Preparing maps and estimating area is a central task of any forester. Maps can take many forms, from rough thumbnail sketches to detailed drawings. In addition to showing the size, shape, and features of a tract, a map may also be relied upon as a legal description when deed descriptions are inadequate or out-of-date.

In the past, foresters estimated area by pacing the distance along the sides of a tract or, if a tract was irregular in shape, by estimating the length of their cruise lines or counting the number of plots that fell within an area. The error of this method can vary from 1 to 10 percent, which may be satisfactory in some situations, but is wholly unsatisfactory when a transaction is conducted on a per-acre basis.

CFC uses a satellite-based global positioning system (GPS) and digital imaging to prepare maps and estimate acreages for timber sales, reforestation plans, and other reports. CFC uses a March II-E GPS receiver for gathering and recording global position data, and PC-GPS v.3.6 software for differential correction, mapping, and area determination. The March unit is capable of 1 to 5 meter accuracy which, with area estimates, usually translates into an error of between 0.05 and 1.0%.

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