coverage	Note
UW_USGS_STRMS	USGS DEM-derived stream network using FLOWACCUMULATION constraints.
UW_DNR_STRMS	DNR DEM-derived stream network using FLOWACCUMULATION constraints.
UW_TRANS	Road network for transportation plan.
LATLONG	Latitudinal/Longitudinal coordinates for maps.
SLPCLS_POLY	Polygon coverage of slope classes for maps and preliminary road design.
UW_STABILITY	Slope stability based on Shaw-Johnson
UW_STRMBUF	Polygon stream buffer coverage based on HCP.
SETTING_SNAP	Setting boundary polygon coverge with SNAP input information.
SKMP	PLANS to ARC coverage with mobile yarder profile information.
SKYC	PLANS to ARC coverage with computer generated information.
SKYL	PLANS to ARC coverage with landing information.
SKYP	PLANS to ARC coverage with tower profile information.
SALES	Proposed and pending DNR sale information.
UW_WETLANDS	Wetlands coverage.
UW_TICS	Tic coverage to extent of whole planning area.

UW_USGS_STRMS, UW_DNR_STRMS, and UW_Wetlands—The DNR’s main concern was that their hydro and wetland coverages were inadequate. Using Arc/Info software and a DEM the design team was able to model stream locations. Two DEMs were available. One from the DNR and one from the USGS. What was created were two coverages, UW_USGS_STRMS and UW_DNR_STRMS, that predicted stream locations and showed a higher stream density than shown on the DNR HYDRO coverage. It was found in the field that the DNR DEM derived network was an excellent predictor of streams. The USGS network was not as good in locating streams.

Using the LANDSAT, ORTHOPHOTO, and aerial photo information we were also able to locate additional wetland areas. These areas were digitized and combine with the FPWET coverage to create one large wetland coverage, UW_WETLANDS. This analysis increased the wetlands coverage at least twofold.

UW_TRANS-- All roads that are the result of our design are included in a coverage called UW_TRANS. This coverage is actually a modification of the TRANS coverage we were provided. All the planned roads we digitized are in this coverage including several attributes to help identify specific characteristics for designed roads.

LATLONG—Is a coverage created so we could display latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates on our maps.

SLPCLS_POLY—Is a coverage of percent slope classes derived from the GRID module. Slope classes of 0 to 30 percent define areas where ground systems would be used. Just a little past this threshold (40%) is where the DNR requires full benching of roads (i.e., side-casting is allowed). Thirty to fifty-five percent identifies cable yarding areas and also the area where side-casting of material is allowable. Greater than 55%, the DNR requires end-haul of material. This is how the slope classes were defined to aid in our analysis.

UW_STABILITY--Always of paramount interest to forest planners is the location of unstable areas. Using the Shaw-Johnson slope stability model and tips from DNR authorities, a coverage showing areas of potential risk was developed.

UW_STRMBUF—This is a stream buffer coverage. An AML was written to apply buffer regulations. A distance of 100’ for Type 4 streams was used. Type 1 through 3 streams were given a buffer according to a 100-year site index tree height. Typing becomes a significant factor when harvest volume is considered because of the regulations mandated by the HCP. A significant amount of harvestable timber volume is lost when a stream is typed such that a buffer is required and timber becomes riparian habitat.

SETTING_SNAP—Is a coverage created for input into SNAP. Several harvesting parameters were defined within this coverage. Also the setting boundaries were defined by this coverage.

SKMP, SKYC, SKYL, and SKYP—These are all coverage created from PLANS to ARC conversion. They include profile, landing, tower, and mobile yarder information as well as computer generated data.

SALES—Is the coverage provided to us by the DNR. The coverage has all proposed and current sales.

UW_TICS—This is simply an extension of the provided TIC coverage to the full extent of the north and south planning areas.

It was necessary to modify some of the existing coverages so they could be easily utilized in analysis and map making. For example, the POCAL coverage provided section number information. However, it was given as a SECTION.ID and the value coded in was essentially the section number plus 100. So sections were identified as 101 or 136 instead of as the customary 1 through 36. In order to correct this, an item called UW_SECT# was added to the POCAL.PAT. Values were then attributed to this item that identified the true section number. The following table lists coverages that have been modified, including what was done and a brief description. Then each item is discussed briefly with regard to its origin and its associated values.

