What Is The Economic Value Of An Old-Growth Tree?
It might be interesting to find out what variables determine the price per board foot of lumber, then calculate the economic value of an old-growth tree and compare it to that of commercially grown trees. Activity 3 An Ohio State University Extension web site provides two tables from which you can estimate the gross number of board feet contained in a given tree. In order to use the tables, you need to know the tree’s diameter at breast (Dbh) height and how many 16-foot logs (or 8-foot half-logs) are contained in the tree’s trunk. Since you only want a ball-park figure, assume the heights in Table 1 represent “merchantable” heights. Divide the merchantable height by 16 to determine the number of 16-foot logs in a given tree. Note that the tree circumference given in the table is in feet not inches. You will first need to convert the circumference to inches and then divide by 3.14 to determine Dbh. Now, refer to either of the tables at the Ohio State University Extension web site to fin
