Forest Inventory - Tools Used in Inventory

Tools Used in Inventory

• Biltmore stick - utilizes ocular trigonometry to quickly measure diameter and height
• Diameter tape - cloth or metal tape that is wrapped around the bole, scaled to diameter
• Caliper - two prongs connected to a measuring tape are placed around the most average part of the bole to determine diameter
• Relascope - multiple-use tool that is able to find tree height, basal area, and tree diameter anywhere along the bole
• Clinometer - common tool used to measure changes in elevation and tree height
• Cruising rod - similar to a caliper, calculates the number of pieces of lumber yielded by a given piece of timber by measuring its diameter
• LASER Scanner used with computer software to calculate the metrics from the collected data.
• Wedge prism - a small glass wedge that refracts light to create visible offsets in order to be able to choose which trees at a sampling point should be included in the sample.
• Data collector - an electronic device used to quickly enter sample data, geo-locate the data, and, in more modern times, to also access reference, web and historic materials while timber cruising.
• Increment borer - a device used to retrieve a cylindrical sample of wood material orthogonally from the stem while doing as little damage as possible to the remaining tissues.