| Summary: | We demonstrated an innovative yet simple method of tree inventory featuring the “Digicam Tree Measurement” technique and ArcGIS COGO (coordinate geometry) application. The techniques are intended for inventory of trees that are planted along roads and in places where trees are sparsely distributed. For measurement of tree height and crown, we found that the technique was faster (P=0.01) and easier (70% of the job is done in the office) compared to the conventional method: measuring height by Abney level and tree crown by vertically projecting crown edges to the ground. The values derived from digicam technique were comparable with those from conventional techniques both in terms of height and crown diameter. The technique provides an added benefit such as archiving of photographs for future use in monitoring tree survival and growth, and in estimating aboveground biomass. We also found that the line-offset technique was very suitable for inventory of trees along the road. Plotting tree locations was easy; error was minimized because the method allowed precise measurement of baselines and offsets. Combining the two techniques allowed us to be more productive, i.e., a total of 234 trees were surveyed and mapped by a two-man crew in just two days. However, further research needs to be done with respect to the accuracy of tree measurements.
|
|---|