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INTRODUCTION

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2015 Forestry Station

The forestry station will focus on forests as ecosystems in New York State. Students will be expected

to have a basic understanding of forested ecosystems, how they function and change over time, their

role in a watershed, and why they are valuable resources.

In general, the word forestry means the propagation and management of forest trees for commercial

harvest. This include the planting and management of exotic (nonnative) species, the existing native

forest, and the genetic improvement of trees for selected characteristics, such as straight and rapid

growth. Forestry also means the scientific study of tree growth, management, and timber production

systems. The term forestry probably evokes visions of loggers, tree farms, and large tracts of

woodlands. In heavily populated areas, however, forestry often encompasses an urban twist. Urban

forestry is a relatively new term, originating in the 1960s in Canada. The concept of urban forestry

will be prominently featured as a part of ecosystem management in the future. Urban forestry often

applies to the planting and care of street and park trees, but also applies to restoration and

management of natural forests in urban and suburban areas.

Forestry

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National forests provide vital ecosystem services, such as habitat for wildlife and native plants, act as

water reservoirs and filters, take up carbon dioxide, release oxygen, and regenerate precious soil. In

addition to ecosystem services, forests also provide humans with lumber, recreation areas, and

aesthetic value. Forests store large amounts of carbon dioxide that might otherwise contribute to

global warming, in the form of wood.

In the eastern US, deciduous hardwood forests characterize the dominant forest types. In the western

US, coniferous evergreen forests dominate. In the United States, we have several major forest biomes

including temperate deciduous forests, sub-tropical mixed forest, temperate mixed forest, temperate

coniferous forest and taiga. Much of the forest area in the west still remains under public ownership,

held as either national forest or Bureau of Management land. In the east, however, much of the

surviving forests are under private ownership. Founded in 1905 by Gifford Pinchot, the United States

Forest Service (part of the US Department of Agriculture) is the single-most important agency with

reference to public forest land.

Students should be aware of and knowledgeable about the following: identification of common tree

14 species as well as tree parts and function; basic characteristics of forests and forest structure;

forests as ecosystems; a general knowledge of forest history in our region; issues affecting forest

health and management including invasive plants, fragmentation and urban sprawl; plant and animal

communities that inhabit local forests; and silvicultural practices.

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Table of Contents

Forestry Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1-2

Learning Objectives .....................................................................................................................3

Outline ..........................................................................................................................................4

Sample Questions ..................................................................................................................... 5-6

Recommended Resources ............................................................................................................7

Glossary of Terms .................................................................................................................. 8-14

Forestry Field Exercises ...................................................................................................... 15-16

What does a Forester Do? .........................................................................................................17

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ENVIROTHON: FORESTRY LEARNING OBJECTIVES

For successful completion of the forestry section, contestants should be able to:

Understand tree growth, parts and tissues of a tree, and the life cycle of a tree.

Identify common tree species from bark, leave or seed without a key, and identify unusual

trees and shrubs through the use of a key.

Know the typical forest structure: canopy, understory and ground layers and crown classes

and the common species that are found in each layer.

Understand forest ecology concepts and factors affecting them, including tree communities,

regeneration, competition, and primary and secondary succession.

Identify the abiotic and biotic factors in a forest ecosystem, and understand how these factors

affect tree growth and forest development including the relationship between soil and forest

types. Consider factors such as climate, insects, microorganisms, and wildlife.

Be familiar with and able to identify common and invasive tree pests and diseases. Be able to

identify associated control methods.

Understand silvicultural terms, and be able to explain the uses of the following techniques:

thinning, single tree and group tree selection, shelter wood, clear cutting, and seed tree

management and high grading.

Explain the following silviculture systems: clear-cutting, seed tree method even aged

management, uneven aged management, shelter wood and selection.

Know how to use forestry tools and equipment in order to measure tree diameter, height and

basal area. Know how to use and read a Biltmore stick, grade scale and log chart.

Understand how forest health and management affect biodiversity, global warming, and forest

fragmentation.

Understand how economic, social and ecological factors influence forest management

decisions.

Understand the importance and value of trees in urban and community settings, and know the

factors affecting their health and survival.

Understand the economic value of forests and know many of the products they provide to

people and society.

Understand why trees and forests are important to human health, recreation, wildlife, and

watershed quality.