Table 2. Table of coverages that have been modified.

Coverage	Modification	Item Name	Value	Note
POCAL	ADD ITEM	UW_SECT#	1 to 36	Section number identifier.
RIU	ADD ITEM	SST.WT	0 to 8,700	Expected short-span turn weights.
RIU	ADD ITEM	LST.WT	0 to 11,200	Expected long-span turn weights.
RIU	ADD ITEM	150.QMD	0 to 45.8	Quadratic mean diameter—150' spacing
RIU	ADD ITEM	150.RIG.HT	0 to 50	Rigging height--150' spacing
RIU	ADD ITEM	50.QMD	0 to 32.2	Quadratic mean diameter--50' spacing
RIU	ADD ITEM	50.RIG.HT	0 to 50	Rigging height--50' spacing
HYDRO	ADD ITEM	UW.WATER.TYPE.CD	1 to 5	Upgrade type IV, V, and IX streams one level.
SALES	ADD ITEM	STATUS_UW	‘Proposed' or 'Sold'	Identify current vs. pending sales.
DNR_CONTOUR	ADD ITEM	ELEV100	0 or 1	Identify contours divisible by 100.
SLPCLS_POLY	ADD ITEM	GRID-CODE	1 TO 4	Slope class the poly is in (e.g., 1 is 0-30%).
UW_LAT_LONG	ADD ITEM	LAT_DMS	47 25 12	Latitude of point in deg., min., and sec.
UW_LAT_LONG	ADD ITEM	LONG_DMS	-123 13 48	Longitude of point in deg., min., and sec.
SETTING_SNAP	ADD ITEM	HAR1	0 to 8	Primary harvest system (e.g., 8 is helicopter).
SETTING_SNAP	ADD ITEM	HAR2	0 to 8	Secondary harvest system (e.g., 8 is helicopter).
SETTING_SNAP	ADD ITEM	HAR3	0 to 8	Secondary harvest system (e.g., 8 is helicopter).
SETTING_SNAP	ADD ITEM	UW.SYS.ACCESS	(e.g., ‘Shirt Pocket)	Identifies which system accesses setting.
UW_TRANS	ADD ITEM	ROAD.ID	(e.g., WM-131)	Item containing ID of planned road.
UW_TRANS	ADD ITEM	GRADE	0 to 18	Percent grade of arc.
UW_TRANS	ADD ITEM	STATIONS	0 to 235	Length of arcs in stations.
UW_TRANS	ADD ITEM	UW.RECON.CODE	0 to 4	Reconnaissance code (e.g., 1 is pegged)
UW_TRANS	ADD ITEM	UW_SYSTEM	(e.g., ‘SHIRT POCKET’	System arc is in (e.g., Shirt Pocket System).
UW_TRANS	ADD ITEM	UW_FLAG	0 or 1	Identifies planned vs. existing roads.

UW_SECT#--Is an item in the POCA coverage that was created to help put text onto maps. Values ranged from one to thirty six and were the product of subtracting 100 from the SECTION.ID item. These values are the section numbers for each township and range within the coverage.

SST.WT—Is an item created to identify the approximated conventional span turn weights based on the forest resource inventory system (FRIS) data for each resource inventory unit (RIU). Value is based on 3.5 logs per turn.

LST.WT—Is an item created to identify the approximated long span turn weights based on the FRIS data for each RIU. Value is based on 4.5 logs per turn.

150.QMD—Is an item created to identify the approximate quadratic mean diameter of each RIU based on FRIS data with 150-foot spacing.

150.RIG.HT—Is an item illustrating the approximated tailtree rigging heights for each RIU based on 150-foot spacing.

50.QMD-- Is an item created to identify the approximate quadratic mean diameter of each RIU based on FRIS data with 50-foot spacing.

50.RIG.HT—Is an item illustrating the approximated tailtree rigging heights for each RIU based on 50-foot spacing.

UW.WATER.TYPE.CD—Is and item created within the hydro coverage. There are five values associated with this item. The values range from one to five. In this item, for type 9, 5, and 4 streams, they were upgraded one value (i.e., 9 became 5, 5 became 4, and 4 became 3). This item helped us address the DNR’s concerns about inadequate stream typing.

STATUS_UW—Is an item within the SALES coverage that helps define whether a sale is finalized or pending. Two values are associated with this item. The values of ‘Proposed’ and ‘Sold’ were used to distinguish between the two.

