Botany lab six carbon sequestration by trees

The only forgotten thing this term was that the measurements are to be height in feet and circumference in inches. Which led to a need for conversions back in the classroom. Perhaps a machete might have been handy but ultimately proved unnecessary.

The only diagram on the board prior to launch. This was effectively a cold launch to take advantage of the absence of rain at 11:00.

The first tree was an Acacia auriculiformis that stood out in terms of height.

Bentrick Ioanis was the first in and only one in to where the tree stood. This first tree was an informal test to see who were future foresters and who were perhaps not. The circumference measurement is targeted to be at chest height.

Jayleen David was second furthest into the forest. iNaturalist was used to record both the tree species and the circumference, height data. The notes field was used for measurements.

Jayleen would prove to be in a critically needed location to help get the tape measure back to the height measuring location.

The tape measure reached 30 meters at Tristan. 

RJ Silbanuz, who sighted the top, was just a little further away.

The second target was a Mangifera indica. This is an easier target.

Jayleen sets up to measure the height of the mango.

KC Hawley walks back to Jayleen and RJ at the height measuring location for the Campnosperma brevipetiolatum. This was the third and last tree. A rain curtain passed through just ahead of this measurement. 

Allen Ray Panuel measured the circumference of this endemic tree, known locally as dohng.

Back in the classroom I worked out the Acacia auriculiformis calculation by hand on the board cross-referencing the lab in Moodle. The choice to go fully non-digital, no spreadsheet, was intentional.

This view of maintenance from near the present day mango and the other 1998 photos provided an age reference point of 27 years.