Rapid Upland Forest Assessment (RUFA)

The Rapid Upland Forest Assessment is a quick way to assess midwestern hardwood forest health.

Assessment Basics

Create grid cells across forest area.
Walk a one-minute transect, each time scoring for a forest health metric.
Metrics defined by features typically present in healthy, old-growth forests.
Perform between May and September.
Can be completed in ~45 minutes per cell by two trained professionals

How RUFA Measures Forest Features

Want to use RUFA to assess your own forests?

RUFA Field Manual RUFA Field Sheet

People for Trees™

Make a difference in
your own backyard.

Plant and care for a tree beginning with making a pledge. We will support each pledge with easy-to-follow instructional toolkits, guidance on how to select the most appropriate tree and where to purchase it, free virtual classes and other ongoing support.

Make a pledge