Device to convert Imperial measurements of length, area, weight etc to the metric system. Decimal currency was spectacularly introduced in an overnight overthrow on 14 February 1966, but it took another 8 years before metrication finally arrived in the forest and timber industry. Eventually, the measurement of logs and sawn timber changed from imperial, and excruciating, measures such as super feet of sawn timber, billets and cunits (100 cubic feet) of stacked pulpwood and hoppus log volumes to simpler cubic metres. Measuring firewood was a particular nightmare. For example, there were standard chords, stove cords, kitchen cords, running cords, face cords, thrown chords, fencing cords, country cords, long cords, raummeter or steres (1m x 1m x 1m). A standard cord of firewood had a volume of 128 cubic feet, measured as a pile 8 feet long, 4 feet high and 4 feet wide (3.624 m3). And how about this for confusing…. in Victoria, an imperial or long ton (by measure) of green firewood was a stack 5 feet long billets (2 axelengths at 2′ 6″ each), one axelength high (2′ 6″) and two axelengths long (5 feet) equalling 62.5 cubic feet. For added befuddlement, there were three different sorts of tons: Imperial tons or long tons, American short tons and metric tonnes (spelled with two n’s). Not forgetting that a cubic imperial ton of firewood (40 cubic feet) which equalled 1.133 cubic metre. The metrication process began in 1974 and was completed by 1976 but the transition was not without its challenges along the supply chain for foresters, overseers, logging contractors, sawmillers, hardware stores and builders alike. Timber lengths changed from feet to metres but were still sold in multiples of one foot or 0.3 m (1.8, 2.1, 2.4, 2.7 etc) whereas a menacing lump of 4-Bee-2 transformed into a rather less colourful 100mm by 50mm. Measurement and calculations of area also became so much easier in hectares rather than complicated acres, roods and perches. The Forest Metriverter slide-rule was issued by the Forestry and Timber Bureau to make metric conversions easier.Forest MetriverterRoss Pennyforest measurement, surveying, forests commission victoria (fcv)

An increment borer is a specialised tool to extract a sample of wood tissue from a living tree. The tool consists of a handle, an auger bit and a small, semi-circular metal tray (the core extractor) that fits inside the auger bit. The core sample can be used to count the growth rings of the tree, to reveal its age, and the spacing of the rings to determine the growth rate. The core extractor fits inside the auger which, in turn, fits inside the handle to form a compact unit for transport.Increment borer AND Mattson - Sweden #4333forest measurement, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Logs were sold to sawmillers from State forest from 1 July 1974 in cubic metres (true volume). Previously sawlogs had been sold on the basis of Hoppus volume. This simple device with two rotating wheels enabled staff in FCV offices to rapidly calculate log volumes from measurements taken in the bush of log girth and length and recorded on paper log dockets. From the early 1980s automated systems became available with the advent of cheap electronic office calculators and simple computers. An early manual device that was superseded by electronic calculatorsOffice Device Twin rollers used to quickly and simply calculate true log volumes using measurements of girth and length. An allowance could also be made for pipe defects. The top roller was for larger diameter logs.forest measurement, forests commission victoria (fcv)

A prismatic compass is a common navigation and surveying instrument which was used extensively by the Forests Commission The compass most commonly used to run a traverse line. The compass calculates bearings of lines with respect to magnetic needle. A magnetic deviation correction was needed to convert the reading to a true bearing The compass could also determine angles between the traverse and waypoints (such as hilltop features). Commonly used for navigation. Largely replaced by modern GPS technology.Ex Army WW2 prismatic compass with leather case and strap. Rugged design and made of metal the internal compass plate floats on oil to help it stabilise The user lines up the direction of travel with the hair sightline in the fliptop cover and readings are taken through the viewfinder prism (hence the name).forest measurement, surveying, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Bushfire behaviour is influenced by many factors including temperature, relative humidity (RH), forest type, fuel quantity and fuel dryness, topography and even slope. Wind has a dominant effect on the Rate of Spread (ROS), as well as fire size, shape and direction. Temperature and relative humidity have major impacts on fuel dryness and therefore upon the availability of fuel for combustion. A thermo-hygrograph measures and records both temperature and humidity. It produces a continuous record by drawing ink traces on a paper chart held in revolving cylinder. Humidity is measured by shortening or lengthening of a bundle of specially treated human hair. Temperature is measured by means of a laminated bi-metal strip of temperature-sensitive metals which bend differentially with temperature change. The recording drum is driven by clockwork which may be geared for rotation intervals of daily, weekly or monthly periods. This particular instrument is a seven-day recorder. Serial number 10186 which probably dates from about 1960. The chart indicates it was last used in March 1979.Used for bushfire research.Clockwork Thermo-hygrographCasella London 10186 Made in England Research Branch. Forests Commission Orbostbushfire, forests commission victoria (fcv), forest measurement

