OK all you foresters. Are there standard analytical tools to visually or otherwise assess the density of a tree crown? I don't mean volume, form or LCR.... but the density of branches, twigs and foliage within the outline. Are there objective standards inherent or is it a more subjective visual scaling? Are there viewing devices or screens?

I had sent for EPA's Forest Health Monitoring Field Methods Guide but the government printing office sent me the wrong pub on the first try and said they didn't stock it on the second.

TIA

Scott

Reply to post by Scott Cullen, on September 25, 2000 at 07:39:35:

Scott --
The Forest Service has developed an interesting array of crown parameters for measuring forest health that include crown density--for which they have criteria and ways of reducing error. You can get a fat little handbook on FHM techniques if you beg a little from your favorite Forest Service person, and maybe the training CD if you beg a lot.
We have used their criteria the last two years to setup permanent urban forest health monitoring plots in the NE, and it seems very promising to me. Good luck.

Reply to post by Jerry Bond, on September 25, 2000 at 07:39:35:

you may want to rsearch a device called a spherical densiometer