NORTHCASTERN FOREST EXPERIMEt'4T STATION 

r Orfl~~J~Eq~RV • l \. ' • - J ' 

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FOREST RESOURCES 

- o·F 

. · , 

FOREST SURVEY RELEASE N~ 6 

MISSOURI 

. m-(!nTiHIL H~T£S fORfST fXP£RI-ffifflT STfiTIOfi 

_:e_t]_L U .. :17Lb.....V.../L 1.£ ...19_}LLO- . 

Harold 1. Mi tch.elL llirector 

SEPTEMBER 1948 
FOREST RESODnCES 

OF 

rnssouRr 

BY 

THE FOREST -SURVEY ORGANIZATION 

at the 

Central States Forest ExperiQent Station 

R. K. Winters, Chief, Division of Forest Economics 

E. V. Roberts~ In Charge Foresi Survey 

The field work on which these statistics are based was done by 

the following men under the supervision of M. E.. Becker. 

A. E. Block P. F. Ehinger 

J. I.. Burkle E. H. Hansen 

c. R. Crowther T. J. Schmitt 

J. J. Cann R. K. Train 

E. P. Van Arsdel 

0. K. Hutchison, K. L. Q~igley, and J. E. Wiggins did the photo 

interpreting work under the direction of K. E. Noessner. The 

office compilations were made by Margaret Feirsol, Betty Q.uilligan, Nary Lou Sterner, and Florence Karinen, under the supervision of Lake Co:;:npton. G. L. Schnur prepared the volume- tables ~.and ·determinecl the · statistical accuracy of tabular figures._ Virginia Toml}.nson, A.lberta Hiatt, and Bonnie Jo Tillia LUs did 

the ptenographic work, an'd C. E . Hamm and K. \.J. -Chrise:mer --the 

drafting. · · 
FOREWORD 

The Forest Survey is a Nation-wide activity of the Forest S~rvice. The fivefold purpose of the Forest Survey is 

( l) to make· a · field invento_ry of the present supply of standing 

timber; ( 2) to ascertain the rate at which this supply is being 

increased through growth; (J) to determine the rate at which it 

is being diminished through industrial and domestic uses, windfall, fire, disease, and other causes; (4) to determine the 

present consumption and the probable future trend in requirements for forest products; and (5) to interpret and correlate 

these findings with existing and anticipated economic conditions, 

as an aid in the formulation of both private and public policies ·for use of land suitable for forest production. 

The Forest Survey is conducted in the various fores.t , 

regions by the forest experiment stations of the Forest Service. In Missouri, the project is directed by the Central 

States Forest Experiment Station with headquarters in Columbus, 

Ohio. For Survey purposes, the State has been divided into 

five principal regions based. on character of forest, topography, 

and other factors that influence tree growth. 

Survey releases have been published for each of the 

regions (Forest Survey Releases l to 5 inclusive) presenting 

the more significant statistics on forest area and timber volume. This release summarizes these data for the State as a 

whole. In some instances figures for individual forest types 

and species may not exactly equal the totals obtained by adding 

the figures in the five regional releases. This is due to the · 

fact that minor types and species were grouped differently in 

several of the regional releases and the State summary. La~er 

an analytical report for the State will be published, which 

will interpret forest area, timber volume, gr~vth, and drain 

statistics in the light of existing and anticipated economic 

conditions. This interpretation will focus attention on the 

principal forest problems and will suggest possible solutions. 

- 1 -
5CAL£-STA7UTE 41/LlS 

0 10 CO .JO 40 50 

LOCATION OF FOREST SURVEY UNITS IN MISSOURI 

·•. 

-2- . 
S IGNIFTCANT .. F AC.TS . _CONCERNING 

THE FOREST RESOURCES . OF _MISSOURI 

The forests of Nissouri occupy 15,187,000 acres or one- third of the land area of the State. The Ozark regions are most heavily ·forested; and contain more than two-thirds of the forest area. In the mountainous eastern Ozark region more than 70 percent of the area is forested and even in the less rugged western Ozark regions, forests cover more than half of the land area. In the Prairie region, forests are found on only 13 percent of the land area, and are chiefly confined to stream bottoms and the rougher portions of farms. 

Ninety percent of the commercial forest area is pri- vately owned. The Clark and the Mark Tvvain National Forests contain 8 percent of the commercial forest area and the re~ 

maining 2 percent is about equally divided between other federal and state ownerships. 

