FOREST MANAGEMENT.
Development of PNG Forest Mapping Courses
Editor Dick McCarthy1
Bulolo Forestry College Draftsman Course Assignment 1966.
Developing aerial photographs.
Photo credit J Clifford
Development of PNG Forest Cartography/Mapping Courses
Phil Ainsworth2 Chief TPNG Forest Mapping Officer3 recalls when the course was in Port Moresby, a person from Lands and he were lecturers and Blue Ramsay took the survey part of the course.
The course was established mid-1960's when there was a paucity of candidates with suitable academic qualifications which meant many, most or all students required remedial work in English and mathematics to a level commensurate to use the instruments and make the necessary calculations.
The course was designed to fit the graduates for working in either the Lands or Forests Departments. Phil cannot remember how long the course was but originally it would have been at least 2 years and probably part-time allowing the students to return to their respective departments to gain experience.
Lands had the space so the course was initially run there in Konedobu with both departments providing part-time teachers until suitable full-time teachers could be recruited.
PhilAinsworth was involved with the PNG Lands Department in establishing the curriculum for the initial cartography/mapping course run in Konedobu. It was then transferred to the Bulolo Forestry College.
The course content covered the following range of subjects, though not necessarily in order:
1 What is surveying, mapping, and cartography?
2 Introduction to basic survey equipment e.g., compass, measuring tapes, theodolite,Abney levels, clinometers, Levels, stadia, measuring rods, field book and perhaps plane table including their purpose and use of.
3 Introduction to drafting equipment e.g., paper, scales, the compass, direction, pencils, pens, ink sliding ruler, roller ruler, planimeter etc.
4 Use of field books and plotting from same.
6 Introduction to simple stereoscopic instruments and their use.
7Aerial interpretation for urban and forest mapping
8 Plotting from aerial photography.
9 Introduction to geodetic grids and triangulation.
10 Introduction to map projections.
11 Introduction to reproduction for mapping purposes, equipment, and purpose
2 Personal communication Phil Ainsworth 28th Jan 2021.
3 Phil Ainsworth Story PNGAF Mag Issue # 8 of 2 Feb 2021 page 67.
12 Undertake a simple field exercise from planning to final map.
When the course moved to the Bulolo Forestry College, and until a full-time presenter was appointed, Phil was a visiting lecturer covering drafting subjects and aerial photography. Blue Ramsay undertook the survey subjects. Garry Flegg was appointed to present the mapping courses assisted for some time by Ken Harris.
Phil remembers Garry Flegg. Phil is unsure of Ken Harris, if he was there, it would have been for a short time. Initially Phil was very much involved. Over time, Bulolo Forestry College greatly developed the course.
Bob McKeowen recalls preparing manuals for the PNG Forest Mapping/cartography course. One example is Forest Assessment Surveys. – Cartography Instruction Manual - #2.4
Blue Ramsay 1964 - 1969
Training Manual for the Forestry School – Forest Surveying Arthur (Blue) Ramsay PNG forestry School Dept of Forests 1969.
Presumably almost the original. Should have returned it. 4
Murray Day, Dip Cart (WA), Dip Eng Surv (WA) Principal Instructor (Cartography, Elementary Drafting, Photogrammetry for Foresters) (Department of Surveying)
Previous appointments: Forests Department of WA, Department of Forests PNG, and Forestry College, Bulolo.
Main areas of interest: Cartography and Photogrammetry.
From 1972, Murray Day undertook UNITECH Lae Mapping/Surveying/Cartography Courses.
5Professor John Davidson advised that the following courses were taught in Lae at UNITECH in 1975-1976:
SV 421 Forest Surveying
Three hours of lectures and practical work per week.
Course description
General principles in surveying. Applications of ground surveying in forestry. Principles of plane surveying. Measurement and setting out of distances and angles. Computation and closure of traverses. Degrees of accuracy. Instruments and techniques for forest surveys. Precision of field measurements. Planning field surveys. Ground surveys for location, design and setting out of forest roads. Computation and mapping of survey data.
SV 160 Elementary Drafting
Three hours of lectures and practical work per week.
Course description
Elementary plan drawing and cartography as applied to survey drafting, plotting, lettering, conventional signs and symbols, standard plans, enlargement, reduction, and reproduction.
SV 431 Photogrammetry for Foresters
Three hours of lectures and practical work per week.
Course description
Fundamental of aerial photo interpretation, and its use in forestry. Stereoscopic vision tests. Elements of aerial photography: cameras, film, and processing. Forestry requirements for aerial photography. Elements of photogrammetry. Photo interpretation. Principles and techniques of mapping from aerial photographs.
All three courses were taught in the Department of Surveying at Unitech, as indicated by the “SV” prefix. Two were given at Year Four level, as indicated the first number “4”, and one at First Year level as indicated by the first number “1”. Two staff were involved in sharing the load.
SV 421 was largely the responsibility of Mr K I Massey MNZIS, Registered Surveyor, MASPNG a New Zealander, with some lectures given by Mr M K Day.
SV 160 and SV 431 were the sole responsibility of Mr M K Day. These courses were aerial photo based, and concentrated on hand drawing of paper maps, since back then the technology was well before high resolution satellite photographs, Google maps, and computerised Geographic Information Systems that could help do interpretation and print off maps in a matter of minutes! 5
Procession entering Duncanson Hall for the PNGUT 11th Graduation Ceremony, 1979.
1. Prof John Davidson (Pro Vice-Chancellor), 2. Matt Tigilai (Deputy Vice-Chancellor),
3. Dr Alan Mead (Vice-Chancellor), 4. Ms Rose Kekedo (Chancellor). The tall person (197 cm tall) near the centre of the photograph is Murray Day, formerly of the Department of Forests Port Moresby and the Forestry College, Bulolo, then Principal Instructor (Cartography, Elementary Drafting, Photogrammetry for Foresters) in the Department of Surveying at the PNGUT.
Photo credit Gloria Davidson 1979.
Appendix. Refer to PNGAF Mag ISSUE # * of 2 Feb 2021. Table of Contents and details of main cartography contributors
Phil Ainsworth Page 67
Murray Day Page 76
Bob McKeown Page 105