Bartlett Experimental Forest permanent cruise plot data: 2nd edition

This data publication contains overstory tree measurements collected between 1931 and 2017 at the Bartlett Experimental Forest in Bartlett, New Hampshire. These cruise plots measure all trees greater than 1.5 inches in diameter at breast height, across a 0.25 acre plot. Plots were installed and first inventoried in 1931-1932, with follow-up in 1939-1940. Since then, there were partial remeasurements in the 1950s and 1960s of compartments scheduled for harvesting treatment followed by complete remeasurements in 1991-1992, 2001-2003 and 2015-2017. Data are available in several data sets. 1) Overstory measurements from 1931-1992 including species codes, diameter class (1 inch classes), and count; 2) Overstory measurements from 2001-2003 including species codes, diameter class (1 inch classes), and count; 3) Overstory measurements from 2015-2017 including species codes, diameter class (1 inch classes), live/dead, and count; 4) Seedling data from 2015-2017 including species codes, live/dead, and count; 5) Sapling data from 2015-2017 including species codes diameter class (1 inch classes), live/dead, and count; 6) Height data from 2015-2017 including species codes, diameter at breast height (to the nearest 0.1 inch), location, and height; 7) compartment spatial data; and 8) compartment history. Additionally, approximately 3% of the over 56,000 tree records from 2001-2003 include height, crown and diameter at breast height (to the nearest 0.1 inch) measurements.
The primary objective of the cruise plots at the Bartlett Experimental Forest (BEF) is to establish a uniform study area to study the silviculture of northern hardwoods with a strong focus on impacts and interactions with birds and mammals. The BEF is divided into Compartments, which are delineated based on size distribution, stand condition, species composition, and topography. This publication includes all plots from the original footprint of the Bartlett Experimental Forest, as well as those within the expansion compartments added in 2005. Numerous studies have been conducted within the 48 original Compartments. For a complete list of Compartment-level silvicultural treatments, cruise plot numbers and Compartment assignments as well as a list of major studies see the Supplements folder in the full data publication download.
We strongly encourage that users read the accompanying documentation provided with the full data publication download before proceeding with data summary or analysis. Contact Olivia Fraser (Olivia.fraser@usda.gov) if you have questions or if interested in collaboration. This data publication is a second edition, which spans 1931-2017. This newer edition includes all data from the first edition (https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2017-0036) which only included data from 1931-2003, but also adds 2015-2017 seedling, sapling, and tree height measurements. A few additional supplemental files have been included, along with an update to the field manual.