The use of aerial photographs to distinguish between stocking and density of western hemlock stands on the University of British Columbia Research Forest, Haney, B.C.

• Main Author: Chiam, Yeow Chin
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2011
• Subjects: Forests and forestry > Measurement; Aerial photogrammetry; Western hemlock
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/36174

Quantitative measures of stand density and stocking are very important because only with full knowledge of the growing stock can a forest be managed efficiently. Stocking is concerned with fraction of area occupied with trees. Density is related to the degree of crowding within the area occupied. These quantitative values are determined by parameters that could be measured on the ground and on aerial photographs. The methods used to estimate height, crown width, and crown closure from aerial photographs are thoroughly described. The writer also describes the stocking and density conditions under which trees grow, with illustrations by both theoretical models and actual sample plot crown models. Forty-seven sets of ground and photo-measurements were taken and analysed by simple and multiple regression methods. A comparison of photo and ground values was then made to evaluate the usefulness of aerial photographs for density and stocking measurements. The correlation of the ratio of height (Ht) to crown width (CW) from the ground and photo data to age, site index, crown closure, basal area, adjusted basal area, crowding factor and adjusted crowding factor were also studied. Eight assumptions regarding normality of density and full stocking were made so that the interrelationship between the individual density and stocking measurements could be studied more effectively. It is concluded that Ht/CW ratios are measurable from aerial photographs and shown that they are useful as a measure of stand density and stocking. === Forestry, Faculty of === Graduate