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ENVIROTHON: FORESTRY OUTLINE

I. Tree Physiology and Tree and Shrub

Identification

A. Identify parts of tree; including

tissue of roots, stem, and leaves

B. By leaves, bark, flower or seed for

trees listed in "Know Your Trees"

without a key

C. By leaves, bark, flower or seed for

uncommon trees using a key

II. Forest Ecology

A. Forest Structure

B. Ecological Concepts and

terminology

1. Relationship

between soil and forest

type

2. Levels of

succession

C. Factors influencing tree growth and

forest development

1. climate, insects,

microorganisms, and

wildlife

D. Forest Health

1. Identify common

insects and diseases

2. Identify invasive

species

III. Sustainable Forest Management

A. Silvicultural Techniques: thinning,

single tree or group tree selection,

shelter wood, clear cutting, seed tree

B. Silviculture: clear-cutting , seed tree

method, even aged management,

uneven aged management, shelter

wood and selection

C. Silviculture treatments: planting,

thinning, harvesting

D. Forestry tools and equipment

1. Basal Area

2. Diameter

3. Height

E. Factors influencing management

decisions: ecological, financial, social

IV. Uses of Trees and Woods

A. Community Trees- their values,

threats to them and challenges growing

them

B. Social and Economic Value

1. Products

2. Watershed

protection

3. Wildlife

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ENVIROTHON: FORESTRY SAMPLE QUESTIONS

1. What are two of the beneficial functions most tree roots provide a tree?

a. Nutrient sublimation and soil stabilization.

b. Water absorption and wildlife habitat.

c. Mechanical support and water absorption.

d. Water absorption and nitrogen fixing in the soil.

2. Greater economic return from multiple timber sales is achieved by _____________?

a. Periodic harvesting of trees which are over a specified diameter but, no more often than 10

years apart.

b. Use of a standard contract with every harvest.

c. Thinning out the largest trees, leaving some large and mostly small trees to grow.

d. Determining the stand structure, composition, age, health then developing a management

plan.

3. Identify by species the trees numbered 1 through 7. Each of the lists below contains 5 tree

species. Which list contains only tree species you have just identified?

a. Scotch (Scots) pine, Red oak, Basswood, White ash, Acer saccharinum

b. White ash, Larch, Sugar maple, Shagbark hickory, Quercus rubra

c. White pine, Red cedar, Sugar maple, Red oak, Fraxinus americana

d. Sugar maple, White cedar, White ash, Shagbark hickory, Prunus serotina

e. Red maple, Red cedar, White ash, Pitch pine, Quercus rubra

4. Which of the individual trees that you identified would be most valuable in terms of mast

production for squirrels?

a. 1 b. 2

c. 3 d. 4

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5. Measure the tree labeled number 4 for: D.B.H., merchantable saw-log height and, total

height.

[When you are near the tree, you will notice a line marked on the ground and various distances from

the tree are marked along this line. You may use this as needed or not.]

The correct results are:

a. 18”, 2.5 logs, 75 feet

b. 14”, 24 ft., 80 feet

c. 24”, 40 ft., 75 feet

d. 18”, 2 logs, 32 feet

6. Observe and consider the condition, structure, and composition of the woodlot before you.

Which statement best characterizes the woodlot?

a. Early successional forest, re-colonizing an old field.

b. Young second growth forest with residual overstory from previous harvest

c. Old growth forest in decline with regenerating understory.

d. Mature, fully-stocked overstory with developed hardwood tree understory.

7. If you are to affect some kind of change in structure and / or composition of a forest stand,

with the aim of doing the greatest good for a goal, in the least expensive way then one or more

environmental conditions must be manipulated. Choose the limiting factor you would most

likely target in your plan of activities for a timber stand with ‘sawlog’ production as a primary

goal.

a. Light

b. Nutrients

c. Water

d. Spacing

e. Ownership objectives

f. Market values

8. The insect in the specimen container labeled B is a?

a. Asian long-horned beetle

b. Whitespotted sawyer

c. Spruce beetle

d. Hemlock wooly adelgid

9. Regenerating shade tolerant species is best done through which of the following cutting

practice choices?

a. Crown thinning

b. Single tree selection

c. Clearcutting

d. Thinning from below

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I. Tree Physiology and Tree and Shrub

