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NEDLite and NED-2

Software for data collection in forest inventories Steven Kallesser, CF, Gracie & Harrigan Consulting Foresters, Inc. NJ Division Allegheny SAF training: High Tech in the Woods April 6, 2016

 NED-2 is part of a collection of software products

being developed by USDA Forest Service.

 Designed for stand-alone Windows-based personal

computers, NED-2 integrates a variety of forest management tools into a single environment.

 These tools include databases, growth and yield

models, wildlife models, geographic information systems (GIS), visualization tools, and others.

 Produces stand and stock tables, reports on timber

resources, etc.

What is NED-2?

NED-2 stand & stock tables

NED-2: basal area, trees per acre by species

NED-2: avg. DBH by spp.

NED-2: relative density by species(!)

NED-2: volume tables

 Stand Visualization Features (do they still work

in newer versions of Windows?)

 Growth projections  Growth projections given thinning options  Wildlife habitat suitability analysis  Forest carbon estimates and projections  Other!

NED-2: features not shown

 NEDLite is part of a collection of software

products being developed by USDA Forest Service.

 NEDLite was originally written for Palm OS

(and later for Windows CE/Windows Handheld) to collect data on handheld computers for eventual import into NED-2.

 No frills! Enter text and click boxes. NEDLite is

• nly to capture what you put into it. NED-2

does the calculations and analysis.

What is NEDLite?

NEDLite: What is O-U-G-T?

NEDLite: Entering a new stand. (You don’t have to fill every field)

NEDLite: Ready to start entering

• verstory

data!

NEDLite: What

• verstory

information can we put in?

NEDLite: Northern red oak 22” DBH AGS

NEDLite: Entering product information for that red oak…

NEDLite: Entering ground layer

• bservations

(lowbush blueberry 60% ground cover)

NEDLite: highbush blueberry 15% ground cover

NEDLite: Blackgum saplings >15’ tall 10% ground cover

NEDLite: red maple seedlings < 3’ tall 5% ground cover

 Transfer text files where NEDLite put your data

from your device into your computer

 Create a filter to make sure that your NEDLite

data is properly translated into a NED-2 file (you will only need to create that filter once…)

 That filter is what tells NED-2 that “ro” means

“Northern red oak (Quercus rubra)”

 Use “Import Text Files” tool from NED

software (a.k.a. “txt2mdb”)

Getting the data from NEDLite into NED-2

Import Text Data

Import Text Data: Fixing errors

Import Text Data: Fixing errors

 If this training is about high technology, then why

are we talking about software running on Palm OS

• r Windows CE/Windows Handheld???

 NED-3 is now in beta testing. (Helpful hint: don’t be

an early adopter unless you really love computer

• programming. Wait for the final version…

seriously.)

 Rumor has is that importing NEDLite data into

NED-3 will be simplified…

 ***BUT*** there will be no NEDLite update for

Android or iOS!!!

 Perhaps USDA Forest Service does not want to

duplicate efforts/compete with Forest Metrix’s products or SilviaTerra’s Plot Hound apps…

 Another alternative is to use a free form app and

configure it to save data in the same format as NEDLite

What is coming next?

 …after Zebra stops putting Windows Mobile

• n its devices?

 That probably won’t happen for several years.  There are free apps for Android and iOS that

(when properly configured) will create the same data files that NEDLite produces.

 Then you would follow the instructions for

importing those data files into NED-2 (or NED- 3 once finalized).

 Or you could go with a commercial app that

exports data into NED-2 format.

What about…

For example…

For example…

For example…

 NED-2 is an excellent program for assisting in

the decision-making process for forest management.

 NED-3 will be even better, and is promised to

be significantly faster (it would be hard to be slower than NED-2…)

 You should consider a Zebra handheld with

Windows CE/Handheld if you want to use NEDLite (understanding that “so-so” support for NEDLite will end at some point)

 If having software support is important to you,

you may want to consider a Zebra handheld with Android or iOS and going with commercial app with good support

In conclusion…

Thank you!

The homepage for NED software can be found at http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/tools/ned/ Or if you want to talk to someone in NJ who really knows about NED software, contact Bill Zipse at DEP State Forestry Services.