1. Land and Forest Products Measurements
Chapter 3

2. Comprehensive timber estimates = Cruising
How much should be removed and how much remain
Determines how much the timber is worth

3. Surveying Perimeter of area to cruise
Plane Surveying (flat calculations)
Used for small plots
Geodetic Surveying (Earth’s curve accounted for)
Used for large plots (100 acres +)

4. Unit of Measurement is Important
1 foot = 12 inches
1 yard = 3 feet
1 mile = 5280 feet
1 square mile = 640 acres
1 acre = 43,560 ft2 = 66 feet x 660 feet
1 chain = 1 furlong = 100 links = 66 feet
1 link = .66 feet
10 chains = 660 feet
1 furlong = length an oxen could plow w/out resting = 66 feet
1 acre = how much an oxen could plow/day

5. Pace Measurements Feet/Pace Pace/chain Measure 200 feet.
Start with your right foot at 0 feet and count every time your right foot hits the ground for the 200 feet.
Divide 200 by your count to determine feet/pace
Pace/chain
Measure 132 feet (2 chains)
Count the number of paces
Divide your count by 2 to determine pace/chain

6. Slope Chaining
Correction for slope because land terrain may not allow the chain to be held horizontally.
Abney Level
Measures the angle between the horizontal plane and the line of sight along a slope.

8. Direction Measurements
Bearing
A direction or course of a line in relation to the cardinal points of the compass
North = 0° = 360°
East = 90°
South = 180°
West = 270°

10. Elevation Measurements
Differences in Elevation determined by:
Altimeters
Clinometers
Aneroid Barometer (crude measurements)
Abney Level
Dumpy (Spirit) Level (Accurate)
Transit (Most Accurate)

13. Area Measurements The amount of horizontal surface Polar Planimeter
Used for straight line or curved line boundaries

14. Area Measurements Geographical Methods
Use of compass and tape forest surveys
Accuracy compromised
Aerial Photographs (Photogrammetry)
Scaled (based upon altitude photo was taken)
1:24,000 (means 1 inch on the map = 24,000 inches on the ground)
1:250,000 (less accurate than 1:24,000)

15. Boundary Survey Establishes exact property locations
Makes timber cutting lines
Determines the area of the tract