Thomas Gschwantner, Klemens Schadauer, Claude Vidal, Adrian Lanz, Erkki Tomppo, Lucio di Cosmo, Nicolas Robert, Daisy Englert Duursma, Mark Lawrence. (2009). Common tree definitions for national forest inventories in Europe. Silva Fennica vol. 43 no. 2 article id 463. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.463

Keywords: harmonisation; COST Action E43; tree definitions; shrub definitions; tree elements; tree variables; tree characteristics

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

At the international level, various definitions have been established for the compilation and publication of forest resources assessment results over the last decade. These international definitions frequently rely on terms that are not precisely specified for inventory purposes and do not completely cover the requirements arising from the application of National Forest Inventory (NFI) data. Also, with respect to conventional topics such as forest area and growing stock estimation, several terms and expressions referring to individual trees are not, or are only vaguely, defined until now. Since the individual tree is the basic element of any forest resources assessment, the clarification of tree-related terms is an important part of COST Action E43 to harmonise common reporting of National Forest Inventories. Based on a review of existing definitions and on the requirements for harmonised reporting, common tree-related definitions are established. One objective of this study is to refine and enhance the applicability of available tree and shrub definitions, in particular with regard to the distinction between trees and shrubs. The study also focuses on the parts or “elements” of trees and on the distinction between these elements as they are of particular importance in growing stock and biomass definitions. Furthermore, several definitions for tree characteristics such as “living” and “standing”, as well as tree variables such as height, length, diameter at breast height, and crown projection area are adjusted with respect to NFI purposes. A concluding discussion reflects upon the reviewed, refined and newly established definitions. The definitions presented in this paper provide a firm basis for a common set of harmonised reference definitions developed by COST Action E43 and contribute to the precise and consistent use of terms.

Gschwantner, Federal Research and Training Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape, Wien, Austria E-mail: thomas.gschwantner@bfw.gv.at
Schadauer, Federal Research and Training Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape, Wien, Austria E-mail: ks@nn.at
Vidal, French National Forest Inventory, Nogent-sur-Vernisson, France E-mail: cv@nn.fr
Lanz, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Birmensdorf, Switzerland E-mail: al@nn.ch
Tomppo, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa, Finland E-mail: et@nn.fi
di Cosmo, Agricultural Research Council – Forest Monitoring and Planning Research Unit, Trento, Italy E-mail: ldc@nn.it
Robert, French National Forest Inventory, Nogent-sur-Vernisson, France E-mail: nr@nn.fr
Englert Duursma, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa, Finland E-mail: ded@nn.fi
Lawrence, Northern Research Station, Roslin, Midlothian, Great Britain E-mail: ml@nn.uk

Click this link to register to Silva Fennica.

If you are a registered user, log in to save your selected articles for later access.

Contents alert

Your selected articles
Send to email

Laitakari E., (1934) The relations between main and short shoots of S.. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 40 no. 36 article id 7313 (remove) | Edit comment

Samarasinghe S., Kulasiri D. et al. (2007) Neural networks for predicting fracture toughnes.. Silva Fennica vol. 41 no. 1 article id 309 (remove) | Edit comment

Norrlin J. P., (1923) Lectio praecursoria (the opening presentation) o.. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 23 no. 2 article id 7101 (remove) | Edit comment

Alho P., (1990) The history of forests in Finland after the last.. Silva Fennica vol. 24 no. 1 article id 5404 (remove) | Edit comment

Roitto Y., (1958) Transportation of round timber in the Lake Saima.. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 67 no. 3 article id 7477 (remove) | Edit comment

Norrlin J. P., (1923) Hawkweeds (Hieracium sp.) of Finland Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 23 no. 9 article id 7108 (remove) | Edit comment

Appelroth E., (1959) Practice and science of forestry Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 70 no. 11 article id 7501 (remove) | Edit comment

Lönnroth E., (1926) Dendrometer Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 30 no. 4 article id 7199 (remove) | Edit comment

Rossi S., Morin H. et al. (2013) Spatially explicit structure of natural stands d.. Silva Fennica vol. 47 no. 3 article id 973 (remove) | Edit comment

Kolehmainen V. A., (1955) Effect of prescribed burning in the forest regen.. Silva Fennica vol. no. 85 article id 4644 (remove) | Edit comment

Metz A.-M., (1986) Influence of forest owners as an interest group .. Silva Fennica vol. 20 no. 4 article id 5285 (remove) | Edit comment

Granvik B.-A., (1968) The quantity and quality of the sawing yield in .. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 0 no. 86 article id 7186 (remove) | Edit comment

Norrlin J. P., (1923) Flora in area of Ääninen (Onega)-lake in Russian.. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 23 no. 4 article id 7103 (remove) | Edit comment

The Forest 2000 Programme sub-commitee ., (1986) The Forest 2000 Programme in Finland. Silva Fennica vol. 20 no. 1 article id 5260 (remove) | Edit comment

Silvennoinen U., Haarlaa R. (1971) The mobility of logging tractors on snow Silva Fennica vol. 5 no. 2 article id 4843 (remove) | Edit comment

Eliasson L., (2020) Forest research and the needs of our stakeholders Silva Fennica vol. 54 no. 1 article id 10329 (remove) | Edit comment

Saarela S., (2020) On being a female supervisor in forest research .. Silva Fennica vol. 54 no. 2 article id 10362 (remove) | Edit comment

Nyyssönen A., Poso S. (1962) Tree stand classifications from aerial photograp.. Silva Fennica vol. no. 112 article id 4705 (remove) | Edit comment

Kantola M., (1979) Social promotion of forest workers. Silva Fennica vol. 13 no. 3 article id 5040 (remove) | Edit comment

Follow @SilvaFennica