Equipment Needed

  • Compass
  • 2 yardsticks, or a stick or string cut to 2 yards in length
  • 2 strings cut to 12 feet in length (optional: to help visualize quadrant boundaries)
  • Permanent marker
  • Smart phone with app, or data sheets with pen or pencil
  • PVC (2-ft x 1-inch), wood, or rebar stakes for marking plot center
  • Colored pin flags or additional stakes for marking the 4 cardinal directions along the edge of your plots
  • Hammer or mallet for pounding stakes into ground
  • Brightly colored paint, brightly colored duct tape, or surveyors flagging for marking stakes
  • GPS unit or phone with GPS capability
  • Numbered seedling tags (can be provided by Cornell University Department of Natural Resources, contact Kristi Sullivan at KLS20@cornell.edu)
  • A partner! Working with a partner is not necessary but can speed up the process and add to the enjoyment