This pocket stereoscope was used to view a pair of separate and overlapping aerial photos as a single three-dimensional image. It was small and could be easily used in the field. Larger, mirror stereoscope were also available in some offices. The aerial images were used to map forest types, timber stands, new roads and tracks, firebreaks, boundaries of timber harvesting, plantations, bushfires, insect and disease attack and so on In 1928, the Forests Commission undertook its first major aerial photography project over 15,000 acres of forest which is said to be the first of its kind in Australia. During the Second World War, large areas of Victoria were photographed by RAAF and used to produce orthophoto maps. By 1945 aerial photography of 13,000 square miles (3.4 M ha) was completed, including much of the inaccessible eastern forests. The Forests Commission started developing its own small format photography in the early 1970s. Simple, cheap and rapid methods of obtaining photographs using 70mm and 35mm cameras were developed Small pocket stereoscope to interprete aerial photographs in the field Adjustable lenses on foldaway wire legsSokkisha Tokyoforest measurement, surveying, forests commission victoria (fcv)

This instrument measures elevation by sensing minute changes in barometric air pressure relative to a fixed datum point at sea level or a known elevation, such as the starting point of a major town during a road survey, and has an accuracy of +/- 20 feet when used in experienced hands. The finely divided scale around the perimeter of the face is marked from 0 to 6000 feet elevation and 25 to 31 inches of mercury (Hg) for barometric pressure The single fine counter-balanced hand or pointer rotates anti-clockwise with increasing elevation and decreasing pressure. The label "compensated" indicates that the instrument is constructed to compensate for the effect of temperature changes on the accuracy of readings. Surveyor's Pocket Altimeter - Aneroid Barometer Type Branded N H Seward, Melbourne. Made in England. With leather carrying case and strap.forest measurement, forests commission victoria (fcv), surveying

Foresters usually measure the diameter of trees at Breast Height – traditionally 4 foot, 6 inches – now 1.3 m – which is termed Diameter Breast Height Over Bark (DBHOB). The most common way to measure tree diameter is to place a calibrated tape around the stem at breast height. It’s simple, but can be slow, particularly if the scrub is thick, or if there are heaps of trees. A tree caliper is another quick method of estimating DBHOB. Wooden tree measuring calipersMeasurements are in inches (pre metrication in 1974) A crown faint crown mark (331) and crows foot is visible on one end forest measurement

The Forests Commission began using computers in the 1960s for resource inventory under the Chief Forest Assessor Murray Paine IBM introduced the Port-A-Punch in 1958 as a fast, accurate means of manually punching holes in specially scored IBM punched cards. Designed to fit in the pocket, Port-A-Punch made it possible to create punched card documents anywhere. The product was intended for "on-the-spot" recording of data such a assessment plotsThe IBM Port-A-Punch prepared computer data and programming cards. Normally there is a a separate stylus pen, similar to a ball-point pen to punch the holes in the cards, but it is missing This instrument consists of a plastic frame that holds 13 long plastic rectangles along its length. A transparent plastic template which has an array of evenly spaced holes fits over the rectangles, and cards are placed over this. IBM Portapunchforest measurement

