You can estimate the age of a tree by measuring the diameters of the tree trunk and by using a specific growth factor for that tree species. Many people believes that a large tree trunk always indicates an old tree, but a large tree trunk dont always mean the tree is old. Some tree species grows very quick, so a fast-growing tree species can reach a large diameter in a short amount of time.
Other tree species grow very slowly, so a slow-growing tree species may take a long time to reach a large diameter. Because different tree species grows at different rates, you must identify the tree species before you can calculate the age of the tree. To calculate the age of a tree, you must first measure the diameter of the tree trunk at a specific height.
How to Estimate a Tree’s Age
You should measure the diameter of the tree trunk at what is called the diameter at breast height, and a measurement taken at four and a half feet above the ground is the diameter at breast height. You must measure the diameter at four and a half feet because the bases of a tree trunk often flares outward. If you measure the diameter of the tree trunk too low to the ground, the flare of the tree trunk will cause you to overestimate the diameter of the tree trunk.
Once you have the diameter of the tree trunk in inches, you must multiply that diameter by a growth factor for that specific tree species. The growth factor is a number that accounts for how quickly a tree species add wood to its trunk each year. The environment where a tree grow will affect how quickly a tree grows, and the environment will affect the diameter of the tree trunk.
Trees that grow in a crowded forest often grow slowly because trees in a crowded forest must compete for sunlight and nutrients. Because trees in a crowded forest compete for sunlight and nutrients, trees in a crowded forest often develop narrow ring. Trees that grow in urban environment often grow faster because urban trees often have more sunlight and more consistent water.
Because urban trees have more sunlight and more consistent water, urban trees may increase the diameter of the tree trunk more quick than forest trees. You should also be aware of physical irregularities on the tree trunk that can affect your measurement. A large burl on the tree trunk can change the diameter of the tree trunk, and a split tree trunk can also change the diameter of the tree trunk.
A steep hillside can make it difficult to measure the tree trunk accurate, and an inaccurate measurement of the tree trunk will result in an inaccurate age estimate for the tree. You must account for these irregularities so that your measurement of the diameter of the tree trunk remain as accurate as possible.