The oak-hickory forest type is prevalent throughout the State and is found on nearly two-thirds of the forest area. Shortleaf pine, usually in mixture with oaksi occurs on 7 percent of the forest area, chiefly in the Eastern Ozark region. Contrary to the impression gained in driving the ridge roads of the Ozarks 9 scrub hardwood stands, including stands of blackjack oak; occupy less than 2 percent of the forest land. 

Less than 14 percent of the forest area supports sufficient board-foot volume to be classed as saw t~mber. 

Pole-timber st~nds are found on 43 percent of the forest area, seedling and sapling stands on 32 percent, and poorly stocked stands on 12 percent. 

The volume of saw timber in the State is ll.9 · billion board feet. Nearly two-thirds of this volume is oak, with white oak and black oak the most abundant spec_ies. Short- leaf pine makes up 4 percent of the total volume. 

Nearly half of the board-foot volume occurs on the 14 percent of the forest area supporting saw-timber stands. The remaining volume is in trees of sawlog size scattered throughout stands classified as pole timber, seedling and sapling, e.nd poorly stocked. Hore than half of the board- foot volume is in trees less than 15.0 inches in diameter. 

- 3 -
The cubic volume of pole-size trees and the sawlog .portion of saw-timber trees is 4.4 billion cubic feet. The 

distribution of this volume among the species closely parallels that of thesaw-ti.m.ber volume, with the oak species 

again accounting for nearly two-thirds of the volume. More 

than half of the cubic volume is in trees less than ll. 0 

inches in diameter. 

The average saw-timber volume per acre for the State 

is 789 board feet. Saw-timber stands average 2~840 board 

feet per acre. The Ozark regions show .considerably less 

volume per acre than the Prairie and Riverborder regions. 

The average cubic-foot volume per acre of pole-size 

trees and the sawlog portion of saw-timber trees is 289 

cubic feet. Agai~ the averages for the Prairie and Riverborder regions are greater than those for the Ozark regions. 

The total cubic volume of sound VIDOd including the 

tops and limbs of hardwoods, the sound portion of cull trees, 

and trees of noncommercial species is 8.1 billion cubic feet. 

The sound wood in noncommercial species and cull trees makes 

up nearly one-third of the total cubic volume indicating the 

large proportion of the forest area occ.upied by trees of 

little present or future value. 

- 4 -

', 
• 

Table 1~--Forest and nonforest area by regions, 1947 

Total 

Regions land area 1/~ Forest area Nonforest area 

Thousand Thousand Percent Thousand Percent 

acres acres acres 

Eastern Ozark 6,174 4,488 73 1;686 27 Southwestern Ozark 5,531 3,130 57 2,401 43 Northwestern Ozark 5;059 2,603 51 2,456 49 Prairie 19,557 2,496 13 17,061 87 Riverborder 8,012 2,470 31 5,542 69 

All regions 44;333 15,187 34 29,146 66 

1/ Source: Area of the United. States 1940, u. s. Bureau of the 

Census. 

- 5 -
Table 2.--commercial forest area by ownership class, 1947 

Ownersh.ip class 

Federal: 

National forest 

Other 

Total 

St ate 

Private 

All ownerships 

Commercial f orest area 1/ 

Thous and 

acres 

1;197 

121 

1,318 

120 

13, 636 

15,074 

Per ·;ent 

7-9 

.8 

8.7 

. 8 

90.5 

100;0 

1/ Does not include 113,000 acres of fore st land cl~ssified as noncommercial. 

- 6 -
Table 3.-..:.co:mmercial forest area by forest 

type and stand-siz.e class 1 1947 

Forest Saw- Pole-: .Seedling Poorly 

type Total : timber :timber:& sapling stocked . area . . area area area : 

JVI acres Per- JVI acres 11 acres JVI acres JVI acres 

cent 

Shortleaf 

pine 226 1.5 39 119 62 6 Cedar hdwd. 492 3.3 4 188 154 146 Oak-pine 794 5.3 99 400 271 24 Oak-hickory 9~819 65.1 853 4,408 3 9647 911 White oak 1,091 7 . 2 298 643 112 38- JVIi xed hd v,rd . 662 4.4 140 196 128 198 Pin-oak flats 342 2.3 110 108 73 51 Bottomland 

hdwd. 1, 363 9.0 491 408 232 232 Scrub hdwd. 285 1.9 0 ll 103 171 

All t ypes 15 9074 2,034 6 ; 481 782 1 , 777 

Percent 100.0 13.5 43.0 31.7 11.8 

- 7 -
Table 4• -.:.saw.;.timber volum,e on com.merc.ial forest area b:z 

species and stand~size class; 1947 

Saw- Pole-:Seedling :Poorly 

Species Total timber: timber:& sapling : stocked . area : area -·: · ar~a : are e.. 

