Timber Stand Inventories

Conducting a timber stand inventory is a crucial first step when desiring to begin managing your timber stand for production and/or wildlife habitat purposes, and before harvesting timber on a property.

What is a timber inventory?

A timber stand inventory is a surveying method used in forestry to evaluate the standing timber on a property. Inventory data is sampled from randomized points scattered across a tract to gather representative data of the entire stand. The diameter at breast height (DBH) as well as a tree’s species are recorded within a points’ sample radius. Notes are also taken on the presence of vines and/or invasive species.

Why is the inventory data valuable?

The purpose of a forest inventory is to obtain comprehensive information about the current state and dynamics of a timber stand to be used in strategic management planning. The resulting data from the inventory can estimate the stand’s overall species composition, total board footage (volume of timber), basal area (stocking level), and estimated value of the standing timber. By considering and viewing the data, we can provide recommendations to our clients on what we feel is the best strategy to meet their desired management objectives.

Timber stand inventories are a required element of a CAP 106 Management Plan to be submitted to NRCS for funding as part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).