Application
This unit of competency describes the outcomes required to use aerial photographs as a tool to assist with management of a forest area.
The unit applies to job roles including Arboriculture Supervisor, Farm Forestry Supervisor, Forestry Supervisor, Forestry Operations Supervisor, Harvesting Supervisor, Harvesting Team Leader, Propagation and Stand Health Supervisor and Tree Farm Supervisor.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory, or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions. |
1. Plan to review aerial photographs | 1.1 Review forest management objectives and requirements for aerial photographs. 1.2 Obtain available types of aerial photographs for required locations and application. 1.3 Assess aerial photographs for suitability to meet forest management objectives and applications. |
2. Interpret forest management information from aerial photographs | 2.1 Position aerial photographs for viewing and calculate scale. 2.2 Identify key aspects from aerial photographs and document these. 2.3 Interpret and apply photomapping standards for consistent data-collection. 2.4 Identify and interpret forest attributes and required forest management information from aerial photographs. 2.5 Map aerial photographs according to organisational procedures. Record and report on analysis of aerial photographs. |
3. Update maps and plans from aerial photographs | 3.1 Assess maps and plans and update as required, using established symbols, colours and conventions. 3.2 Use tools to transfer data in line with manufacturer recommendations. 3.3 Complete documentation and store according to organisational procedures. |
Evidence of Performance
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must satisfy all of the elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit.
maintain relevant equipment and materials
interpret forest area detail from a map
identify disease symptoms in trees and forest areas using aerial photographs
identify vegetation characteristics on an aerial photograph
locate required photographs from appropriate records (flight plan map)
report and maintain information on details of forest attributes and topographic information
interpret charts, tables, maps and flight plans
identify and interpret title panel information on an aerial photograph
calculate scale of an aerial photograph, scale distances for a map, and calculate and manipulate height and area information
identify map type and map features, including topographic map features.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person competent in this unit must be able to demonstrate knowledge of:
typical scales used on maps and plans, and procedures for their use and manipulation
key aspects of aerial photography including
determining north and flight line path
mapsheet
flight orientation
photography type
focal length
film number
run number
frame number
height above sea level
photography date
forest types and structures and type of information including
area
height
species
crown cover
crown form
disturbance
aspects to be considered as part of the environmental management process.
applications relevant to using aerial photography including
road or plantation design
field navigation and interpretation of forest types
forest structure
environmental processes, including salinity discharge
ecological vegetation communities, including coastal heathlands
land capability classes
remnant vegetation (roadside vegetation)
diseased vegetation classes, including Eucalyptus dieback from Phytophthora.
range of photographic film, and photo types including
project, mapsheet, spot and stratigraphic:
of photographic classes, including terrestrial, vertical and oblique
of aerial photographic film, including black and white, black and white infra-red, colour, colour infra-red.
requirements for aerial photography including
scale
flying height and focal length
required percent endlap and sidelap
orientation
location and number of flight lines required
total number of photographs required
allowable drift, crab, tilt and image motion
camera characteristics, including format, lens quality, shutter speed and aperture, film and filter characteristics
acceptable seasons of the year, time of day, allowable present cloud cover and hot spots
field observations including
accuracy of all mapped topographic information
measure of accuracy of associated base topographic or digital base map
spatial accuracy of strata
measure of accuracy of content of strata
transferring data including
rescaling from one source to another
transferring from map to map
transferring from photograph to map or diapositive to map
care and storage of aerial photographs
procedures for recording and reporting workplace information
maps and plans: cadastral plans; topographic maps; locality plans; site plans and maps and plans generated through the use of geographic information systems (GIS)
representation of topographic features on maps and plans including
roads and tracks
watercourses
ridges and spurs
saddles
peaks and knobs
technology and equipment used to interpret aerial photographs, and procedures for its maintenance including
electronic data transfer technology
manual light tables
mechanical light tables, including Omnigraph, Kartoflex, Zoom Transfer Scope, Artiscope and Sketchmaster.
Assessment Conditions
The following resources must be made available:
organisational policies and procedures relevant to interpreting and using aerial photographs for forest management
a selection of aerial photographs for forest management
Competency is to be assessed in the workplace or a simulated environment that accurately reflects performance in a real workplace setting.
Assessor requirements
Assessors must:
hold the appropriate assessor competency standards as outlined in regulations; and
be able to demonstrate vocational competencies at least to the level being assessed; and
be able to demonstrate how they are continuing to develop their VET knowledge and skills as well as maintaining their industry currency and assessor competence.
Foundation Skills
This section describes those core and employment skills that are essential to performance and are not explicit in the performance criteria. | |
Numeracy skills to: | Calculate scale in photographs |
Range Statement
Not Applicable
Sectors
Forest Growing and Management