Million Percent Million ·-Million Milij_on Mill~on. 

pd. ft ~ bd. ft. bd~ ft. bd~ ft. bd . ft . 

sriortleaf pine '483 4.1 281 138 62 2 

Red cedar 52 · • 5 2 38 5 7 

Cypress 194 1;.6· 184 0 2 8 

White oak 2,5.35 21.3 1,152 768 393 222 

:Post..:oak group 11426 12.-0 404 470 407 145 

Black oak 21145 18.0 932 667 433 113 

Scarlet oak 526 4-4 222 202 81 21 

Northern red oak 443 3-7 200 147 50 46 ·other red oaks 463 3.9 291 96 50 26 

Hickory . · 698 5.9. 295 218 106 79 

Elm 821 6.9 408 125 .112 176 

Ash 170 1.4 101 47 13 9 

Sycamore 415 3.5 324 44 18 29 

Maple 287 2~4 194 40 ll 42 

dottonwo.od 419 3.5 367 22 20 10 

Black walnut 260 2.2 111 71 · 26 52 .Other hdwds 561 4.7 308 113 92 48 

All species 11,898 5~776 3,206 1,881 1 903 5 

P~rcent 100.0 48.5 27.0 15.8 8~7 

'= 8 -
Table 5.--Saw-timber volume on commercial forest area by 

species and tree-diameter class, 1947 

Species 

Shortleaf pine Red cedar 

Cypress 

vJhi te oak 

Post-oak group 

Black oak 

Scarlet oak 

Northern red oak 

Other red oaks 

Hickory 

Elm 

.Ash 

Sycamore 

I·1aple 

Cottonwood 

Black walnut 

Other hardwoods 

All species 

Percent 

Total 

Tree-diameter class 

10 1/ 12-14 : 16-18 :20 inches 

inches: inches: inches:and larger 

Milli on Million Million Million Million 

bd. ft. bd. ft. bd . ft. bd. ft. bd. ft. 

483 

52 

194 

2,535 

1,426 

2,145 526 

443 

463 

698 

821 

170 

415 

287 

419 

260 

561 

11,898 

100 

184 

25 

6 

---

215 

1.8 

219 

23 

35 

1,422 

746 

1,063 

351 

217 

170 

445 

373 

81 

60 

131 

133 

137 

291 

5,897 

49.6 

47 

4 

54 

678 

426 

562 

102 

133 

120 

155 

193 

. 55 

103 

66 

125 

98 

173 

3;094 

26.0 

33 

0 

99 

435 

254 

520 

73 

93 

173 

98 

255 

34 

252 

90 

161 

25 

97 

2,692 

22.6 

1.1 Ten-inch dia eter cla ss shown separately because in this 

diameter class, s aw-timber volume includes softwood trees; but not hardwoods. 

- 9 -
Table 6.--Cubic-foot volume on commercial forest area by 

species and stand-size class 1 1947 

Species Total 

:saw- . Pole- Seedling :Poorly :timber: timber: & sapling·stockBd 

area · area area area 

l1illion Percent I'1illi6n I'1illion 1'1illion Million 

cu. ft. cu. ft. cu. ft. cu. ft. cu. ft. 

