How do you determine the age of a tree?
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Grace Tree
Impossible Access
That's the most accurate. Dendrochronology. Most other methods are the accurate equivalent of the "guess your weight" at the county fair.
Phil
Phil
Phil is pretty much right. The guy at the fair often has a tape hidden so he can see how tall you are and make an educated guess. Most pros can look at the height and girth of a tree and know for that species about how old it is, Joe.
If it is a tree in an urban area, you can sometimes guage the relative age by the age of the surrounding development.
In our area, where there was extensive logging at the turn of the 20th century (1900), I estimate tree age by whether the tree would have been around when the area was logged.
The easiest way to count rings is to get an increment borer, drill out a core and count the rings. When I was a timber cruiser, we used to have to do it at every sample plot.
In our area, where there was extensive logging at the turn of the 20th century (1900), I estimate tree age by whether the tree would have been around when the area was logged.
The easiest way to count rings is to get an increment borer, drill out a core and count the rings. When I was a timber cruiser, we used to have to do it at every sample plot.
tree md
Addicted to ArboristSite
I am often asked to guestimate how old a tree is by people when I am on a property. You have to keep in mind surrounding environment as well as other factors. I was really fooled on one job where I had to guess the age of a few Pin Oaks. The trees were all around 30" DBH but there was a creek nearby. I guessed the trees from 75-100 YO but when I removed them they were only 28-30 YO. With the nearby water source they were really growing fast. Some growth rings were 2" apart on them.
squad143
Tree Guy
Here is an interesting read on growth rings of trees.
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artjan02/treering.html
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artjan02/treering.html
ozzy42
Addicted to ArboristSite
Having a wide selection of seasoned citizens down here.
A lot of them tell you when a certain tree was planted,or ''It was a sapling when I moved here back in 19 and so and so'' gives us a basis on wich to make an unscientific but reasonably informed guess for the others.
Most of them I can guess within 90% of their d.o.b.
A lot of them tell you when a certain tree was planted,or ''It was a sapling when I moved here back in 19 and so and so'' gives us a basis on wich to make an unscientific but reasonably informed guess for the others.
Most of them I can guess within 90% of their d.o.b.
