Activity- Calculating Board Footage in a Tree

ACTIVITY: Calculating Board Footage in a Tree

Materials Needed:
oaktag, glue, tape, tack or pin, straw, 20 cm. length of kite string, steel washer or weight with hole,.meter stick or 50 ft. tape.

Procedures:
    1. A chart/ map of trees in the neighborhood must be available or must be made so as to identify trees.
    2. Access (or use a provided copy) Calculating Board Footage In a Tree and follow procedures #1-8 on page 1. Make sure you record your measurements andcalculations on the Board Footage Data Sheet numbering each tree as it is numbered on the wall chart. (Teacher Note: Wall chart should be a map made in previous Activity of trees in selected area. Trees should be numbered, and this
numbering should be reflected on students' Board Footage Data Sheet.)
    3. Check your work with the example on page 4.
    Extension:
    4. With your group, select a house near the school and (after gaining permission of the owners), measure the height, length and width of the house.

Calculate surface area of the exterior portions of the house.
Based on the "Board Footage In a Tree" information you calculated, how many trees (of the size you used in your measurements) would be needed to construct this house?
Turn in to your teacher:

        a. Board Footage Data Sheet accompanied by calculation sheet
        b. Surface Area calculations for house
        c. Board Footage / Trees needed for constructing the house with
             calculations

References:

Calculating Board Footage in a Tree at http://willow.ncfes.umn.edu/lab_exercises/calc_board_footage.htm

Clinometer: http://beta.homestead.com/pavler/files/Clinometer.htm

Construct a Clinometer: at http://www.zip.com.au/~elanora/tclinom.html

Height Measurement of Single Trees at http://online.anu.edu.au/Forestry/mensuration/totalhgt.htm

How to Measure a Tree at http://www.rockhoppers.net/scouts/clevedon/cubs/measure.html

How to Measure a Tree including Crown Spread at http://www.bcen.org/measure.html

Measuring the Volume of Standing Trees with a Scale Stick at http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/nreos/forest/woodland/won-05.html

Step by Step Measuring Trees at http://www.wildkids.org.uk/tree_measure.htm

Tree Measurements in Forestry by Digital Camera at http://www.lce.hut.fi/publications/annualrep/node10.html

Vertical Distance and Angles : Clinometer at
http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~wd/courses/373F/notes/lec12ver.html