Identification

Know Your Trees, What Tree is it, Silvics

Manual 1, Silvics Manual 2, Tree Decay, Stem

& Root Anatomy, Tree Biology 1, Tree

Biology 2, Physiology of Trees

II. Forest Ecology

Forest Regeneration, Forest Ecology, Forest

Succession, Asian Long Horned Beetle, Early

Successional Forest Ecosystem, Northeastern

Forest Regeneration Handbook, Asian

Longhorn Beetle or Whitespotted Sawye,

Forest Tent Caterpillar, Dutch Elm Disease,

Beach Bark Disease, Emeral Ash Borer,

Spruce Beetle, Sudden Oak Death,

Scleroderris Canker of Northern Conifers,

Invasive Plants Field Guide Ecology of Dead

Wood

III. Sustainable Forest Management

Harvesting & Forest Management,

Silvicultural Systems, Tree Scale Stic, How

Much Lumber in That Tree, Managing Forest

for Wildlife & Compatible Uses for Wildlife

IV. Uses of Trees and Woods

Community Foresty, Community Forests

Report, Values of Community Forests,

Management Planning

WEB LINKS

Silvics of North America

Northeastern Area Publications

Additional Resources:

Certification

Certification Matrix, Comparison

Forest Certification Schemes,

Understanding Forest Certification

Insect & Disease

Armillaria,Asian Longhorn Beetle,

Awanted-Asian Longhorned Beetle of

Beech Bank DiseaseIdentify & Manage

Dutch Elm Disease

Global Forestry

Migrating Borel Forest

Forest Management

Management Plan First Step in

Forest,Measuring the Volume with

Scale Stick Standing Tree, Ohio State

Fact Sheet, Selective Cutting, Silvics ,

Tree Planting & Site

Measurement

Measuring Volume, When a Ruler

Teacher

Tree Biology

Arbor Day Tree Anatomy ,Arbor Day

Tree Rings, Tree Ring Dating

Urban Forestry

Tree Care Info Benefits, Tree care Info

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ENVIROTHON - FORESTRY RESOURCES

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A

Aesthetics - forest value, rooted appreciation,

affording inspiration, contributing to the arts,

and providing a special quality of life.

Afforestation - the establishment of forest

trees by planting or seeding an area not

previously forested.

Alluvial soils - soil formed from material such

as gravel, sand, of water and showing little of

no modification of the original material by soil

forming processes.

Area sensitive species - plants or animals with

very specific habitat requirements that are

susceptible to population decline when their

habitat is altered.

Aspect - the orientation of a slope with respect

to the compass; the direction toward which a

slope faces; north facing slopes are generally

cooler than south facing slopes.

B

Basal area – is a measurement of the cross-

sectional area of a tree trunk in square feet at

breast height. If a forest stand is the sum of the

individual trees, and is reported as BA per

acre.

Biological diversity - the variety of plants and

animals, the communities they form and the

ecological functions they perform at the

genetic, stand, landscape, and regional levels.

Biological maturity - the point in the life

cycle of a tree at which there is not net

biomass accumulation; the stage before decline

when annual growth is offset by breakage and

decay.

Board foot - a unit of wood 1 inch thick, 12

inches long, and 12 inches wide. One board

foot contains 144 cubic inches of wood.

Bole - the main trunk of a tree.

Browse - portions of woody plants including

twigs, shoots, and leaves used as food by such

animals as deer.

Buffer strips - forestland left relatively

undisturbed to lessen visual or environmental

impacts of timber harvesting, usually along a

road or waterway.

C

Canopy - the upper level of a forest,

consisting of branches and leaves of taller

trees. A canopy is complete (or has 100

percent cover) if the ground is completely

hidden when viewed from above the trees.

Clearcutting - a harvesting and regeneration

technique that removes all the trees, regardless

of size, on an area in one operation.

Clearcutting produces an even-aged forest

stand.

Cobblestone - a rounded or partly rounded

fragment if rock, 3 to 10 inches in diameter.

Corridor - a strip of wildlife habitat, unique

from the landscape on either side of it, that

links one isolated ecosystem"island" (eg.,

forest fragment) to another. Corridors allow

certain species access to isolated habitat areas,

which consequently contributes to the genetic

health of the populations involved.

Covet - geographic unit of cover for wildlife

(usually game); for example, a thicket or

underbrush sheltering grouse or deer.

