RPF Exam Short Answer Exam Questions and Answers
(Verified Answers) (Latest Update 2025) UPDATE!!
According to the definition in 14 CCR 895.1, define the two conditions required in
the abandonment of a forest road. - (ANSWER)1. Leaving a logging road
reasonably impassable to standard production 4WD vehicles;
2. Leaving a logging road and landings in a condition which provides for long-term
functioning of erosion controls with little or no continuing maintenance
For THP planning, how would you define an active nest of an osprey when you
have not seen an osprey occupy the nest in the 3 months you've been doing
fieldwork? - (ANSWER)Active nest: a bird nest site at which breeding efforts have
recently occurred as determined by the CA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, as specified:
Great Blue Heron, Great Egret = 2 years
Golden Eagle, Osprey, Goshawk = 3 years
Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon = 5 years
Nests that have not been used within this time period are considered abandoned.
The marking of the most commercially valuable trees for cutting under an
individual tree marking regime is normally termed _____. - (ANSWER)Selective
harvest/high-grading
What other law was brought to bear on the FPA by the court ruling in NRDC vs.
Arcata National Corp (or "Broaddus decision")? - (ANSWER)CEQA; 1976: THPs are
indeed subject to CEQA (brought about the special status of THPs as functional
equivalent documents)
,What are two types of fixed costs + two types of variable costs with harvesting
equipment? - (ANSWER)Fixed = depreciation, interest, insurance, taxes, rent,
purchase price
Variable = labor, repairs, fuel, tire/track
(fixed = remains constant in relation to amount of good produced; variable = cost
rises with production of more units)
The extent to which the lower portion of a tree's stem diverges from straight,
usually measured in degrees - (ANSWER)Sweep
A stream which derives most or its entire nutrient energy source from such things
as terrestrial insect drop and litter fall from terrestrial vegetation -
(ANSWER)Allocthonous
Which of the following species are susceptible to white pine blister rust? -
(ANSWER)Five-needle pines = sugar pine (pinus lambertiana), western white pine
(pinus monticola)
According to §763 of the Professional Foresters Law, what is the minimum
number of individuals who are to be appointed by the board to serve on the
Professional Foresters' Examining Committee? - (ANSWER)7 total:
4 RPFs
1 certified specialist (certified rangelane mgmt)
2 public members, including 1 from the board of forestry
,List 4 characteristics of fuels that affect the way fires burn and are important in
prescribed fire management. - (ANSWER)1. Size of fuel - particle size class
2. Fuel moisture
3. Distribution of fuel + loading
4. Type of fuel (composition)
How many TPA would you plant to achieve 16' spacing between trees? -
(ANSWER)=43560/(16*16) = 170
Remember: an acre = 1 chain (66 feet) * 1 furlong (660 feet)
Why does the concept of MAI not apply well to uneven-aged stands? -
(ANSWER)MAI describes the average annual growth of trees, and trees grow at
different rates during their lives - therefore, for uneven-aged stands, the MAI is
not effective at determining the average growth rate
List 4 purposes a THP document serves during its life - (ANSWER)1. Guide for RPF
2. Information for regulatory agencies (CDF, CDFW, Water boards, CGS)
3. Guide for LTO
4. Enforceable document used by CDF
In logging terminology, define deadman. - (ANSWER)An anchoring device - where
1+ logs are buried in the ground, then a guy or anchor line is attached
, What is the common name of a California native fern that may indicate wet
conditions in a forest environment? - (ANSWER)Sword fern
A deduction from taxable income, allowed under specific conditions by US tax
laws to the owners of timber for reduction of an original growing stock through
cutting. - (ANSWER)Depletion allowance (deduction for loss from fire,
earthquake, ice, etc. = casualty loss)
What is the radius of a 1/5 acre inventory plot? - (ANSWER)Area = Πr^2
R = square root of Area/Π
43560/5 = 8712
√8712/3.14 = 53
Besides CO2, what are 3 naturally occurring greenhouse gases? -
(ANSWER)Methane (CH4), ozone (O3), water vapor (H2O)
Briefly define a "blind lead or area" in logging terminology. What are the obvious
negative environmental results of that situation. - (ANSWER)In a highlead system,
when the line of sight between the tailblock and the top of the tower is obscured
by a slope; this can lead to damage to residual trees and to increased erosion.