Foresters usually measure the diameter of trees at Breast Height – traditionally 4 foot, 6 inches – now 1.3 m – which is termed Diameter Breast Height Over Bark (DBHOB). Basal Area is the cross section of the tree trunk at breast height, and the sum for the stand or group of trees is expressed square feet per acre (after 1973 it was expressed in square metres per hectare). Lots of skinny trees, or a few fat ones, can have the same Basal Area, but when combined with the number of stems, Basal Area is a good indicator of stand density. Two common methods are used to measure of Basal Area – fixed area plots and angle count sampling. 1. Fixed area plots require setting out a small area, commonly 50 m x 20 m, and measuring all the trees at breast height, and doing some quick sums. 2. Angle count sampling involves a simple sweep of the forest from a fixed sampling point using a relascope, dendrometer sight, angle gauge, or glass wedge prism. This wooden builder's ruler has been shaped at one end to create a shallow angle (usually less than 3 degrees) when viewed through a peep-hole drilled in the other end. Standing in one spot, a sweep is made with the wedge held to the eye, and trees are counted as either “in” or “out”. The number of trees is multiplied by conversion factor of the wedge (10 in this case) to estimate basal area. It’s very quick and effective.Basal Area Angle Gauge The two ends fold up and one end (on the right) has been reduced in width to create a shallow angle for the viewer Home made by cutting down a wooden builder's ruler Many forestry students made their own Basal Area Angle Gauges and its thought this may be oneforest measurement, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Before metrication was introduced into Australia in the 1970s land was measured in chains and links. Many old parish plans show length measurements in chains and links. Area was shown in acres, roods and perches. Gunter's chain was used for measuring distance in surveying. It was designed and introduced in 1620 by English clergyman and mathematician Edmund Gunter (1581–1626). Gunter developed the measuring chain of 100 links. The chain and the link, became statutory measures in England and subsequently the British Empire. After metrication units of length were measured in meters and area in hectares. The chain was later superseded by steel ribbon tape.The 66-foot long (1 chain) Gunter's Chain was a fundamental instrument for land surveying. It is divided into 100 links (each 7.92 inches long) which are marked off into groups of 10 by brass tags with 'fingers' to indicate 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 links from the hand grips, thus simplifying intermediate measurements. Each end of the chain is fitted with a brass hand grip. It was heavy and sturdy enough to be dragged through the bush and over rough terrain on surveying transects. Giving rise to the common forestry term "chainman" for the person tasked with dragging it. 1 chain = 100 links = 22 yards = 66 feet = 792 inches = 4 rods, poles or perches. 10 chains = 1 furlong 80 chains = 1 mile 1 acre = 10 square chains = 4 roods = 160 square rods, poles or perches.forest measurement, surveying, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Used for measuring distances in the forest. Steel bands (out of tradition were called the chain) were created around 1890. They replaced the traditional Gunter chain. The band could be repaired by soldering slip-on joiners and than and recalibrating.Steel measuring band (50m) on plastic reel with winding handleFCV 281forests commission victoria (fcv), assessment, forest measurement, surveying, mapping

Used for measuring distances in the forest. Steel bands (out of tradition were called the chain) were created around 1890. They replaced the traditional Gunter chain. The band could be repaired by soldering slip-on joiners and than and recalibrating.Steel measuring band (50m) on plastic reel with winding handle missingFCV 188forests commission victoria (fcv), assessment, forest measurement, surveying, mapping

Used for measuring distances in the forest. Steel bands (out of tradition were called the chain) were created around 1890. They replaced the traditional Gunter chain. The band could be repaired by soldering slip-on joiners and than and recalibrating.Steel measuring band (1 chain - 66 feet) on metal reelFCV 075forests commission victoria (fcv), assessment, forest measurement, surveying, mapping

used for surveyingTelescope used for surveyingStanleyforests commission victoria (fcv), forest measurement, surveying

Used for adding and inventory work The Speedie was a manual adding machine that could not perform subtraction. It consisted of eight columns and five rows of keys in both maroon and ivory. It had a nine digit display that could add up. It could perform multiplication by using repeat action. If you examine the keyboard you’ll note that it only shows numbers 1 through 5. If you want to use numbers 6 through 9 then what you do is hit two keys that add up to that number. Simple office adding machine Made from Bakelite Chadwick-Miller Inc (CMI) was a Boston based importer of low-cost gift items and stationery products sourced mostly from Japan. These products were branded as Chadwick-Miller although CMI was not a manufacturer. It is known that Chadwick-Miller was in business in 1960, although its founding year is unknown. The company dissolved in 2007.Speedie add-a-maticforests commission victoria (fcv), forest measurement

