18Delineating stratum boundaries

18 Delineating stratum boundaries

(1) A project proponent must delineate the boundaries of the strata of the project area by generating a set of spatial coordinates that define the geographic limits of the land area included within each stratum by:

(a) using one of the following methods, or a combination of them, to identify the limits of extant project forest boundary and stratum boundary:

(i) conducting an on‑ground survey using a global positioning system;
(ii) using ortho‑rectified aerial imagery; and

(b) using a geographic information system to generate spatial data‑files to identify the limits of extant project forest boundary and stratum boundary.

Use of ortho‑rectified aerial imagery

(2) If ortho‑rectified aerial imagery is used:

(a) the relevant land area must be digitised from the imagery; and

(b) the imagery must meet the accuracy requirements specified in the CFI Mapping Guidelines; and

(c) the pixel resolution must be no greater than 2.5 metres; and

(d) the image must be of sufficient quality and resolution to allow the clear identification of the limits of project forest establishment activities.

Extant project forest boundary

(3) The extant project forest boundary of a stratum is the polygon that is the outer limit of the stems of the project trees that are included in the stratum.

Stratum boundary

(4) The stratum boundary of a stratum is the outer limit of land that lies within a crown radius of the extant project forest boundary of the stratum, other than the following:

(a) land that lies outside the project area;

(b) land that lies within the extant project forest boundary of another stratum;

(c) land that is non‑project forest.

(5) If application of the stratum boundary would result in the mapped geographic limits of the stratum:

(a) overlapping the geographic limits of a second stratum—then the boundary must be equidistant between the two strata along the length of the area where the overlap would otherwise have occurred; or

(b) exceeding the geographic limits of the project area—then the boundary of the stratum boundary must be the limits of the project area.