Find your plots
Walk to a permanent plot with the arrow and distance, re-find its centre from the marker, witness trees and traverse, and set up a new plot with an averaged GPS position.
- For
- Field crew
- Time
- 4 minutes to read
- Where
- Field app — Navigate
- Updated
On this page
Walk to the plot
- 1 Arrow, distance and bearing (GPS accuracy)
- 2 Finding the point: notes, marker, witness trees
- 3 I'm here
- 4 Average GPS here (plot set-up)
- Follow the arrow. It points to the plot from where you stand; the distance, compass bearing and the GPS accuracy (±4 m here) are beside it. Hold the phone flat for a steady compass.
- Within 20 m, read Finding the point: the relocation notes, the centre marker (e.g. buried metal — use the metal detector), witness trees with bearing and distance from the centre, and a traverse from a landmark.
- Tap I’m here when you stand on the centre. It opens recording for this plot.
- Average GPS here (plot set-up) is for setting up or correcting a plot’s position (below).
Under canopy, trust the marker over the dot
A phone is often 5–10 m out under trees. Use the arrow to get close, then the marker and witness trees. Witness trees are the most reliable: stand where each tree’s bearing and distance agree.
Set up a plot: average the GPS
When a plot is new, or its stored position is rough, stand on the centre and average the GPS for about a minute.
- Tap Average GPS here (plot set-up) and keep the phone still at the centre. Fixes worse than 30 m are left out; at least 10 good fixes are needed.
- Wait for Averaged … fixes: ±… m (95 %). If it says no good fixes yet, wait in the open if you can.
- Tap Save averaged position. The plot’s position is updated on the phone and syncs with your records; the relocation aid then shows Centre averaged from n fixes with its accuracy.
Record relocation details for next time
Witness trees, the marker and a traverse are entered on the web on the plot’s location (Plan a field visit › Add relocation details). Measure them on the first visit: species and DBH of two or three trees, and the bearing and distance from the centre to each.
What it doesn’t do (yet)
- Witness trees and the traverse are entered on the web, not on the phone.
- The map on the navigate screen uses the map library’s default styling for plots and your position.
- No external GNSS receivers: the phone’s own GPS is used.