Tips for Conducting a Mast Survey

1. Consider only species listed and only trees with dominate or co-dominate crowns large enough to produce nuts.

2. Examine a minimum of 50 trees in a county. Ideally, include information from several woodlots in the same county.

3. Use binoculars if possible. Scan each tree and evaluate the crop in each as to relative abundance.

4. For help identifying the species, click here.

Abundance Definitions:

HEAVY: Nuts in clusters evenly distributed, entire tree bearing nuts.

MEDIUM: Some clusters with scattering of single nuts evenly distributed over the entire tree or clusters of nuts only on half of the crown.

LIGHT: Scattering of single fruits over entire tree or a few clusters in 1/4 of the crown.

FEW TO NONE: Less than two dozen nuts on entire tree.