Equipment list
For implementing the Global Grassy Group protocol
- Field datasheets and clipboard
- Notebook (waterproof if possible)
- Pen, pencil, permanent marker
- GPS working in WGS84 and recording in decimal degrees
- Camera
- Compass to note bearing of transects
- Either 25 m or 50 m measuring tapes (or 25 m of rope with marks at each 5 m interval)
- 1 m diameter circle made of a resilient material – easiest to use flexible pipe or hose
- 2 m tall measuring staff (e.g. plumber conduit pipes with electrical tape marking height increments)
- Densiometer or equivalent for measurement of site-level tree cover
- Shovel/trowel
- Stanley knife
- Ziplock (or sealable) plastic bags for soil samples
- Munsell colour chart
- Bottle of water
- Low/short wood or metal stakes to mark sites for repeat monitoring (as appropriate)
- Mallet
- Hand lens
For collecting plant and DNA specimens
- Plant press with sufficient paper and cardboard for drying of specimens
- Notebook for specifically recording plant collection details
- Large robust bin size plastic bags
- Plant tags for labelling specimens
- Silica gel (for DNA vouchers)
- Any breathable small paper envelopes (for DNA) such as tea bags or coin envelopes
- Large tupperware container or heavy-duty gallon size Ziploc bags for holding DNA samples and silica
For taking grass biomass measurements
- 0.5m by 0.5m quadrats for grass clipping
- brown paper bags for transporting biomass clippings - 196x115x385 with a flat base
- Secateurs/stanley knife
For measuring tree cover and/or leaf area index (LAI)