Who
Wants to Be a Forestry Millionaire?
Created by David Oshkosh, Joan Rothe, and Paul Brulla
ï Introductionï Taskï Processï Resourcesï Evaluation/Assessmentï Conclusionï
Your great Uncle George recently died and
left you a large wooded tract of land. You want to know how much this forest is
worth. Are you now a forestry millionaire? Or, are you just a poor woodcutter?
Your goal is to determine the species, diameter, volume, and value of the trees
in your forest.
You will be working together in small groups
of four learners. Your group will be visiting an actual tract of land to
complete this webquest. You will be completing a volume sheet while you are
actively measuring your trees. When you return to your classroom, your group
will create a drawing of the location of your plot. If you collect your data
correctly, once you return to the classroom you will consult with your local
forester or lumber company so that your group will be able to determine the
value of the trees in your sample plot.
As you complete this webquest, you will
achieve the following outcomes:
- Establish
a fixed radius plot.
- Identify
the species of a tree by examining the leaves and bark.
- Measure
the diameter of the tree.
- Estimate
the merchantable length. (How much of the tree can be sold as log
material?)
- Estimate
the volume of the individual trees on the plot.
- Obtain
an estimate of the value of your standing timber.
To determine if you are a forestry
millionaire, this is the procedure to follow using groups of four:
1.
Establish the boundaries
of the fixed radius plot.
2.
Starting with one tree, identify and record the
species of the tree.
3.
Estimate the diameter of the individual tree using a tree
scale stick (For more information on
how to make an estimate, scroll down "Measuring tree Diameter").
Record the results on this blank chart.
4.
Estimate the
merchantable height of
the individual tree using a Merritt hypsometer (For more information on how to make an estimate, scroll down
"Measuring Tree Height"). Record the results.
5.
Using the diameter and
height measurements, estimate the volume using the volume
table.
6.
Determine the total volume for each species by adding together the individual
tree volumes.
7.
Contact your local
forester or lumber mill for the current price of each individual species.
8.
Calculate the current
value for the tress you measured using the value chart.
|
Measurement |
|
Tree
Identification |
|
Forester
Contacts |
|
Background
and Other Forest Information |
Evaluation/Assessment
Click here
to see an evaluation rubric.
Click here
to see the standards that were met in this webquest.
After completing this webquest, you will have
determined if you ARE a forestry millionaire!
- Which
trees in your plot were the most valuable?
- Which
trees in your plot were the least valuable?
- Which
species were your favorites? Why?
- How
could you be a forestry millionaire, even if you decided NOT to sell your
trees at this point in time? Consider the many non-monetary values of
trees to you as a human and to the environment.