# Commission Regulation (EC) No 1737/2006 of 7 November 2006 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 2152/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning monitoring of forests and environmental interactions in the Community, Division I: Selection of Level II plots

Extent: E+W+S+N.I.

The selection of monitoring plots is under the responsibility of the Member States, although the following criteria for the selection shall apply:
the minimum size of a plot shall be 0,25 hectares measured on a horizontal plane,
to minimise the effects from activities on surrounding areas the plot shall be surrounded by a buffer zone. The actual width of this zone depends on the type and age of the forest. If the area of the plot and its surroundings is uniform with regard to height and age structure, the width of the buffer zone can be restricted to 5 or 10 m. If the forest area in which the plot is located consists of mixed stands, different species or age structure, the buffer zone shall be enlarged to up to five times the potential maximum height of the trees in the plot,
the plots shall be easily accessible at all times and no restrictions with regard to the access and sampling should exist,
there shall be no differences in the management of the plot, its buffer zone and the surrounding forest,
disturbance caused by the monitoring shall be kept to a minimum,
direct pollution from known local sources shall be avoided
the plots shall be located sufficiently far away from the forest edge, up to five times the potential maximum height of the trees in the plot.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2006/1737/annex/I/chapter/1/division/I (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2006-1737/annex-I/chapter-1/division-I
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.