FOREST GROWTH & YIELD LAB

at the University of Alberta

What is "Forest Growth & Yield"?


Historically, "growth and yield" was the branch of applied forest science involved in characterizing and forecasting the amount of timber that accumulates over time from forest stands. Today, growth and yield is vastly more comprehensive, involving the measurement, modelling, and assessment of any forest value that relates to trees. Examples include biomass, carbon, wood volume, structure, condition, quality, and value. Growth and yield is about how trees and forests are, and how they change with time. Forest models have as a foundation a strong conceptual model for how trees grow and interact to form forest stands, but are now used to assess all forest values that flow from structure and composition, like wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity. Modern growth and yield is increasingly dependent on technology, especially remote sensing methods such as LiDAR that allow for more detailed measurements in time and space than ever possible.

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