Step 4— Calculate crown coverStep 4— Calculate crown cover

Step 4— Calculate crown cover

Calculate crown cover from plants in the relevant layer by: (a) adding the number of sampling points classified as falling beneath the crowns of those plants in the relevant layer; and (b) dividing the sum by 50 (the total number of sampling points).

Schedule 4—The quadrat method

This Schedule sets out the quadrat method of sampling plant cover in an area. (1) Establish 5 quadrats on the centre line of each permanent sampling plot so that: (a) each quadrat is 1m x 1m; and (b) the quadrats are spaced at 10 metre intervals, starting 5 metres in from one end of the centre line. (2) For each established quadrat, identify and record: (a) the number of plant species located in the quadrat and what those species are; and (b) the proportion of ground area in the quadrat that is covered by category A in the table in step 2 of Schedule 3; and (c) the proportion of ground area covered by categories B to H in the table in step 2 of Schedule 3. (3) For paragraph (2)(b): (a) the proportion of ground area covered by each living ground layer plant species must be estimated as a percentage. Plant species covering less than 1% of the ground area must be identified, however their cover may be recorded as either the estimated percentage or ‘less than 1%’; and (b) the sum of the percentages covered by ground area that has been assigned to categories A to H should be 100%.

Schedule 5—Assessing ecosystem condition