Forest Mensuration, Dasometrics or Dendrometrics, deals with the quantification of forests, trees, and forest products. We can distinguish in it techniques for direct or indirect measurement, estimation procedures using statistical relationships, and methods of prediction where the variable time takes part. An area set aside for the production of timber and other forest product. It means the measurement of length, mass and time, etc. in other words it is an art and science of locating, measuring, and calculating the length of lines, areas of planes and volumes of solids Forest Mensuration deals with the determination of the volume of logs, trees, and stands, and with the study of increment and yield (Graves, 1906). Forest Mensuration is that branch of forestry that deals with the determination of dimensions (eg.  diameter, height, volume, etc), form, age, and increment of single trees, stands, or whole woods, either standing or after felling ( Chaturvedi and Khanna, 1986). It is a tool that provides facts about forest crops or individual trees to sellers, buyers, planners, managers, and researchers. Forest mensuration provides quantitative information regarding forest resources that will allow making reasonable decisions on its density, use, and management. Forest mensuration is essential for management, sale, research, and  planning

Out Come and objectives 

To enable the forestry students with techniques and methods of measuring tree, its dimensions, and to assess the other components of the forest and growing stock. Making measurements in the forest such as the form, age, height, structure, height, growth, volume, and yield of the single tree or the whole crop is necessary for preparing a management plan. So this course covers all the practical aspects of forest inventories. The students shall be able to apply themselves more practical than theoretically. The students will be able to estimate the forest quantitatively and qualitatively.

Course contents

1. Introduction and scope.
2. Individual tree measurements.

i)  Diameter at Breast Height Point and its significance. Instrument and its use: Calliper and Tapes.

ii) Height m Instrument and its use

iii)Tree Age: By record, ocular estimation, by counting whorls, annual rings. Use of Pressler`s borer.

iv) Crown parameters

iv)Form factor: Concept and use.

3.    Volume Measurements: Standing tree volume and felled tree volume.

a) Kinds of Felled Material: timber (in round and converted form) and small wood.

b) Measurement of log volumes by Huber’s, Smalian’s, Prismoidal and Quarter girth formulae.

c)Stacked Wood Measurement: Stacked volume versus solid volume. Conversion of stacked volume to solid volume or to weight.

d) Measurement of Bark thickness and Bark Volume. Use of bark hammer and bark gauge.

e) Measurement of converted and sawn timber. Timber calculations. Log-Rules.

4.         Introduction of volume and yield tables. Preparation and Application for determining site quality, volume and increment of a forest stand.

5.         Sampling: Objectives. Full enumeration and partial enumerations. Stand and stock tables. Sample plots with fixed area and horizontal point sampling. Increment concept.

6.         Tree biomass estimation and biomass expansion factors

8.         Carbon stocks estimation.

9.         Site Index. Significance in forestry. Determination of site Index by using guiding curve methods and growth models.

10.      Miscellaneous Items: measurement of charcoal.

Practical

1. Diameter and Height measurement of standing and felled tree.
2. Volume and biomass calculation of single tree and forest stand.
3. Case study of given site for inventory.
4. Data compilation, analysis and plotting (Construction of Height-Diameter-Age curve, Data      processing of fixed area plots, Data processing of Horizontal Point Sampling)
5. Increment calculations (Single tree/stands)

Reading Books

1. Third Edition Forest Mensuration by BERTRAM HUSH (Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations), CHARLES I. MILLER (Purdue University) and THOMAS W. BEERS (Purdue University) 1982. (Book 1)

2. Elements of forest mensuration S. Hassan Abbas, Punjab forestry research institute Faisalabad Augest 1996. (Book 2)

3.Basics of forestry and allied sciences Vol I and Vol II by Masood A. A., Quraishi

4.Comprehensive Forestry By S. B., Raza

5.K. Alam and S. M., Nizami 2014. Assessing biomass expansion factor of Birch tree Betula utilis. D. OJF, Vol 3(4) 181-190. 

Assessment Criteria

Sessional: 20

Presentation:10

Participation:10

Mid:30 Marks (Mcqs)

Final Exam:50 marks (Mcqs plus viva)

Semester Started on 12 Oct, 2020

Meeting time according to time table

S. no.                     Day                    Time

1                             Tuesday             9:40 to 10:30 Am

2                              Wednesday      2:00 Pm to 3:40 Pm

3                             Thursday          9:40 Am to 10:30 Am