CF Project Planning & Execution 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which scheduling tool visually displays project tasks as horizontal bars along a timeline, making it easy to track overlapping activities?
- Critical Path Method diagram
- Gantt chart (Correct answer)
- PERT network
- Work breakdown structure
Correct answer: Gantt chart
A Gantt chart uses horizontal bars to represent task durations on a timeline, allowing foresters to visualize schedule overlap and sequencing.
Question 2: A forester must obtain a Section 404 permit before beginning a timber harvest project near wetlands. This permit is issued by which agency?
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Correct answer)
- Environmental Protection Agency
- State forestry division
Correct answer: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to issue permits for discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the U.S., including wetlands.
Question 3: During project planning, a forester identifies that a road construction contract depends on completion of a stream crossing design. This relationship is best described as a:
- Resource conflict
- Task dependency (Correct answer)
- Risk trigger
- Scope creep event
Correct answer: Task dependency
A task dependency (predecessor-successor relationship) means one activity must be completed before another can begin, which is critical to sequence in a project schedule.
Question 4: A reforestation project is 60% complete but has spent 80% of its budget. What does this indicate about the project's cost performance?
- It is on budget because most costs are early-stage
- It is over budget relative to work accomplished (Correct answer)
- It is under budget because work is nearly done
- It cannot be determined without a schedule variance
Correct answer: It is over budget relative to work accomplished
Spending 80% of the budget for only 60% completion means the cost performance index (CPI) is less than 1.0, indicating an over-budget condition.
Question 5: Which document formally defines the scope, objectives, schedule, budget, and stakeholders for a forestry project and serves as the primary reference throughout execution?
- Request for proposal
- Project charter (Correct answer)
- Environmental assessment
- Stand exam report
Correct answer: Project charter
A project charter (or project management plan) formally authorizes the project and documents its scope, objectives, budget, schedule, and key stakeholders.
Question 6: When planning a prescribed burn, which factor is LEAST relevant to project scheduling?
- Predicted relative humidity on burn day
- Landowner's long-term timber revenue goals (Correct answer)
- Crew availability and equipment readiness
- Forecasted wind speed and direction
Correct answer: Landowner's long-term timber revenue goals
Long-term timber revenue goals influence management objectives but are not a direct scheduling factor for a prescribed burn operation, unlike weather, crew, and equipment readiness.
Question 7: A forester's project plan calls for hand-planting seedlings at a rate of 500 trees/day per crew. If 10,000 seedlings must be planted in 5 working days, how many crews are needed?
- 2 crews
- 4 crews (Correct answer)
- 5 crews
- 10 crews
Correct answer: 4 crews
10,000 seedlings ÷ 5 days = 2,000 seedlings/day needed; 2,000 ÷ 500 per crew = 4 crews required.
CF Project Planning & Execution 2
Which scheduling tool visually displays project tasks as horizontal bars along a timeline, making it easy to track overlapping activities?