ELEV100—Is and item added to the DNR contour coverage which helped us to identify contours divisible by 100 (e.g., 100, 400, 500, etc.). A value of one was given to those arcs.

GRID-CODE—An item in the SLPCLS_POLY coverage, which identifies, which classes each polygon, is in. Three values are associated with this item. A value of one is less than thirty- percent slope. A value of two identifies thirty to fifty-five percent slopes. A value of three specifies slope greater than fifty-five percent.

LAT_DMS—Is an item in the LATLONG coverage that gives the latitude in degrees, minutes, and seconds.

LONG_DMS—Is an item in the LATLONG coverage that gives the longitude in degrees, minutes, and seconds.

HAR1, HAR2, and HAR3—Items added to the SETTING_SNAP coverage to aid in the SNAP analysis. There were 9 values associated with this item. A value of 0 meant no harvest system. A value of 1 through 7 meant a cable system with various external yarding distance capabilities. A value of eight specifies a setting designated for helicopter. There are three items here because SNAP calls for a primary harvest system and secondary systems.

UW.SYS.ACCESS—Is an item added to the SETTING_SNAP coverage with identifies which road system accesses that particular setting. For example, a setting accessed by the Shirt Pocket road system would be coded ‘Shirt Pocket.’ For segments in the Hamma Hamma Cabin system the item would be coded ‘H. H. Cabin.’

ROAD.ID—Is an item added to the UW_TRANS coverage that was used to input the names for the planned roads we did. For example, the Web Mountain Road was given the WM designation. Designed roads coming of of Web Mountain Road would be coded WM-1, WM-2,…,WM-34, etc.

GRADE—This was an item added to UW_TRANS so we could input the percent grade of the road segments we designed. This attribute would then allow us to easily print out the designed percent grade onto the field maps.

STATIONS—This item was added to the UW_TRANS coverage and the value it was coded with was the length of each segment in stations. This value was calculated by dividing the LENGTH item by 100 and inputting it into an integer item.

UW.RECON.CODE—Is an item that identifies what was done to a segment of proposed road during field reconnaissance. There were four values attributed to this item. A value of one identifies roads that were simply pegged in and no field reconnaissance was done on it. A value of two identifies segments that were gradelined in the field. A value of three identifies segments that were traversed. A value of four identifies inventoried segments.

UW_SYSTEM—This item identifies which road system proposed road segments belong to. There were six systems, so there are six values associated with this attribute. For example, an arc in the Shirt Pocket road system would have a value equal to ‘Shirt Pocket.’ Those in the Hamma Hamma Cabin system would be abbreviated ‘H. H. Cabin.’

UW_FLAG—This item helps distinguish proposed roads from existing roads in the transportation coverage. Two values were assigned to this item, zero and one. A value of zero indicates existing roads. A value of one indicates proposed or planned roads.

Geographic information systems are powerful planning tools. As long as you understand the limitations of a GIS, it is more than adequate for doing preliminary planning.

The DNR DEM provided us the elevation model necessary to do initial road design and identify areas of concern. The elevation contours served as guides for road pegging and initial landing location.

Sensitive areas were defined using the wetlands coverage, soils coverage (i.e., rock outcrops and unstable areas), POCAL coverage (i.e., offbase areas), HYDRO (i.e., waterbodies and stream types) and more.

The RIU coverage data was taken apart and analyzed to gather piece sizes, turn weights, expected tailhold sizes, and more for input into PLANS and SNAP.

This information was used in the initial design process and field maps were created for use during field reconnaissance. Once things were verified in the field. Information was put into SNAP and ROADENG to create final designs and management plans. From this several coverages were created including the final landing/setting coverages, the harvest plan coverages, and the final road systems design.

In order for us to analyze and design for sales desirable to the DNR we had to obtain their action plan. This plan included information on sales boundaries for current or pending sales. The coverage we obtained was a polygon coverage we called SALES. In this coverage we added an item called STATUS_UW in which we coded whether or not the sale was sold or is pending. These polygons identified areas the DNR felt were harvestable and would like to include their upcoming harvests. From this information we could define areas to focus on. However, it is important to clarify that although these were areas we focused on, we took a landscape management approach and did not confine ourselves with a sale-by-sale approach.