According to the CCR, an approach to harvesting based on the retention of
structural elements or biological legacies - (ANSWER)Variable retention
(Verified Answers) (Latest Update 2025) UPDATE!!
According to the definition in 14 CCR 895.1, define the two conditions required in
the abandonment of a forest road. - (ANSWER)1. Leaving a logging road
reasonably impassable to standard production 4WD vehicles;
2. Leaving a logging road and landings in a condition which provides for long-term
functioning of erosion controls with little or no continuing maintenance
For THP planning, how would you define an active nest of an osprey when you
have not seen an osprey occupy the nest in the 3 months you've been doing
fieldwork? - (ANSWER)Active nest: a bird nest site at which breeding efforts have
recently occurred as determined by the CA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, as specified:
Great Blue Heron, Great Egret = 2 years
Golden Eagle, Osprey, Goshawk = 3 years
Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon = 5 years
Nests that have not been used within this time period are considered abandoned.
The marking of the most commercially valuable trees for cutting under an
individual tree marking regime is normally termed _____. - (ANSWER)Selective
harvest/high-grading
What other law was brought to bear on the FPA by the court ruling in NRDC vs.
Arcata National Corp (or "Broaddus decision")? - (ANSWER)CEQA; 1976: THPs are
indeed subject to CEQA (brought about the special status of THPs as functional
equivalent documents)
,What are two types of fixed costs + two types of variable costs with harvesting
equipment? - (ANSWER)Fixed = depreciation, interest, insurance, taxes, rent,
purchase price
Variable = labor, repairs, fuel, tire/track
(fixed = remains constant in relation to amount of good produced; variable = cost
rises with production of more units)
The extent to which the lower portion of a tree's stem diverges from straight,
usually measured in degrees - (ANSWER)Sweep
A stream which derives most or its entire nutrient energy source from such things
as terrestrial insect drop and litter fall from terrestrial vegetation -
(ANSWER)Allocthonous
Which of the following species are susceptible to white pine blister rust? -
(ANSWER)Five-needle pines = sugar pine (pinus lambertiana), western white pine
(pinus monticola)
According to §763 of the Professional Foresters Law, what is the minimum
number of individuals who are to be appointed by the board to serve on the
Professional Foresters' Examining Committee? - (ANSWER)7 total:
4 RPFs
1 certified specialist (certified rangelane mgmt)
2 public members, including 1 from the board of forestry
,List 4 characteristics of fuels that affect the way fires burn and are important in
prescribed fire management. - (ANSWER)1. Size of fuel - particle size class
2. Fuel moisture
3. Distribution of fuel + loading
4. Type of fuel (composition)
How many TPA would you plant to achieve 16' spacing between trees? -
(ANSWER)=43560/(16*16) = 170
Remember: an acre = 1 chain (66 feet) * 1 furlong (660 feet)
Why does the concept of MAI not apply well to uneven-aged stands? -
(ANSWER)MAI describes the average annual growth of trees, and trees grow at
different rates during their lives - therefore, for uneven-aged stands, the MAI is
not effective at determining the average growth rate
List 4 purposes a THP document serves during its life - (ANSWER)1. Guide for RPF
2. Information for regulatory agencies (CDF, CDFW, Water boards, CGS)
3. Guide for LTO
4. Enforceable document used by CDF
In logging terminology, define deadman. - (ANSWER)An anchoring device - where
1+ logs are buried in the ground, then a guy or anchor line is attached
, What is the common name of a California native fern that may indicate wet
conditions in a forest environment? - (ANSWER)Sword fern
A deduction from taxable income, allowed under specific conditions by US tax
laws to the owners of timber for reduction of an original growing stock through
cutting. - (ANSWER)Depletion allowance (deduction for loss from fire,
earthquake, ice, etc. = casualty loss)
What is the radius of a 1/5 acre inventory plot? - (ANSWER)Area = Πr^2
R = square root of Area/Π
43560/5 = 8712
√8712/3.14 = 53
Besides CO2, what are 3 naturally occurring greenhouse gases? -
(ANSWER)Methane (CH4), ozone (O3), water vapor (H2O)
Briefly define a "blind lead or area" in logging terminology. What are the obvious
negative environmental results of that situation. - (ANSWER)In a highlead system,
when the line of sight between the tailblock and the top of the tower is obscured
by a slope; this can lead to damage to residual trees and to increased erosion.
According to the CCR, an approach to harvesting based on the retention of
structural elements or biological legacies - (ANSWER)Variable retention