Aerial photos were used to make maps of forest types, timber resources, to survey logging areas and regeneration, to mark boundaries of public land and new plantations, to identify new roads and tracks, as well as for fire suppression. Infrared film was sometimes used to monitor insect and disease attack. The images needed to sharp, with high contrast, and in a large format (most were printed in B&W on 9-inch by 9-inch glossy photographic paper) with at least a 60% overlap to enable stereoscopic viewing and with a 20-30% side lap to allow for aircraft drift. Preferably, the photo scale was close to the final map scale avoid to problems when enlarging and to reduce distortion. Something was needed to supplement the very expensive and infrequent large-area photography programs. From the mid-1960s Victorian foresters began experimenting with small format 70mm and 35mm cameras which proved simple, practical, cheap and flexible. It was found that any SLR camera could be used provided it had a good quality lens and fast shutter speed (preferably down to 1/1000 second). Motorised cameras with a large film capacity had obvious advantages and were essential when access to the camera was not possible during flight. It is also essential for the shutter to operate at low temperatures and those lubricated with silicones were recommended. Components of a typical FCV Divisional Office system included – A Hasselblad or Vinten 70 mm format aerial camera with a focal plane shutter which could be electrically operated. Interchangeable lenses to allow for different photo scales and flying heights. Several large film magazines, which were loaded in a darkroom, each with a capacity of 100 feet or approximately 500 frames. A remote control for the camera in single-shot mode or automatic firing at selected intervals of 2 to 50 seconds. It also needed a frame counter. A light aircraft was modified with an internal mounting for the camera to keep it level and steady. Often a hole was cut through the floor for the lens. The aircraft also needed an inbuilt 12 Volt DC battery to operate the motorised camera shutter. The front passenger seat was generally removed to improve access to the camera. An Aldis drift sight was also fitted. This might be likened to an inverted periscope and is used to determine drift, to facilitate accurate navigation along flight lines and to determine the exposure interval for stereoscopic overlap. This item is kept at Traralgon.Hasselblad 500 ELM camera with 70mm lens, film pack, motor drive and battery In 1964 Hasselblad started production of a motorized camera, the 500 EL The EL/M is a modified version of the EL, "M" means modified, "EL" electric. Perhaps the most famous use of the Hasselblad camera was during the Apollo program missions when man first landed on the Moon. Almost all of the still photographs taken during these missions used modified Hasselblad cameras. forests commission victoria (fcv), forest measurement, surveying, mapping

Logs were sold to sawmillers from State forest from 1 July 1974 in cubic metres (true volume). Previously sawlogs had been sold on the basis of Hoppus volume. This simple device with two rotating wheels enabled staff in FCV offices to rapidly calculate log volumes from measurements taken in the bush of log girth and length and recorded on paper log dockets. From the early 1980s automated systems became available with the advent of cheap electronic office calculators and simple computers.An early manual device that was superseded by electronic calculatorsOffice Device Twin rollers used to quickly and simply calculate true log volumes using measurements of girth and length. An allowance could also be made for pipe defects. The top roller was for larger diameter logs.Imperial measurement of logs (pre 1976)forests commission victoria (fcv), forest harvesting, forest measurement

The Zeiss Sketchmaster was used to transfer information from aerial photographs onto scale maps. The operator views the aerial photograph and the map simultaneously and manually traces detail from the photograph onto the map. It utilises the principle of the camera lucida, patented in 1806. Various lens combinations were used on a to adjust for scale and then “rubber sheet” the image to line up topographic features like streams and roads. The photo information was then laboriously transferred using a light table onto large A0 paper maps or translucent drafting film. The maps were later hand coloured with either Derwent pencils or delicately painted with Pelikan ink wash. This item is kept at Erica.Zeiss Sketchmaster. c1970s. Includes adjustable stand, various lens in sperate box, adjustable light, map holder and magnetsforests commission victoria (fcv), forest measurement, mapping, surveying

