Tree measurement Michael Ferguson 11-8-14

Terms - Timber uses Saw timber – trees suitable for sawing into planks, boards, etc. Construction material Measured in logs (16’ sections) Cord wood- trees suitable for firewood or pulpwood (paper or fiber) Measured in feet. Height of a tree is determined with measurement tools, then the total height is rounded down to the lowest 5 foot increment. A “cord” of wood is a measurement of volume of 128 cubic feet of wood. 1 cord is equal to a well stacked pile of wood that is 4 feet wide, 4 feet deep, and 8’ high

One Cord

Forestry Measurement Terms to know Diameter – width of tree trunk Distance in inches divided by Pi (3.14) DBH (diameter at breast height) Usually about 4.5 from the base of the tree Round DBH up or down to the nearest inch Diameter tape – tool used to measure DBH Pi is factored in for you. Used like a standard measuring tape and it is used as if you were measuring a tree’s circumference Chain- unit of measurement that is equal to 66’ Log- unit of measurement equal to 16’ in height Tree heights are measured in logs and half logs (8 feet)

Forestry Measurement Terms to know Clinometer- tool used to shoot the height of a tree Biltmore stick- manual tool used to determine the number of logs that can be taken from saw timber. Not used Merchantable height- specified diameter at the top of a tree. Minimum top diameter for saw timber is generally set at 8 inches Chain- unit of measurement that is equal to 66 feet Use a measuring tape to position yourself 1 “chain” from the tree when using height measurement tools Log- unit of measurement equal to 16’ in height with a diameter of 8 inches Saw timber heights are measured in logs (16’) and half logs (8’)

Finding a tree’s DBH

Using a clinometer to measure tree height Tree height = tree top + tree bottom

How to use a biltmore stick to determine a log total

Now I can figure a trees volume using the charts and tables