Evaluating Timber Volume Discrepancies in Teak Plantations of the Sagarnath Forest Development Project, Nepal: A Comparative Study

Accurate forest biomass estimation, productivity, yield regulation, and carbon stock rely on precise volume prediction at both the individual tree and stand levels. This study, titled “Comparison of Standing and After-Felled Volume of Timber in Teak Plantation in the Sagarnath Forest Development Project, Nepal,” was conducted in the Sagarnath Forest Development Project (SFDP) in Sarlahi District. The primary objective of this research was to calculate the disparity in timber volume before and after harvesting in a teak forest. The ۲D felling site provided ۱۵۰ sample trees for data collection. Before felling, the diameter at breast height (DBH) of standing trees was measured using a diameter tape, tree height was measured with a range finder, and tree quality class was determined based on community forest inventory guidelines. After felling, the total length of the log, girth at the mid-length of the log, and the length and diameter of hollowness and the depth of the buttress were measured using a measuring tape. To compute timber volume before felling, the formula defined in the Community Forest Resource Inventory Guideline, ۲۰۶۱ was utilized, while the quarter-girth formula was employed to calculate timber volume after felling. The findings indicated an overestimation of ۶۹۶.۸۰ cubic feet of timber before harvesting. A ۹۵% confidence interval F-test demonstrated a significant difference in timber volume before and after felling. There was a loss of ۱۴.۵۸ cu. ft of timber volume due to hollowness in the tree, and ۸۳.۱۰ cu. ft of timber was lost due to buttresses. Likewise, a difference in volume was observed based on quality class due to inaccurate classification.

کلیدواژه ها:

Buttress ، Felling ، Hollowness ، Standing trees ، Timber volume