Glossary
Board foot—A piece of wood of any shape that contains 144 cubic inches of wood (12 inches X 12 inches X 1 inch, 6 inches X 6 inches X 4 inches, etc.).
Bolt—A timber measurement term for a tree section that is 8 feet in length, also known as a half-log.
Circular plot—A sample plot with a known radius inside which all trees are measured.
Cord—A standard cord contains 128 cubic feet of wood, air, and bark. It is the equivalent of a stack of wood eight feet long, four feet high, and four feet wide.
DBH—Diameter of a standing tree at breast height; measured at 4 1/2 feet above the ground on the uphill side of the tree.
Merchantable height—Usable length of the tree measured as the distance between stump height (generally one foot) and the limit of utilization in the tree. The limiting point of utilization may occur at a main fork, at a serious defect such as a hollow or a point of decay, where excess limbs or a fork occurs, or at a minimum top diameter.
Merchantable tree—Tree that is at least five inches DBH and has a diameter (inside bark) at the top of the bolt that is the larger of either four inches or 50 percent of tree DBH.
Pulpwood—Wood used to produce pulp. Pulpwood is usually wood that is too small, of inferior quality, or of a species that is not used in the manufacture of lumber. Pulpwood trees should have at least a five-inch DBH and a diameter (inside bark) at the top of the bolt that is the larger of either four inches or 50 percent of tree DBH.
Sawtimber—Trees that are large enough and of high enough quality to produce logs that can be sawed into lumber. Sawtimber trees should have at least a 10-inch DBH with a diameter (inside bark) at the top of the log that is the larger of either eight inches or 50 percent of tree DBH.
Top diameter—Small end diameter of a stick, bolt, or log.
Veneer tree—Tree that is large enough and of high enough quality to produce logs that can be sliced or peeled to produce veneer. Veneer trees should have at least a 16-inch DBH and a diameter (inside bark) at the top of the log of at least 10 inches.
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