Methods

Conduct intensive cone crop surveys for conifers using the following procedures:

1. Move away from the tree in the direction of the sun to a distance approximately equal to the tree’s height.
   
   
2. Select the clearest possible view of the crown.
   
   
3. Using binoculars and with the sun at your back, count the number of cones on the tree (except for western red cedar and western hemlock). For western red cedar and western hemlock, count the cones on one-twentieth of the visible crown down its length.
   
   
4. Convert the cone count to the number of cones per tree by multiplying the count by the following multiplier:

5. From a suitable sample, determine the average number of cones per tree.
   
   
6. Cone crop per stand = average number of cones per tree x number of trees with harvestable cone crop per acre x number of acres in the stand.