The heavy weight is pinned onto the map and the tracing arm is used to follow the boundary to be measured Reading the number of revolutions from the two the scale wheels the area in square inches could be measured. Knowing the scale of the mapsheet the figure was converted to areas or hectares Generally at least three measurements were taken to ensure accuracy and precisionPlanimeter used to measure areas from scale maps. Includes wooden box One revolution of the main wheel equaled 10 square inches. A smaller rotating scale on the side was used to subdivide the area.Benallaforests commission victoria (fcv), forest measurement, surveying

The heavy weight is pinned onto the map and the tracing arm is used to follow the boundary to be measured. Reading from the digital scale the area in square centimetres could be measured. Knowing the scale of the mapsheet the figure was converted to areas or hectares Generally at least three measurements were taken to ensure accuracy and precisionPlanimeter used to measure areas from scale maps. Kent Planitron UP103forests commission victoria (fcv), forest measurement, surveying

The rollers move over the map as the tracing arm is used to follow the boundary to be measured. The wheels allow unlimited horizontal travel and vertical travel within the limits of the arm movement. They measure in the X and Y directions Reading from the digital scale the area in square centimetres could be measured. Knowing the scale of the mapsheet the figure was converted to areas or hectares Generally at least three measurements were taken to ensure accuracy and precisionPlanimeter used to measure areas from scale maps. Includes box but no charger Plancom KP90forests commission victoria (fcv), forest measurement, surveying

This stereoscope was used to view a pair of separate and overlapping aerial photos as a single three-dimensional image. Smaller units and could be easily used in the field but this larger, mirror stereoscope was used in offices. The aerial images were used to map forest types, timber stands, new roads and tracks, firebreaks, boundaries of timber harvesting, plantations, bushfires, insect and disease attack and so on In 1928, the Forests Commission undertook its first major aerial photography project over 15,000 acres of forest which is said to be the first of its kind in Australia. During the Second World War, large areas of Victoria were photographed by the RAAF and used to produce orthophoto maps. By 1945 aerial photography of 13,000 square miles (3.4 M ha) was completed, including much of the inaccessible eastern forests. The Forests Commission started developing its own small format photography in the early 1970s. Simple, cheap and rapid methods of obtaining photographs using 70mm and 35mm cameras were developedFoldable metal stereoscope in wooden box with mirror covers Ex Dept of Defenceforests commission victoria (fcv), surveying, forest measurement

This stereoscope was used to view a pair of separate and overlapping aerial photos as a single three-dimensional image. This smaller foldable unit could be easily used in the field but larger, mirror stereoscope was used in offices. The aerial images were used to map forest types, timber stands, new roads and tracks, firebreaks, boundaries of timber harvesting, plantations, bushfires, insect and disease attack and so on In 1928, the Forests Commission undertook its first major aerial photography project over 15,000 acres of forest which is said to be the first of its kind in Australia. During the Second World War, large areas of Victoria were photographed by RAAF and used to produce orthophoto maps. By 1945 aerial photography of 13,000 square miles (3.4 M ha) was completed, including much of the inaccessible eastern forests. The Forests Commission started developing its own small format photography in the early 1970s. Simple, cheap and rapid methods of obtaining photographs using 70mm and 35mm cameras were developedFoldable plastic stereoscope in box Benallaforests commission victoria (fcv), surveying, forest measurement

These transparent sheets were used to measure area on maps at various scales. They were used if a planimeter wasn't available The sheet was overlayed on the map and the shape transferred with a soft China graph or erasable lead pencil The number of "dots" within the shape were counted and converted to an area Each major 1 inch square block contained 100 dots (10 x 10)Transparent dot grid sheet Forests Commission of Victoria Area Scale Scale 30 chains to the inchforests commission victoria (fcv), forest measurement, surveying

used to measure distances on mapsAdjustable stainless steel mapping dividers with wooden boxforests commission victoria (fcv), forest measurement, surveying, mapping

