Students with Biltmore Sticks in Dry Forest

Large group of students at Santa Cruz, El Rincon (see What I Do), each with his or her Biltmore Stick (see Biltmore Stick), waiting to be divided into field crews so that they can count and measure several important tree species in the surrounding tropical dry forest. I'm the one with the Red Sox cap. [NOTE: Have no idea who took this photo. Maybe Miguel Alexiades (thx, Miguel)]? 

Pop Quiz

After everyone had finished making their Biltmore sticks (see What I Do), I had them line up and measure the diameter of a nearby oak tree. They were to measure the tree, but not tell anyone else what they got. When everyone had finished, we compared the results. Everyone was pretty nervous about this, but they (almost) all assigned the tree to the same 5 cm diameter class.

Biltmore Stick (From the Archive)

A Biltmore stick is a simple, inexpensive, and very useful tool for measuring tree heights and diameters. It does the job of a diameter tape and clinometer, at a fraction of the cost, and it can also be used to fight off snakes or clear brush during inventory operations. To function properly, the Biltmore Stick must be custom fitted to the user by first measuring his/her arm length. Based on this measurement, the appropriate height and diameter scales are inscribed on the stick. This is what is being done in the picture. The Biltmore sticks are being made by the participants in a workshop on "Sustainable Management of Oaxaca's Dry Forests" that Silvia Purata (see Alebrijes) and I gave in 2004.

Instructions for making your own Biltmore stick can be found here.

Biltmore Stick

A Biltmore stick is a simple, inexpensive, and very useful tool for measuring tree heights and diameters. It does the job of a diameter tape and clinometer, at a fraction of the cost, and it can also be used to fight off snakes or clear brush during inventory operations. To function properly, the Biltmore Stick must be custom fitted to the user by first measuring his/her arm length. Based on this measurement, the appropriate height and diameter scales are inscribed on the stick. This is what is being done in the picture. The Biltmore sticks are being made by the participants in a workshop on "Sustainable Management of Oaxaca's Dry Forests" that Silvia Purata (see Alebrijes) and I gave in 2004.

Instructions for making your own Biltmore stick can be found here.