Certified Forester Practice Exam

In calculating basal area (BA) per acre, which of the following is true?

1. Size of individual trees must be considered

2. It requires a complex equation involving all species

3. All trees are tallied regardless of size

4. Only trees above a certain height are counted

The correct answer is: All trees are tallied regardless of size

The calculation of basal area (BA) per acre focuses on assessing the area of tree cross-sections at breast height (typically 4.5 feet off the ground) and is primarily a measure used to estimate forest density and productivity. When determining basal area, it is common practice to only include trees that meet a specified minimum diameter, usually referred to as the "minimum diameter at breast height" (DBH). While it's important to consider tree size in the calculation of basal area, the statement that "all trees are tallied regardless of size" captures a key aspect of the BA calculation procedure used at times, particularly in preliminary assessments where it may be useful to get a sense of overall tree presence without immediately discarding smaller trees. However, practical implementations typically emphasize the inclusion of significant trees that contribute to BA, often defined by a minimum size threshold for a more meaningful assessment, particularly in management contexts. Therefore, the assessment of basal area does take into account the size of trees for practical and ecological relevance, but in certain broad or preliminary assessments, the inclusion of all trees may still be emphasized to understand forest composition, hence making that option appealing depending on the context of the question.