Method: Find typical looking habitat in each forest in question; and either
use an 18 meter string to define a sample area by diameter, or visually estimate the following. Sum all scores for the answer.
Tree Size(dbh: Diameter Breast Height, measure
tree diameter at chest height, use the largest trees present)
4 Mean dbh 50+cm
3
Mean dbh 40-49cm
2
Mean dbh 30-39cm
1
Mean dbh 20-29cm
0
Mean dbh <20cm
Forest
Structure (How fully represented are the canopy and sub canopy trees?
(Use only woody vegetation over 2 meters in height &
no vines, coverage = leaves
filling in space)
3 Canopy
& sub canopy both at least cover at least 50% of the available space
1 Canopy
or sub canopy covers at least 50% of available space (not both)
0 Neither the canopy or sub canopy covers 50% of the available
space
Shrub Layer Structure (What percentage of the
forest floor is covered with shrubs?)
3 Shrubs cover 1-10% of the forest floor
2 Shrubs cover 11-50% of the forest floor
1 Shrubs cover less than 1% of the forest floor
0 Shrubs cover over 50% of the forest floor
Dominance of Canopy Trees (What percentage
of native canopy trees fill the forest?)
3 All species covering at least 25% of the canopy are locally dominant native species
2 Some, (but not all) of the species with at least 25%
of the canopy cover are dominant native species
0 None of the species with 25% of the canopy cover are
dominant natives
Dominant Native Canopy Trees: Oaks, Hickories, Sugar or Black Maples, Sycamore, Silver Maple
(flood plain forest only), Basswood,
Tamarack, & White Pine (not planted)
Dominance of the Sub canopy Trees (Woody vegetation
>2 meters in height, but below the canopy)
2 All
species with at least 25% coverage are naturally dominant species
1 Some
(but not all) species with at least 25% coverage are naturally dominant species
0 None
of the species covering at least 25% of the sub canopy are naturally dominant
Dominant
Native Sub canopy Trees: Blue Beech (Musclewood), Witch Hazel, Hop Hornbeam (Ironwood), Choke Cherry, Wafer Ash,
Amelanchier (shadbushes), Dogwoods, Haws, Viburnums (Service Berry, Nannyberry, Native Maple-leaved Viburnum, Native High bush Cranberry, & Arrowwoods, or any young versions
of the dominant species – especially oaks)
Shrubs and Saplings (Woody vegetation between
0.5 and 2.0 meters tall)
4 <1% coverage by disturbance indicators
3 1-10% coverage by disturbance indicators
1 11-25% coverage by disturbance indicators
0 >25% coverage by disturbance indicators
Disturbance
Indicators: Buckthorn, Bush Honeysuckles, Multiflora Rose, Prickly Ash, Barberry, Boxelder, & Oriental Bittersweet
Total = _________ (add all numbers from the above index)
Score
High Quality Natural Area:
17-20
Minimally Disturbed Natural Area:
14-16
Moderately Disturbed Habitat:
10-13
Highly Disturbed Habitat 0-9
Reference: W.R. Norris, and D.R. Farrar. 2001. A Method
for the Natural Quality Evaluation of Central Hardwood Forests in the Upper Midwest. Natural Areas Journal 313-323.
