Forest inventory
An estimate of the value and possible uses of timber is an important part of the broader information required to sustain ecosystems.
Surveying and taking inventory of trees originated in Europe in the late 18th century out of a fear that wood (the main source of fuel) would run out.
More diverse and larger forests were divided into smaller sections of similar type trees that were individually estimated by visual inspection.
These newfound relationships allowed for a more accurate assessment of wood types and yields of much larger forests.
By 1891, these surveys were conducted through sample-based methods involving statistical averages and more sophisticated measuring devices were implemented.
As the 20th century progressed, an understanding of co-efficients of error became clearer and the new technology of computers combined with the availability of aerial as well as satellite photography, further refined the process.
This estimate of stand conditions, species composition, volume and other measured attributes of a forest system can then be used for various purposes.
Often it is modified to avoid sampling roads, ensure coverage of unsampled areas and for logistics of actually getting to the plots.
In forestry it may be done to separate plantation areas from mixed forest for example and reduce the amount of sampling time needed.
The tract is measured on a series of points and the trees are tallied for being in or out depending on their size and location relevant to the plot center.
The amount of standing timber that a forest contains is determined from: Volume can be calculated from the metrics recorded in a plot sample.
Volume of tree = BA X h x f pollanschutz So f pollanschütz would be derived from the table and is properly called the Form Factor.
In 2014, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and partners, with the support of the Government of Finland, launched Open Foris Archived 2022-10-06 at the Wayback Machine – a set of open-source software tools that assist countries in gathering, producing and disseminating reliable information on the state of forest resources.
The tools support the entire inventory lifecycle, from needs assessment, design, planning, field data collection and management, estimation analysis, and dissemination.
