Map Reading

Map reading is an essential part of forestry. There are two aspects of map reading.
1. Legal Land descriptions (example, SE1/4, NW Section)
2. Legend Identitication (Symbol of a mine or church)

1. Legal Land descriptions
Some land east of the Mississippi and most all west of the Mississippi River can be identified by and located using a grid system that uses townships and ranges. Townships run north and south and ranges east and west. There are 36 sections in a township and 640 acres in a section.
 

Example Legal Description : SECTION 1                                         TOWNSHIP 10N                                         RANGE 3E  

 
Tract #1          SW 1/4                                     Sec. 1          T10N           R3E
Tract #2          W 1/2, NW 1/4                         Sec. 1          T10N           R3E
Tract #3          S 1/2, NE 1/4                            Sec. 1          T10N           R3E
Tract #4          NE 1/4, SE 1/4                         Sec. 1          T10N           R3E
Tract #5          N 1/2, NW 1/4, NE 1/4            Sec. 1           T10N           R3E
Tract #6          NW 1/4, SE 1/4, SE 1/4          Sec. 1           T10N           R3E
 

Determining Number of Subdivisions or Acres Within a Section 1 section = 640 acres 1/2 section = 320 acres 1/4 section = 160 acres 1/8 section = 80 acres 1/16 section = 40 acres One section divided into four parts; Southwest, Southeast, Northeast, Northwest. Picture Identifying Parts of a Section

• Draw a square to represent a section (must be equal in width and height).
• Label the directions on your square as N, S, E, and W.
• Divide the square into quarters and label them: NE quarter SE quarter NW quarter SW quarter
• Divide a quarter of a sections into four more quarters and lavel them in the same order as you did in the preceding part.

  Any size of land may be determined and identifies by locating the large quarters in to equal smaller quarters.
   

Writing Legal Land Descriptions

• Always write a legal land description in reverse order, starting with the largest area being identified first. This is usually the tier and the range.
• Identify the next largest area. That would be you section number.
• Next, identify the largest quarter in you section that contains the land which you want to identify.
• Finally, you need to identify the particular area of land. Use only descriptors (no more than 1/2 and no less than 1/4) along with your directional descriptors.

a. 20 acres referred to in first legal description S 1/2 SE 1/4 NW 1/4 Sec. 2

b. 40 acres referred to in last legal description SE 1/4 SE 1/4 Sec. 12

<<pictures go here>>

2. Legend Identitication (Symbol of a mine or church)
On the United States geological Survey maps the maps have _____ colors. Black usually referes to man made objects while red are natural objects. These maps have various lines and symbols called legends. There are many legends on a map. Common symbols and names are displayed below.