Crop tree - a term traditionally reserved to

describe a tree of a commercially desirable

species, with the potential to grow straight,

tall, and vigorously. However, a crop tree can

be one selected for non-timber purposes

(varying with landowner objectives), such as

mast production or den tree potential.

Crown class - an evaluation of an individual

tree's crown in relation to its position in the

canopy and the amount of full sunlight it

receives. The four recognized categories are:

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ENVIROTHON – FORESTRY GLOSSARY

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dominant (D), co-dominant (C), intermediate

(I), and overtopped or suppressed (S).

Cull - a tree of such poor quality that it has no

merchantable value in terms of the product

being cut. However, a timber cull tree may

have value for wildlife or aesthetics.

D

dbh - diameter at breast height, or 4.5 feet

above ground level. The abbreviation generally

is written without capital letters and without

periods.

Den tree - a tree with cavities in which birds,

mammals or insects such as bees may nest

(also known as cavity tree).

Diameter-limit cut - a timber harvesting

treatment in which all trees over a specified

diameter may be cut. Diameter limit cuts often

over time reduce the quality of a forest stand

significantly.

Disturbance - a natural or human-induced

environmental change that alters one or more

of the floral, faunal, and microbial

communities within an ecosystem. Timber

harvesting is the most common human

disturbance. Windstorms and fire are examples

of natural disturbance.

E

Economic maturity- the point in the life cycle

of a tree or stand when harvesting can be most

profitable, i.e., when the rate of value increase

of an individual tree or stand falls below a

desired alternative rate of return.

Ecosystem - a natural unit comprised of living

organisms and their interactions with their

environment, including the circulation,

transformation, and accumulation of energy

and matter.

Edge - the boundary between open land and

woodland or between any two distinct

ecological communities. This transition area

between environments provides valuable

wildlife habitat for some species, due to

increase predation and parasitism.

Emergent wetlands - a class of wetland

dominated by grasses, sedges, rushes, forbs,

and other rooted, water-loving (possibly

broad-leaved) herbaceous plants that emerge

from water or soil surface; marshes are an

example.

Endangered species - species in danger of

extinction throughout all or a significant part

of their range. Protection mandated by the

United States Endangered Species Act, 1973.

Even-aged stand - a group of trees that do not

differ in age by more than 10 or 20 years or by

20 percent of the rotation age.

F

Forest - a biological community dominated by

trees and other woody plants.

Forest types - associations of tree species that

commonly occur because of similar ecological

requirements.

Examples of major forest types are oak-

hickory, northern hardwoods, Allegheny

hardwoods and spruce-fir.

Forested wetland - an area characterized by

woody vegetation over 20 feet tall where soil is

at least periodically saturated with or covered

by water.

Fragipan - a dense and brittle pan, or layer, or

soils. Its hardness results mainly from extreme

density or compactness rather than from high

clay content. The material may be dense

enough to restrict root, nutrient, and water

penetration.

G

Girdling - a method of killing unwanted trees

by cutting through the living tissues around the

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bole. Can be used instead of cutting to prevent

felling damage to nearby trees. Girdled trees

can provide cavities and dead wood for

wildlife and insects.

Glacial till - the unsorted part of glacial drift,

consisting of clay, silt, sand, and boulders

transported and deposited by ice.

H

Habitat - the geographically defined area

where environmental conditions (e.g., climate,

topography, etc.) meet the life needs (e.g.,

food, shelter, etc.) of an organism, population,

or community.

Hardpan -a cemented or hardened soil

horizon. This layer, which may be of any

texture, is compacted or organic matter, or

other substances.

High-grading- a type of timber harvesting in

which larger trees of commercially valuable

species are removed with little regard for the

quality, quantity, or distribution of trees and

regeneration left on the site; often results when

a diameter limit harvest is imposed.

I

Improvement cut - any cutting treatment used

to alter species composition and tree spacing to

realize ownership objectives. Thinning is a

type of improvement cut.

M

Mast - all fruits of trees and shrubs used as

food for wildlife. Hard mast includes nutlike

fruits such as acorns, beechnuts, and chestnuts.

Soft mast includes the fleshy fruits of black

cherry, dogwood, and serviceberry.

