The Takyi lodgepole pine research trial is maintained by Alberta Forestry and Parks (FP) as part of a Historic Research Trials Agreement among the Canadian Forest Service (CFS), the Forest Growth Organization of Western Canada (FGROW) and FP. This trial was established by Sam Takyi of the Alberta Land and Forest Service in 1979 in an area ~30 km south of Edson on a dry weather road where there was dense pine regeneration after a 1956 wildfire. There are two sites, about 8 km apart in the same burn: an upland medium site (“PSP”7008) and a lower productivity site (“PSP”7009).
Three thinning treatments (control, hand-thin and strip thin) and multiple fertilizer levels/sources were applied to 4 replicate blocks in the 2 sites, for a total of 108 small plots in the trial. These were measured in 1979, 1982, 1990, 1995, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014, and are due for the next measurement. Three plots were destroyed while protecting the PSP7009 site from a 2023 wildfire; there are now only 105 plots to measure. A strong thinning response and some fertilizer response is becoming evident. The stand is nearing its rotation age, so the next few 10-year re-measurements should complete the tracking of the treatment response. These measurements will meet our commitment to our research partners; they will also allow us access to data from other trials that CFS and FGROW maintain.
We require field measurement services on both installations of this research trial. There was a count of 2010 live stems after the 2014 measurement (stems lost in the fire-damaged plots have been removed), plus an estimate of 200 live ingress to locate and measure. An additional 400 stems were standing dead in 2014 and will need to have their damage codes updated.
Measurements are specified in detail in Appendix D – the Takyi Pine Trial Manual, include stem diameter at 1.3m (DBH), height, height to live crown, azimuth and distance from plot centre, subplot location, and damage codes on all live and recently dead stems.
If the project budget allows, crown radius (4 radii) will be measured on up to 15 stems in the control and hand thin treatments (~715 trees).
Three photos per plot are also required.
An Android-based App supplied by the department will guide data and photo collection; it will also provide in-field validation for complete data and outliers. The successful contractor will need to provide Android-based tablets and find access to a WIFI connection (hotel or restaurant wifi or a cell phone hot spot) every evening to synchronize data with the App server.
A quality control program will be required, describing internal checks on measurements and completed services (buffer marking etc.).
Tree tag maintenance (replacement nails and/or tags) will be required on ~25% of the tags.
Plot posts will need re-painting in the low site; however, the medium site was recently repainted in May 2026 and does not need post painting.
Approximately 3km of buffer surrounding the two installations must be re-marked with blue paint bands on trees every ~5m and pieces of “permanent sample plot” labelled flagging (supplied) in-between each band.
The project will be managed on an hourly basis. Proponents must submit their hourly rates per-crew (typically crews of 2, though other configurations are acceptable) inclusive of all expenses, including supplying one (1) rugged Android tablet per crew and one (1) spare.
