Fall and winter have creeped up on us once again. Don’t get sad. This is a great time of year to get out and enjoy your woods – no more bugs, cooler temperature and less foliage. It is also an excellent time to see how much your trees have grown during this phenomenal growing season that Indiana had this year. However, in order to measure your trees, you first must know the proper method for acquiring a tree’s diameter.

A tree’s diameter or most commonly referred to as DBH (diameter at breast height) is measured at 4 ½ feet from the base of the tree. Although diameter tapes are often used to measure a tree, the average landowner does not have such a tool lying around. However, another tool of the trade is a Biltmore stick, and this can be easily made from your home workshop and a scrap piece of lumber. First, you want to find a straight piece of hardwood that is free from knots or other defects. The stick should be 30 inches long, 2 inches thick and 1 ½ inches wide and beveled on the edge.

Then, sand the sides and edges of the stick smooth. The stick is then graduated on the unbeveled side according to standard Biltmore rule graduations. [To view a Biltmore rule graduations table, view the original publication online visit http://forestry.msu.edu/extension/extdocs/E2915.pdf.] Once your stick is made, you can get a tree’s diameter the following way:

1.) Hold the stick 25 inches from your eye in a horizontal position. Hold the beveled edge of the stick against the trunk of the tree at DBH.

2.) Look straight at the tree without moving your head from side to side. Adjust the stick so that the left, or zero end, is lined up with the left side of the tree.

3.) Without moving your head shift the line of sight to the right hand side of the trunk.

4.) Read the diameter on the stick nearest the point at which the line of sight crosses it (see the above listed publication for illustration on how to measure a tree.)

Now that you have successfully gotten one measurement from the tree, you will need to get a second measurement on the adjacent side where you took the first measurement. Since no tree is perfectly round, you take the two measurements and average them together – now you have your diameter (Remember, you never want to measure the tree on the down hill side.).

Now that you have created your Biltmore stick and understand the proper method to measure a tree’s diameter, you can carry your Biltmore stick with you through the woods and record tree growth. This can be a fun event for everyone in the family. You can create a tally sheet and keep track of your trees’ growth from year to year.