Best ways to measure broadleaved woods for firewood

[TimberFrank]

I was wondering what is the best way to measure a broadleaved compartment? The wood is fairly low quality and is to be used as firewood. The idea is that the compartment is measured (accurately) and then the standing timber is offered for sale.

 

I am not sure what the best way to measure it would be. I haven't access to the blue book so I can't refer to that right now, but there is one slight complication: the standing wood to be sold is sycamore, but within it there are some native broadleaved trees like ash and oak which are to be retained. I guess that means that an inventory or tariff would not be accurate.

 

Also, if anyone can give any insights into the issues surrounding firewood and harvesting and the factors which affect whether or not a parcel of timber would be sell-able (for firewood for example), and how you might decide if timber is worth harvesting or not.

 

We need to come up with some basic guidelines to help folks decide if an area of timber is viable to be sold for standing timber and also how you would measure it as accurately and simply as possible.

[Mortimer Firewood]

Where about is this timber in the country

[slasherscot]

i take it ur marking the trees to be thin for the contractors to cut.......easiest way could be to take a sample area maybe 100 by 100, mark the trees and get an average tree size. then count all the trees for the total area that are marked for thinning and u will have a rough volume for the buyers. Sell it as such.

[TimberFrank]

The problem is, not all the trees are eligible to be cut. Most are. All the sycamore is to be removed, but oak and ash are to be retained. So I am at a loss as to how to measure the stand so that a volume can be provided for potential buyers.

 

What will be left is a fairly open area with some scattered trees.

[slasherscot]

well just mark all the trees to fell, as sell it as that....let the buyers work out volume. No trees to be felled unless marked

[PhilBeech]

Mark the trees you wish to retain, all the rest to be felled, agree a standing sale price with the contractor and invoice based on the weigh tickets at roadside.

 

Let the contractor work out what's there.

[TimberFrank]

Folks, this is my basic problem:

 

Having looked at the blue book, I am even more confused about timber measurement than I was at university over 4 years ago. I've been asked to measure a small compartment of broadleaves with a view to offering the standing timber for sale as firewood. The compartment is about a hectare or so, and is comprised mostly of low quality sycamore, with some ash, oak, and holly scattered throughout. They want to sell the sycamore (and a couple of beech and horse chestnut) for timber, but retain the native broadleaves... They need an idea of the volume of timber for sale. Now I just don't know how this can be done, and in such a variable, low grade stand, and not only that, but a stand where some of the trees are to be retained. It seems to me like a mensurational nightmare!

 

I had a look at the blue book and I am now ready to tear my hair out.

 

Is it the case that it is not reasonable to expect anybody to be able to work out a standing volume of timber in this sort of case?

Edited March 15, 2012 by TimberFrank

[slasherscot]

no not really.........do u know how to work ut the volume of a standing tree.......hectare 2.5 acres .....measure all the trees to fell.......why u worrying about the trees not to fell?

[TimberFrank]

no not really.........do u know how to work ut the volume of a standing tree.......hectare 2.5 acres .....measure all the trees to fell.......why u worrying about the trees not to fell?

 

Not really. I have the blue book here but it wreaks my head.

[muldonach]

 

I am not sure what the best way to measure it would be. I haven't access to the blue book so I can't refer to that right now, but there is one slight complication: the standing wood to be sold is sycamore, but within it there are some native broadleaved trees like ash and oak which are to be retained. I guess that means that an inventory or tariff would not be accurate.

 

We need to come up with some basic guidelines to help folks decide if an area of timber is viable to be sold for standing timber and also how you would measure it as accurately and simply as possible.

 

Decide on a sample plot size and number of plots you will need to measure as per blue book recommendation

 

Measure all of the trees in all of the plots, identify by species

 

Estimate firewood %age = total of firewood species volume / total of all species volume

 

estimate the total timber volume (TTV) = (total measured / total plot size) * total area

 

The volume of the firewood available is the TTV * firewood %age