Measure My Trees

Trees that grow too close together compete for nutrients and can't grow as quickly. A cheap angle gauge can help you find out whether your woods are too dense and could benefit from a thinning.

Trees have a round cross-section, but you can measure their diameter using a special kind of tape called a diameter tape or d-tape.

As you learn to measure basal area and tree diameter, take it a step further and get a rough idea about what your trees might be worth. The Department of Environmental Conservation publishes a semi-annual stumpage price report, which documents the prices paid for standing timber during the previous six months. It also serves as a good introduction to the terminology used in tree measurements and valuation.