Tree Height And "The Stick Trick"

Tree Height Measurement

The technique of precisely estimating a tree's height and size is called "tree height measurement". Typically, this entails calculating the vertical distance between the ground and the tree's highest point. It may be used to calculate a tree's age, identify its species, and assess its health. The intersection of the projection of the tree's pith (centre) and the existing surface onto which it is growing or from whence it originated is known as the base of the tree. The base of the tree is where the pith would intersect the cliff side if it were to grow on a cliff's edge. Any roots that extended below that point would not result in the tree growing taller.

When there is a slope, this base point is regarded as being halfway between the ground level at the top and lower sides of the tree. Tree height can be measured using a variety of techniques, each with varying degrees of accuracy. Tree height can be measured using a variety of methods, including triangulation, sine heights, the clinometer and tape method, and the stick method.

Clinometer and Tape Method

One of the most widely used techniques for determining tree height is the clinometer and tape approach. First, the angle between the top of the tree and a line of sight at ground level is calculated using a clinometer. A trigonometric formula is used to determine the tree's apparent height from this perspective. Second, a measuring tape is climbed the tree's trunk from the ground level to the branch at which the clinometer was pointing. The apparent height calculated in the first stage is added to this final measurement to obtain the total tree height.

This method's benefits include minimal cost and lack of need for specialised equipment. Typically, the horizontal distance to the tree at eye level is measured using a tape after the angle from the eye to the top of the tree is determined using a clinometer. Then, using the tangent function, we can determine the height above eye level: horizontal distance from the tree to eye level x tangent = height above eye level.

To assess if the tree's base is higher or lower than eye level, the same approach is utilised. The height of the tree above eye level is increased by the height of the tree below eye level when the base of the tree is below eye level. Measuring it straight at eye level can be challenging if the horizontal distance is high above the ground or the tree's base is above eye level.

Sine Heights

Since it does not measure the tree's height directly, the sine height method is also referred to as an indirect measuring method. Instead, it measures the height of the tree using stationary things like structures and poles. In this method, the angle between the top of the tree and a reference object is measured using a clinometer. The sine ratio is then applied to this angle to determine the height of the tree.

The clinometer's accuracy and the separation between the observer and the reference item both affect how accurate this method is. The most frequent situation in the field is when the tree being measured has its top above eye level and its base below eye level. The other two possibilities involve having the tree's top and base both higher than and lower than eye level, respectively. In the first situation, a right triangle with the hypotenuse at eye level is formed if D1 is the laser rangefinder-measured distance to the top of the tree and (a) is the clinometer-measured angle to the top of the tree. The tree is [h1 = sin(a) x D1] above eye level, and [h2 = sin(b) x D2] below. The height of the tree is diminished by this amount if the base is higher than the ground.

Triangulation

A method for measuring the height of trees and other tall things, including towers and buildings, is triangulation. To compute the tree's height from three separate places, trigonometry is used. 'The stick trick' is a term that has been used to refer to a simple variation of this method. Two people and a stick with a specified length are needed. The stick is held by Person 1 and is aimed at the tree's summit. After that, person 2 assumes a position a certain distance from person 1 and measures the angle formed by the stick and the ground.

The height of the tree may be determined using these two measures. Basic trigonometry must be used to get the tree height: h = Tan A x d, where d is the distance from the tree and A is the angle to the top of the tree. You need to be aware of your eye height (the height of your eye above the ground) since all measurements will be taken at eye level. After that, the formula is changed to h = Tan A x d + eye height. Additional angles need to be calculated if you can only stand on the tree's slope, either up or down, depending on whether the gradient places the tree's base above or below eye level.

What Is "The Stick Trick"?

The method of determining tree heights through triangulation is known colloquially as the "stick trick." It was initially employed in forestry to swiftly determine a tree's height with little resources. A stick of known length and two individuals standing on opposite sides of the tree are needed. The first person holds the stick with the tip directed up towards the tree's summit. The second person positions at a certain distance from the first person and measures the angle formed by the stick and the ground. It is possible to determine the tree's height using these measurements. The stick trick has a lot of benefits, including being inexpensive and simple to set up.

It is crucial to remember that this approach is not particularly precise and ought to only be utilised in cases when more advanced approaches are not accessible. Make sure the length of the stick above your hand is equal to the distance from your hand to your eye and hold a straight stick or ruler vertically at arm's length. Reverse direction and move far from the tree. Stop when the stick covering your hand completely hides the tree. Take a straight measurement from your eye to the base of the tree. The measurement should be the height of the tree to the closest foot. If the top is not vertically above the base, this process will likewise fail. The above-described process is followed by the advanced stick technique, with the addition of a few measurements and some simple multiplication.

This technique may be applied in a wider range of situations to measure height since it does not need that the length of the measuring stick matches the distance from your bottom hand to your eye. This equation allows you to determine the height of the tree regardless of the angle at which you are holding your arm or the size of the stick above your hand.