Coloured ink used to mark lines of paper maps. Could be used in pen or as a "wash" to colour areas with a soft sable hair paint brush Strict cartographic guidance was provided by the FCV’s 1947 publication - “Handbook of Conventional Signs and Symbols for Use in Forest Mapping and Plan Drawing”. It was slow and exacting work but very rewarding.Pelikan coloured inks in small glass bottlesPelikan forests commission victoria (fcv), mapping, forest measurement, surveying

Bushfire behaviour is influenced by many things including temperature, relative humidity, forest type, fuel quantity and fuel dryness, topography and even slope. Wind has a dominant effect on the Rate of Spread (ROS), and also bushfire size, shape and direction. Fuel arrangement is as important as fuel quantity (tonnes/ha). Fibrous and ribbon bark, together with elevated and near-surface scrub fuels act as ladders which lead flames into the tree canopy. But the availability of fuel to burn depends largely on its moisture content. When it exceeds 20-25% not much will burn, whereas 12-15% is generally ideal for fuel reduction burning, but if the moisture content drops as low as 7-10% virtually everything will ignite, and fire behaviour becomes extreme. During the afternoon of the Ash Wednesday bushfires on 16 February 1983 fuel moisture contents were recorded at Stawell as low as 2.7%. Fine fuels like leaves and bark can rapidly absorb moisture after a shower of rain, or from the air when the Relative Humidity (RH) is high, and the temperature is low. Conversely, they can also dry out very quickly. So even though the overall fuel quantity in the forest doesn’t change, the fine fuel availability can increase rapidly from zero after rain to many tonnes per hectare as the fuel dries out. This can happen over a few hours on hot and windy days. Heavy fuels like logs on the ground take longer to dry out. Since the 1930s foresters, firefighters and researchers have been working to develop quick and reliable techniques for measuring fuel moisture content. One of the most accurate methods is slowly drying a sample of fuel in a conventional oven for 24-48 hours to remove all the moisture and measuring the weight difference, but this takes time and is not practical in the field when rapid measurements are needed. But oven drying is often used as a benchmark to compare other methods. Microwave ovens are faster but can cause uneven drying and even char the fuel. They are also not very practical for use in the field. Some mathematical models rely on weather records such as rainfall, wind speed, evaporation, cloud cover, shading, relative humidity, slope, aspect and season of the year to predict soil and fuel moisture. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index of soil dryness is the most common. But complex fuels with leaves, twigs, grass etc make the predictive models often inadequate for fine fuels. The most common technique in Victorian forests until recently was the trusty Speedy Moisture Meter. Originally developed in England during the 1920s for measuring moisture in wheat and other grains it was adapted for Australian forest fuels in the 1950s (I think). Fuel was first ground using a Spong mincer, often attached to the bullbar of a vehicle, and a small sample placed into the Speedy together with a measure of calcium carbide and then sealed. A chemical reaction created gas pressure which was read on the external dial. There were important techniques with cleaning, mincing and using the chemicals with the Speedy to give reliable readings, but it was quick, inexpensive, robust, portable and practical in the field. It was used routinely before igniting a fuel reduction burn or measuring fuel moisture differentials on slash burns. But in about 1996, Karen Chatto and Kevin Tolhurst from the Department’s Creswick Research Station developed the Wiltronics Fuel Moisture meter which measured electrical resistance. Wiltronics is an Australian owned company operating from Ballarat. The final result was a kit that was portable, accurate and could reliably measure fuel moisture contents between 3% and 200%. Although expensive, it is now widely used by fire agencies around the world which has virtually relegated the Speedy to the back cupboard.Prototype Fuel moisture meterT-H Fine Fuel Meterforests commission victoria (fcv), bushfire, forest measurement

Used to sample fine fuels on the forest floor. The ring was pushed into the litter to sample 0.1m2Heavy metal ring with sharpened bottom edgeforests commission victoria (fcv), bushfire, forest measurement

Used for pressure testing and recalibrating Speedy Moisture metersKit used pressure test Speedy Moisture metersforests commission victoria (fcv), bushfire, forest measurement