Quickly estimating tree height

[Roger Feeley]

I will be touring a property soon to see if I can build on it and I would like to take some quick, rough, measurments of the trees. I'm thinking of making a 'story stick' where I stand a predetermined distance from the tree (say 70'), hold the stick out at arms length and read the height from it.

If the length of my arm is known and the distance from the tree is known, I should be able to mark graduations on the stick in, say, 10' increments which would be good enough.

Is there a better way? I should add that I will be flying in and will need to pack light.

thanks,
Roger

P.S. This is a short trip. The primary purpose is to attend my daughter's swearing in to the Supreme Court Bar. I never miss an opportunity to hear oral arguments before the high court. While there, we will be spending time at the property she just bought in Falls Church and taking measurements to see if we can build a Carriage House and live on the property.

Yes, I'm crazy. I freely admit it and I like it.

[Shawn Pixley]

Congratulations to your daughter!

I think it would be easier if you can get a 45 degree angle and level. Assumining it is reasonably flat land, walk a away from the tree until the top of the tree aligns at 45 degrees (bottom must be level). The tree height is the distance away from the tree plus the height of the triangle above the ground. (This assumes you don't want to do triganometry)

if you are willing to do the math, you need to measure a distance from the tree and the angle to the top of the tree.

Your story stick can work as well, but you'll need to do the math there as well (before you go). I am assuming that you are looking for +/- a few feet of accuracy.

[Rick Potter]

Quick and dirty...

Take a stick, or a 12" ruler. Hold it at arms length and back up till it goes top to bottom on the tree. Without moving from your location, hold the ruler sideways with one end at the tree base. Have someone walk outward till they get to the end of the ruler. Now pace off the distance.

Rick Potter

[ray hampton]

I would hold the ruler end on the ground instead of trying to hold it the same distance from the ground, a 2x2 [ 6 foot tall ? ] with the ruler tape to the end is light but sturdy

[Roger Feeley]

I like this one the best. All I have to do is pack a stick and a tape measure. I will have my wife along as an assistant.


Quick and dirty...

Take a stick, or a 12" ruler. Hold it at arms length and back up till it goes top to bottom on the tree. Without moving from your location, hold the ruler sideways with one end at the tree base. Have someone walk outward till they get to the end of the ruler. Now pace off the distance.

Rick Potter

[Jim Matthews]

Quick and dirty...

Take a stick, or a 12" ruler. Have someone walk outward till they get to the end of the ruler. Now pace off the distance.

Rick Potter

I must be doing it wrong.

All the trees in my yard are a foot high.

[Garth Almgren]

Quick and dirty...

Take a stick, or a 12" ruler. Hold it at arms length and back up till it goes top to bottom on the tree. Without moving from your location, hold the ruler sideways with one end at the tree base. Have someone walk outward till they get to the end of the ruler. Now pace off the distance.

Rick Potter
That's the way I learned it in Scouts.

Lifehacker has several other methods you can use:
http://lifehacker.com/5875184/is-there-an-easy-way-to-measure-the-height-of-a-tree
The one Rick described was the pencil method.

[Chris Padilla]

I was going to suggest the shadow method as outlined in Garth's link. I think that was an extra credit question on a trig test I took back in high school. :)

[glenn bradley]

Or you could do it like they have been doing it since . . . http://www.tiem.utk.edu/~gross/bioed/bealsmodules/triangle.html

[Chris Padilla]

Or you could do it like they have been doing it since . . . http://www.tiem.utk.edu/~gross/bioed/bealsmodules/triangle.html

...just missing the clinometer! :)

[Judson Green]

I think there's apps for this sort of thing.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alteriot.height

I just pick one but it looks like there's a bunch and some even have pictures of trees so I guess they might be designed to do what your asking.

[Rick Potter]

Scouts is where I got it, Garth. Made it all the way to Tenderfoot.

Rick P

[Mel Fulks]

Measure length of your shadow ,compare to your height. Measure length of tree shadow and 'do the math'.

[Fred Perreault]

Can you take a premeasured stick, say 5' tall, and lean it against the tree, back up and take a pic with the cell phone or digital camera and then use the 5' stick as a scale on the photo? assuming that one is near perpendicular to the tree........... just asking.....

[Myk Rian]

Measure length of your shadow ,compare to your height. Measure length of tree shadow and 'do the math'.
^^^^This^^^^

[Roger Feeley]

Better yet. downloaded and ready to go.


I think there's apps for this sort of thing.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alteriot.height

I just pick one but it looks like there's a bunch and some even have pictures of trees so I guess they might be designed to do what your asking.

[Ted Calver]

Can you take a premeasured stick, say 5' tall, and lean it against the tree, back up and take a pic with the cell phone or digital camera and then use the 5' stick as a scale on the photo? assuming that one is near perpendicular to the tree........... just asking.....
Variation on this theme. I'm 5'9" tall, point of my chin is 5'. I stand next to the tree, mark the 5' line, walk any distance away from the tree that gives you a clear view of the whole thing and then use a small stick held at arms length to measure that 5' distance. Using that small stick now scaled to 5', eyeball how many there are to the top of the tree.....accurate to within a couple of feet.

[Mike Cutler]

Congratulations to your daughter!

I think it would be easier if you can get a 45 degree angle and level. Assumining it is reasonably flat land, walk a away from the tree until the top of the tree aligns at 45 degrees (bottom must be level). The tree height is the distance away from the tree plus the height of the triangle above the ground. (This assumes you don't want to do triganometry)

if you are willing to do the math, you need to measure a distance from the tree and the angle to the top of the tree.

Your story stick can work as well, but you'll need to do the math there as well (before you go). I am assuming that you are looking for +/- a few feet of accuracy.

Exactly the way I learned to do it in the 8th grade. I taught my niece and nephew the same trick when they were about 12.
I left out the S=O/H, C=A/H, and T=O/A. They just thought it was cool and gave them something to do together. They must have measured every tree and telephone pole on the block.

[Charles Wiggins]

The guy in this video covers the method I use when felling trees:
http://youtu.be/xNEr6wpJUXg?t=2m13s

I have a dowel pre-cut to the right height, allowing for my fist. If the ground is reasonably level it works well for a quick estimate.

[Joel Goodman]

I was going to suggest the shadow method as outlined in Garth's link. I think that was an extra credit question on a trig test I took back in high school. :)

Not so good if it's cloudy out!

[Roger Feeley]

Thanks to all that replied. I chose the phone app mostly because I am traveling light. All I will need is my phone and a tape measure that I will have anyway. I will be trying a few experiments at home before I go to DC.

[Sam Murdoch]

The guy in this video covers the method I use when felling trees:
http://youtu.be/xNEr6wpJUXg?t=2m13s

I have a dowel pre-cut to the right height, allowing for my fist. If the ground is reasonably level it works well for a quick estimate.

I missed something - pretty ambiguous on Step # 3 (time at 3:32) where to stand between the tree and the house when pointing your fist at the base of the tree. Did he intend to say 1/2 way between - or some other?

[stevo wis]

Here is how a pro does it. Look at time 3:00. This is also an excellent video on felling. http://firewoodhoardersclub.com/forums/index.php?threads/felling-bucking-the-right-way-good-video.806/

[Charles Wiggins]

I missed something - pretty ambiguous on Step # 3 (time at 3:32) where to stand between the tree and the house when pointing your fist at the base of the tree. Did he intend to say 1/2 way between - or some other?

Technically, it doesn't matter. Step 4 really takes care of that. As long as you end up with your fist directly under the base of the tree and the top of the stick simultaneously aligned with the top of the tree you're in the right spot.