N

Neo-tropical birds - birds that breed in the

northern hemisphere during summer months,

and winter in tropical regions (e.g.,

woodthrush or barn swallows).

O

Old-growth - forests that approximate the

structure, composition, and functions of native

forests prior to European settlement. They vary

by forest type, but generally include more

large trees, canopy layers, standing snags,

nativespecies, and dead organic matter than do

young or intensively managed forests.

P

Permeability, soil - the quality that enables

water or air to move through the soil. Terms

used to describe permeability are very slow,

slow, moderate, rapid, and very rapid.

Pole stand - a stand of trees with dbh ranging

from5 to 11 inches.

R

Reaction, soil - the degree of acidity or

alkalinity of the soil, expressed in pH values or

words.

Regeneration - the replacement of one forest

stand by another as a result of natural seeding,

sprouting, planting, o rother methods; also

young trees which will develop into the future

forest.

Regeneration cut - a timber harvest designed

to promote and enhance natural establishment

of trees. Even-aged stands are perpetuated by

three types of regeneration cuts: seed tree,

shelterwood, and clearcutting. Uneven-aged

stands are perpetuated by selecting individual

or small groups of trees for removal (e.g., the

selection system).

Release - removal of overtopping trees to

allow understory or overtopped trees to grow

in response to increased light.

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Residual stand - trees remaining following

any cutting operation.

Riparian zone - an area adjoining a body of

water, normally having soils and vegetation

characteristics of floodplains or areas

transitional to upland zones. These areas help

protect the water by removing or buffering the

effects of excessive nutrients, sediments,

organic matter, pesticides, or pollutants.

S

Salvage cut - the removal of dead, damaged,

or diseased trees with the intent of recovering

value prior to deterioration.

Sapling - a small tree, usually defined as being

between 1 and 5 inches dbh.

Sawlog - a log large enough to yield lumber.

Usually the small end of a sawlog must be at

least 6 to 8 inches in diameter for softwoods

and 10 to 12 inches for hardwoods.

Second growth - the forests re-establishment

following the removal of virgin (i.e.,

previously unharvested) or old-growth stands.

Much of New York's forests are either second

or third growth.

Seed tree cut - a regeneration cut where

mature trees are left standing in a harvested

area to provide seed for regeneration of the

cut-over site.

Seedling - a young tree originating from seed

that is less than 4 feet tall and smaller than 2

inches in diameter at ground level.

Selection cut - a regeneration cut designed to

create and perpetuate an uneven-aged forest.

Trees may be removed singly or in small

groups. A well-designed selection cut removes

trees of lesser quality and trees in all diameter

classes along with merchantable and mature

high-quality sawlog trees. Should be

differentiated from "select" cuts, which often

equate to high-grading.

Shelterwood - a regeneration cut designed to

stimulate reproduction by removing all

overstory trees. This is achieved by a series of

cuts over several years. Gradual reduction of

stand density protects understory trees and

provides a seed source for stand regeneration.

Silviculture - the art, science, and practice of

establishing, tending, and reproducing forest

stands.

Site - the combination of biotic, climatic,

topographic, and soil conditions of an area; the

environment at a location.

Site quality - the inherent productive capacity

of a specific location (site) in the forest

affected by available growth factors (light,

heat, water, nutrients, anchorage); often

expressed as tree height at a given age.

Slash - branches, tops, and cull trees left on

the ground following a harvest. Although some

of this material can be used for firewood, slash

may be arranged in brush piles to provide

wildlife cover. Left scattered, slash can protect

seedling and sprouts from deer browsing and

reduce soil erosion.

Snag - standing dead tree with few branches,

or the standing portion of a broken-off tree.

Snags may provide feeding and/or nesting sites

for wildlife.

Species richness - the number of species

present in a community or a defined area.

Spring seep – is a class of wetland created by

groundwater emerging on lower slopes in

small pools surrounded by vegetation. These

create snow-free zones critical for wildlife

feeding during winter.

Stand - a grouping of vegetation sufficiently

uniform in species composition, age, and

condition to be distinguished from surrounding

vegetation types and managed as a single unit.

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Stewardship - the wise management and use

of forest resource to ensure their health and

productivity for the future with regard for

generations to come.

Stumpage - the commercial value of standing

trees.

Succession - the natural series of replacements

of one plant community (and the associated

fauna) by another over time and in the absence

of disturbance.

