Exercise 12 – Tree Growth, Site Quality and Merchantable Timber

Site

The area in which a tree or stand grows.

Productivity

The rate at which biomass is produced per unit area by any class of organisms, specifically referring to a site's natural capability to grow trees.

Production

The amount of goods or services produced by an area, without considering the time it took to produce them.

Site quality

The average productivity of a designated land area for growing forest trees, typically measured as the volume production of a given species.

Soil

The medium in which plants grow, consisting of various layers with different physical and chemical properties.

Site Index

A tree-based measure of potential site productivity, based on the height of the dominant trees at a specific age.

Determining tree age

The process of calculating the length of time elapsed since the germination of a seed or the budding of a sprout.

Growth patterns

The patterns observed in the width of annual rings in tree cores, indicating the growth of the tree over time.

Volume

The measurement that takes into account the height and diameter of a tree, as well as the potential number of products that the tree can be used for.

Merchantable height

The point on the stem of a tree beyond which marketable sawlogs or other products cannot be cut.

Merchantable height

The portion of a tree from stump height to the point on the stem where merchantability for saw timber is limited by branches, deformity, or minimum diameter.

Tree grade

A measurement used to characterize the wood quality and economic value of a tree.

Log Rules

Mathematical formulas or tables showing estimated volume of lumber in board feet for logs given a specific diameter and length.

Market value

The value of a tree determined by factors such as height, diameter, species, and stem quality.

Tree diameter

The measurement of the width of a tree trunk, which affects its potential uses and market value.

Species

The specific type or kind of tree, which can influence its market value and the products it can be used for.

Stem quality

The overall condition and characteristics of the tree trunk, including the presence of limbs, knots, or defects, which can impact its economic value.

Tree grades

Standardized rules used to assess the value of trees based on factors such as top diameters and the number of clear faces in the first log.

Clear faces

The absence of defects such as branches, knots, and cracks on the surface of a log, which contributes to its higher grade and value.

Butt log

The lower portion of the tree trunk, typically the first 16 to 20 feet from the stump, which is considered the most valuable part of the tree.