The Forestry Preharvest Planning Tool was developed and is maintained by the NC Forest Service.
To report technical issues with the Forestry Preharvest Planning Tool, receive extra guidance on using the FPPT, or to request in-person training for your group, please contact
Maria.Polizzi@ncagr.gov.
For general information on preharvest planning, please visit the NCFS preharvest planning page.
Our local NCFS County and District offices can provide in-person assistance with preharvest planning on your specific tract. See our water quality contact page
for contact information.
The NC Forestry Preharvest Planning Tool (FPPT) is a free-to-use web interface for creating preharvest maps and receiving information about tracts. This page is meant to provide answers to some of the common questions that come up while working with the FPPT.
Download a comprehensive user’s guide
Frequently Asked Questions
Working with Tracts
How can I download tract data to use in a GIS program?
Click the “Reports” tab within the Tract Home page, then click the blue “Download GIS Data” button. After a few seconds, a pop-up will allow you to download a zip file with shapefiles for your tract, management areas, and any added harvest features.
How can I remove tracts from the database?
As administrators of the system, NCFS staff can view and edit your tracts. If you would like to have your tracts removed from the database, go to the “Home” tab and click “Edit an Existing Tract”. Click “Go to Tract Home” on the tract you want removed. On the Tract Home page, click the red “Delete Tract” button in the Tract tab. A dialog box will pop up asking if you’re sure, and if so, click “Delete Tract” once more. At that point, neither you nor NCFS staff will be able to retrieve the data for that tract.
Are there wetlands within my tract?
Use the “Layers” tab to show the locations of wetlands in and around your tract, according to the National Wetlands Inventory. Be sure to contact your county NCFS staff for advice on how to identify and work with these areas. Please be aware that not all streams and wetlands may be shown. An absence of streams, waterbodies, or wetlands reported does not imply that these types of features are not present on the site. You should inspect the site to verify on-the-ground locations of streams, waterbodies, and wetlands that are protected under the FPGs and GSs.
Reports
How do I know if there are threatened or endangered species near my tract?
This information can be found in the Site Summary Report, just before the information on management areas. The report contains a list of any federal or state Endangered or Threatened species within two miles of the tract. For more information about threatened and endangered species, please visit https://www.ncnhp.org/.
Is my tract within a watershed that carries special riparian buffer rules?
Go to the Site Summary Report and look at the Environmental Regulation Considerations section on the first page. This section will tell you which special NCDWR Riparian Buffer Rules apply (if any), and include a link to the Forestry Leaflet published by the NCFS that can give you further guidance on following the special rule.
Where can I find more information about the soils within my tract?
Basic information about the soils in your tract can be found in the Site Summary Report or the Soil Summary Report. The Detailed Soils Report shows the locations of soils throughout your tract and lists characteristics and ratings for each soil in your tract. This information can help you understand which harvest activities could cause problems, and what BMPs you could use to avoid FPG violations.