T

Texture, soil – is the relative proportions of

sand, silt, and clay particles in a mass of soil.

Thinning - removal of trees to encourage

growth of other selected individual trees. This

may be commercial or pre-commercial.

Timber cruising - the process of estimating

the quality, quantity, and characteristics of

trees in a forest.

Timber stand improvement (TSI) - a

combination of intermediate treatments

designed to improve growth and composition

of the forest; often spoken of as TSI.

Tolerance - a characteristic of trees that

describes the relative ability to thrive with

respect to the growth factors (light, heat, water,

nutrients, anchorage). For instance, a "shade

tolerant" species may thrive at low light levels.

U

Understory - the smaller vegetation (shrubs,

seedlings, saplings, small trees) within a forest

stand, occupying the vertical zone between the

over story and the herbaceous plants of the

forest floor.

Uneven-aged stand - a group of trees of

various ages and sizes growing together on a

site.

W

Watershed - a region or area defined by

patterns of stream drainage. A watershed

includes all the land from which a particular

stream or river is supplied.

Wetlands - area which are either transitional

between land and water (where the water table

is at or near the land surface) or areas of land

which are covered by shallow

Wolf tree - a large, excessively branchy tree

which occupies more space in the forest than

surrounding trees. Wolf trees have high

wildlife and aesthetic value, but little if any

timber value.

Water holding capacity – is the ability of soil

to hold water that will not drain away but can

be taken up by plant roots.

Water table – is the upper limit of the part of

the soil or underlying rock material that is

wholly saturated with water. In some places an

upper, or perched, water table may be

separated from a lower one by a dry zone.

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ENVIROTHON – FORESTRY FIELD EXCERSISES

DBH- Diameter- at- Breast- Height

Measurement- taken- at- breast- height- (4.5- feet)

Avoid- tree swellings like branch- whorls

If- forked- and- fork- begins- below- 4.5- feet,- measure- each- fork- individually

If- forked- and- fork- begins- above- 4.5- feet,- measure- the- tree- as- a- whole- at- 4.5- feet

Measuring- DBH

1. D-tape- (Specially- calibrated- tape- measure)

Two-sided: one for DBH (“inches of diameter”), the other for regular inch measurements

Stand next to the trunk

Measure 4.5 feet from the ground (be sure the tape is level)

Wrap the DBH (be sure to use the proper side) around the truck at 4.5 feet

Record the inches

2. Regular measuring tape

Measure the circumference at 4.5 feet (be sure the tape is level)

Divide the circumference by π

Record the result in inches

3. Biltmore stick (Specially calibrated measuring stick)

Find the side of the stick with “Tree Scale Stick” or “Tree Diameter”

Hold the stick 25” from your eye (about an arm’s length) and 4.5 feet from the ground

Place the left edge of the stick on the left edge of the tree

Without moving your head (turn your eyes only), read the number at the top of the stick (or

off “Diameter of tree (inches)” scale) that corresponds with the right edge of the tree

Height of the Tree

“Merchantable” height (commercially valuable) of a tree = the length of a tree that is usable

timber

From stump height* to a cutoff point at the top

Cutoff point variable depending on species and number of limbs

*Stump height = the distance between ground level and the top of a stump. Good logging practice

dictates stumps be as low as possible (preferably less than 12 inches) to reduce waste of good wood, as

well as to minimize visual impact on the logging site.

Measuring the Height

1. Biltmore stick

Find the side of the stick with “Merrit Hypsometer”

Stand 66 feet from the tree

Hold the stick 25” away from your eye (at an arm’s length) parallel to the tree trunk

Align the bottom of the stick corresponding to the point where the tree would be cut (stump height)

Read the stick upward to where the tree would be cut to yield usable timber

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Record the number to the nearest half log (if there are two separate scales on the hypsometer, be sure to read off “Qty 16 ft. logs @ 1 Chain (66ft) distance”)

Biltmore sticks measures the height of the tree in terms of the number of 16-foot logs

To convert the height to feet, multiple number by 16

2. Clinometer

Stand a convenient distance from the tree, allowing a view of the tree’s top and the bottom

(Distance does not have to be 66 feet )

Be sure to stand on level ground as the tree

Record your horizontal distance from the base of the tree

Look through the viewer and find the red horizontal line (if you don’t see anything, turn it

upside down)

Keeping BOTH eyes open, align the red line with the top of the tree

(this may take a few seconds for your eyes to adjust)

Read the scale on the RIGHT (% scale) and record the number.

