Abstract This paper proposes that forest stocking data are more relevant to managerial judgments if stocking is defined in units of current volume increment in relation to potential site productivity than if it is defined in the conventional units of tree size. The relation of growth to diameter is used to devise an efficient subsampling procedure to estimate growth. Then, site utilization is the ratio of current growth to potential productivity of a fully stocked stand on the same site at the same stage of development. Stand composition and structure computed from this ratio provide measures that reflect current changes in these characteristics. Finally, a summarization procedure and examples of interpretation of this new definition of stocking in terms of growth are given. With this method, when stocking objectives are being established, the economic elements in planning can be introduced independently of the silvicultural data collected in forest inventory. Thus, site utilization data from one inventory can be used to describe the condition of the forest with regard to a multitude objectives.
Albert R. Stage (Mon,) studied this question.
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