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Forestry Measurements

Forestry Measurements. Written by: Heather Dombroski July 2005. Pre-reading. Website reading http://forestry.msu.edu/uptreeid/History/Modern.htm After your finished take a look at “Facts About Today's Michigan Forests”. Let’s Review. What are our most popular trees?

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Forestry Measurements

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  1. Forestry Measurements Written by: Heather Dombroski July 2005

  2. Pre-reading • Website reading • http://forestry.msu.edu/uptreeid/History/Modern.htm • After your finished take a look at “Facts About Today's Michigan Forests”

  3. Let’s Review • What are our most popular trees? • Who owns the most forested land in Michigan? • Where is the majority of our forest? • Why are forests important?

  4. Pacing • How far is one step? that is your pace • Everyone's will be different, you must remember yours • We’ll measure out 1 chain (66ft) • You will practice walking this distance to get an average pace measure

  5. Percent Crown Coverage • From a point looking up, what % of the sky is covered (no light gets through) • Our measurement tool is called a densitometer • We will be making our own and using them outside http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/images/3474-38.jpg

  6. Densitometer • Hold it above your face just an inch or so, you see several squares, their either covered or not • Count the ones covered • Multiply this number by 4 to get 100% canopy cover • From spot one move 5 paces rerecord, repeat until you have 8 readings This represents 25%

  7. What is a Board Foot? • 12”long X 12”wide by 1” thick • This is the measurement marketable timber is sold by (144 cubic inches per bd ft) • So if we have a 2X4 that’s 8ft long, how many Bd ft is that? • 2inch x 4inch (8ft x 12in/ft) = 768 cubic/in • 768/144 = 5.33 bd ft 12” 1” 12”

  8. Practicing Bd ft • We cut a 1 ½ x 8 on our sawmill in the bullpen, its 10ft long. What’s the bd ft? • 1.5x8 (10ft x 12in/ft) = 1440 cubic ft • 1440/144 = 10 Bd Ft

  9. Diameter at Breast Height • This is 4 ½ feet from the level ground • This helps us decide marketable timber • The sectional area is also called Basal area • We will use both; • diameter tape and • the Biltmore stick http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/images/3474-57.jpg

  10. Height in logs or bolts • Logs - 16ft marketable section of a hardwood tree • Bolts –8ft marketable section of a coniferous tree • This is measured until a break in the bole (trunk) on hardwoods or 8” diameter • And measured up to a 4” diameter on pines http://www.efi.fi/fine/kidscorner/images/plants/tree_tall2.jpg

  11. Measuring Marketable Timber • We use # of logs and DBH to figure Marketable timber or volume • By looking at the “How much Lumber is in that Tree” handout we see there is more than one way to figure this amount

  12. Aging Trees • Taking a core sample • Counting sections of limbs on conifers • Tree cookies http://www.efi.fi/fine/kidscorner/images/plants/tree_tall2.jpg

  13. Density of Trees per Acre • Usually estimates by 1/10 acre plots • Done in several random areas of a stand • These areas are then averaged • 1/10 plot = a circle with a 37.2ft radius At higher densities, the growth rates of individual trees slow down because there are more trees competing for the site's limited resources.  37.2

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