This is you’re A (+) reading in %

Align the red line with the bottom of the tree

Read the scale again. This is your B (-) reading in %

Subtract the B from the A

Multiply the % from above by the distance from the tree

To get the number of 16-ft logs, divide the height in feet by 16

Example:

A (+) = 63%

B (-) = - 7%

Distance from tree = 66’

A – B = 63 – (-7) = 70%

70% x 66’ = 46.2’

A – B = 63 – (-7) = 70%

70% x 66’ = 46.2’

Tree volume

Board feet = unit of tree volume used to estimate available lumber from a particular tree

One board foot = a slab of wood, one foot wide x one foot long x one inch thick

Calculating volume in terms of board feet

Measure the height of the tree in feet

Measure the diameter of the tree in diameter

Calculate the radius of the tree from the diameter (radius = diameter / 2)

Convert the radius into feet (radius in inches / 12 = radius in feet)

Find the area of the tree cross-section at breast height (4.5 ft) assuming the tree is a perfect circle

(Area =radius x π)

Calculate the volume of the tree (Area in feet x height in feet)

Divide the volume by 4 to account for the taper of the tree

Multiple the adjusted volume by 12 (there are 12 board feet of lumber for every on cubic foot)

The final number is the number of board feet of lumber

Example:

Height of the tree = 40 feet

Diameter of the tree = 24 inches

( ) 2 12

24 ( )

x

inches Radius feet = = 1 ft

Area of the tree cross-section = 12

x 3.14 = 3.14 ft2

Volume in ft3

= 3.14 x 40 = 125.6 ft3

Volume adjustment = 125.6 / 4 =

31.4 ft3

Volume in board feet = 31.4 x 12 =

378.6 board feet

16

Forestry Worksheet DBH using d-tape (inches)

DBH using Biltmore stick (inches)

Circumference (inches)

Calculated diameter (inches)

Measuring the height of a tree

Height using Biltmore in 16-ft logs

Calculated height in feet

Using a clinometer

Clinometer reading A (+) Clinometer reading B (-)

A – B in %

Calculated height in feet

Tree Volume Calculation

Height of the tree in feet

Diameter of the tree in feet Radius of the tree in feet

Cross Section Area @ 4.5’

Volume with adjustment (Area x Height x ¼)

Volume in Board Feet (multiply by 12)

Credit: Adapted from NYC Envirothon Study Guide

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What Does a Forester Do?

A forester's job profile covers everything from the creation of original Timber Harvest Plans

(THPs) to the protection of natural resources and enforcement of forestry laws.

Foresters can also specialize in certain specific areas that harness their expertise. Timber

foresting and conservation foresting are a couple of the most common areas of specialization for

foresters. Timber foresters work for the timber companies. This means that they look after the

farms and forests privately owned by the timber companies. Their job responsibility includes

taking final call on harvesting trees, monitoring ecological impact of harvesting timber,

determining whether to approve a Timber Harvest Plan (THP), keeping track of yields and

marking trees for harvest.

On the other hand, the conservation foresters generally tend to focus a lot more on global

ecosystems and proper watershed preservation in the forested regions. The primary job

responsibilities of the conservation foresters cover conducting periodic survey of regional

animals and plants and keeping track of human activity in the forests. Conservation foresters

might work as timber foresters at times and support timber harvesting. However, their top

priority is always to try and create sufficient protected areas in the forests so that visitors can

freely enjoy nature.

A forester may have an office of their own but in general they have to spend most of their time in

remote outdoor places. This always leads them to challenging locations and sometimes they have

to deal with turbulent weather conditions. Understandably, the job profile of a forester is

physically demanding and requires sincere hard work and dedication as woodlands in most cases

are difficult to access and it can take several hours to reach work sites.

Foresters who spend a lot of time in the forest generally work for longer periods and take some

days off in between work periods. On the other hand, the conservation foresters working for state

and federal agencies work around 40 hours every week though hours may not always be fixed

like that of the normal nine to five working schedule. In times of natural calamities, forest fires

and similar emergencies, foresters might have to work extra hours to bring the situation under

control.

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