How do you find the hight of a tree

Here is a method you can use to find the height of a tree. All you need is a tape measure and a straight object:

On a sunny day stick your straight object in the ground so that it is sticking straight up. Carefully measure the height of the object above the ground.

Now measure the length of the shadow of the object.

Now measure the length of the shadow of the tree. (Don't wait too long between these steps because the sun will move and throw off your calculations.)

The ratio of the length of the object's shadow to the height of the object will be equal to the ratio of the length of the tree's shadow to the height of the tree. So you find the height of the tree, you multiply the length of the tree's shadow by the height of your straight object and then divide by the length of the shadow of the straight object.

Hope this will be of help to you

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No sun where this tree is, so no shadow

Edited by Customer (name blocked for privacy) on September 24 2006 at 2:42pm

To measure a tree's height, a hand level, clinometer, or transit is recommended. If none of these are available, you can estimate the height using a straight stick cut to the exact length of your arm. Walk away from the tree to a point where, by holding the stick vertically at arm's length, the entire tree's vertical centerline is hidden behind the stick. This method works best when you are at the same elevation as the base of the tree. Measure the distance to the base of the tree - this distance will be approximately the same as the tree's height. This is the best way to measure the height of a tree when you cannot use the above method for obtaining the height if there is no sun to cast a shadow.
I am also including a link below that can help in obtaining the height of a tree by other methods as well but think that the stick and arm method will be the most simple way of obtaining the height you are looking for.

www.bizarrelabs.com/tree.htm

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*Cheryl K* Please click the "ACCEPT" button
if my information was helpful so I get credit for my work. Bonuses and/or feedback are greatly appreciated! Click reply for more info