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Calcimator

Timber Cruising Calculator

Estimate total stand timber volume from sample plot data using expansion factors and statistical analysis.

Inputs

MBF
acres

Results

Estimated Stand Volume

600 MBF

Volume Per Acre

6 MBF/acre

Average Volume Per Plot12 MBF
Expansion Factor5
Sampling Intensity20%
Standard Error12.6%
95% CI Lower Bound451.2 MBF
95% CI Upper Bound748.8 MBF
Recommended Plots (10% error)64 plots
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter the Total Sample Plot Volume in MBF from your field tally and the number of Plots Measured.
  2. Enter the Total Plots in Stand and Stand Acreage to compute expansion factors.
  3. Review Estimated Stand Volume and Volume Per Acre as the primary cruise outputs.
  4. Check Standard Error and the 95% Confidence Interval to assess cruise precision.
  5. Use Recommended Plots to determine if additional sampling is needed to reach 10% error or better.

What each input means

Total Sample Plot Volume
Combined volume in thousand board feet (MBF) measured across all sample plots.
Plots Measured
Number of sample plots where trees were measured.
Total Plots in Stand
Total number of possible plot locations across the entire stand.
Stand Acreage
Total area of the timber stand being cruised in acres.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Total Sample Plot Volume = 120, Plots Measured = 10, Total Plots in Stand = 50, Stand Acreage = 100 = 4 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Estimated Stand Volume
    Estimated Stand Volume
    600 = 600
  3. Calculate Volume Per Acre
    Volume Per Acre
    6 = 6
  4. Calculate Average Volume Per Plot
    Average Volume Per Plot
    12 = 12
  5. Calculate Expansion Factor
    Expansion Factor
    5 = 5

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