2409.12
Page 1 of 2
FOREST SERVICE HANDBOOK
OTTAWA NF (REGION 9)
IRONWOOD, MI
FSH 2409.12 – TIMBER CRUISING HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 10 – PRINCIPLES OF MEASURING TREES
Supplement No.: 2409.12-2015-1
Effective Date: November 2, 2015
Duration: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
Approved: LINDA L. JACKSON
Forest Supervisor
Date Approved: 10/22/2015
Posting Instructions: Supplements are numbered consecutively by Handbook number and
calendar year. Post by document; remove the entire document and replace it with this
supplement. Retain this transmittal as the first page(s) of this document. The last supplement to
this title was 2409.12-2011-1 to Chapter 10.
New Document
2409.12-2015-1
1 Page
Superseded Document(s)
(Supplement Number and
Effective Date)
2409.12-2011-2
1 Page
Digest:
2015 Currency Review – Reissued with no change in content.
R9 OTTAWA NATIONAL FOREST SUPPLEMENT
EFFECTIVE DATE: November 2, 2015
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
2409.12_10
Page 2 of 2
FSH 2409.12 – TIMBER CRUISING HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 10 – PRINCIPLES OF MEASURING TREES
12.1 - Measuring Tree Diameter
12.1a - Recording Diameter of Measure Trees (Tally Tree)
Diameter measurements taken on measure trees for the purpose of volume estimation will be
measured and recorded to the nearest tenth of an inch.
A margin of error of + or – 2 tenths of an inch will be granted before a measurement error is
assessed against the cruiser.
TABLE 1
MINIMUM TREE AND PIECE UTILIZATION STANDARDS
Minimum Tree
Minimum Piece Specifications
Specifications
Minimum
Length
DIB
SPECIES
PRODUCT DBH (inches)
Net Scale in
(feet)
(inches)
% of Gross
Hardwoods (except
Sawlogs
11.0
8
9.6-11.5
95% 1/
aspen)
Hardwoods
Sawlogs
11.0
8
11.6+
50% 1/
Softwood
All Species
Sawlogs
Pulpwood
9.0
5.0
8
8
7.6
4.0
40
70 and
reasonably
straight 2/
1/
In Timber Sale Contracts, all hardwood sawlogs will use 50% minimum net scale in gross %, due to limitations
in TIM. Cruising will use 95% minimum net scale for small diameter logs (9.6 – 11.5 DIB).
2/
Seventy percent applies to rot, voids, and char. Mechanical type defects such as sweep, crook, spider heart,
and ring shake will not be considered.
Reasonably straight - When the true line of a minimum length piece does not deviate more than ½ the inside
diameter of the small and plus two inches from a straight line drawn between the centers of the ends of a piece.
The maximum deflection allowed is what will fit in a 20-inch cylinder.