Use of a Non-metric Digital Camera for Tree Stem Evaluation

We are investigating the use of a commercially-available solid-state matrix camera as a dendrometer for tree stem measurements. Thirty-two images of four hardwood stems were used to measure 54 diameters at various heights on the stems ranging from 1.4 m to 21 m. These measurements were compared to caliper measurements taken at the same heights. The percent inaccuracy between diameters derived using the camera and caliper measurements was 6.9 percent, which falls within the range of other dendrometers commonly used. The advantage of this system is the additional stem form, defect, and vigor information that can be instantaneously captured. We found that this method is accurate and efficient for collecting a large amount of data for a single stem.