Shortleaf pine 

Red cedar 

Cypress 

White oak 

Post-oak group 

Black oak 

Scarlet oak 

Northern red 

oak 

Other red oaks 

Hickory 

Elm 

Ash 

Sycamore 

Maple 

Cottonwood 

Black walnut 

Other hardwoods 

198.1 

49.6 

41.5 

904.2 

641.2 

763.6 

222~0 

141.1 

144.8 

342.0 

253.8 

54.6 

89.7 . 127.3 

94~5 

93.7 

195.8 

All species 4 9 357.5 

Percent 

4.5 

1.1 

1.0 

20.8 

14.7 

17.5 

5.1 

3.2 

3.3 

7.8 

5.8 

1.3 

2.1 

2.9 

2.2 

2.2 

4· 5 

100 

73.8 

1.9 

39.3 

273.2 

109.3 

199.8 

49.7 

38.7 

59.6 

96.8 

103 . 8 

25.6 

57.5 

66.5 

72.6 

26.5 

77.5 

100.4 

40.2 

0 

474.8 

350.5 

422.3 

142.9 

77.4 

67.0 

169.5 

78.1 

21.9 

14.4 

45 . 2 

17.2 

40.4 

71.4 

1,372.1 2~133.6 

31.5 49.0 

- 10 -

21.7 

3.1 

.6 

111.9 

140.9 

118.1 

24.1 

16.2 

8.9 

52.7 

34.1 

4.5 

11.3 

3.3 

3.2 

12.4 

,27 0 0 

594.0 

13 . 6 

2.2 

.4 •4 

1.6 

44.3 

40.5 

23.4 

5.3 

8.8 

9.3 

23.0 

:n. 8 2~6 

6 . 5 

12.3 

1.5 

14.4 

19.9 

5.9 
Table 7.---Cubic-foot volume on commercial forest area 

by stand-size class and tree - diameter class, . 1947 

Tree-diameter class 

Stand-size Total 6~8 10 12-14 16-18 :20 inches class inches: inches: inches: inches :& larger 

Million Million Million Million Mil\ion I'lillion 

cu. ft. cu. ft. cu. ft. cu. ft.; cu. ft. cu. ft ,. 

Saw-timber area 19372.1 211.4 214.,5 388.7 268.3 289.2 Pole-timber area 21133·6 1?040.5 561.;4 374.5 99 ;, 4 57.$ Seedling & sap- ling area 594.0 158.9 113o3 179.5 92.6 49.7 Poorly stocked. area 257·8 49-4 38.8 72.6 52.8 44·2 

All classes 4,357.5 lj460.2 928 60 19015.3 513.1 440.9 

Pei'cent 100 33.5 2L3 23.3 11 . 8 10 . 1 

- 11 -
.., 

Table 8.--Average volume per acre by stand-size 

class and region2 1947 

BOARD-FOOT VOLUME 

. . . : Sout h-: North-: 

Stand-size Total :Eastern:western:western : Prairie Riverclass . Ozark Ozark Ozark border 

Saw-timber area "' 2,840 2,280 2,615 2,428 3,179 3,473 

Pole-timber area 495 432 541 369 605 594 

Seedling & sapling area 393 438 356 "340 408 415 

Poorly stocked 582 531 398 515 724 767 

area 

All classes 789 691 635 527 ~074 1,149 

CUBIC-FOOT VOLUME 

Saw~timber area 675 580 637 546 712 824 

Pole-timber area 329 318 289 27 2 406 390 

Seedling & sapl ing area 124 154 103 108 118 117 

Poorly stocked 

area 145 145 110 106 178 191 

'·· All classes 289 . 286 227 214 352 390 

~ 1 2 -
Table 9. _:_Total cubic-foot volume of sound vmod on .corru:n.ercial 

forest area by species and class of material, 1947 

Species Total 

Saw-timber trees :Pole-

:Sawlog :Tops & :timber 

Total :portion:limbs 1/:trees 

Cull 

trees 2_/ 

Million Million Million Million Million Millio~ 

cu. ft. cu. ft. cu. ft. cu. ft. cu. ft. cu. ft. 

Shortleaf 

pine 

Red cedar 

Cypress 

\.Jhi te oak 

Post-oak 

group Black oak 

Scarlet oak . Northern red 

oak 

Other red oaks 

Hickory 

Elm. 

Ash 

Sycamore 

Maple 

Cottonwood 

Black walnut 

Other hdwds. 

Noncomm.ercial 

species Z:_/ 

200.0 

50.5 

44.2 

1,473.8 

1,335.8 

1,338.1 

362.6 

265.9 

240.2 

552.9 

579.3 

122.9 

163.8 

262.6 

157.8 

154.4 

391.1 

436.3 

103.1 

i8.3 

40.3 

703.3 

490.0 

628.3 

153.1 

123.4 

13l.h 

201.7 

234.4 

47·9 

120.3 

82.':1 

117.4 

75.0 

160.4 

86.7 

15.6 

28.9 

405.3 

277.2 

355.0 . 86.5 

71.1 

74.5 

114.3 

133.2 

27.4 

68.7 

46.6 

67.9 

42.6 

91.3 

16.4 

2.7 

11.4 

298.0 

212.8 

273.3 

66.6 

52.3 

56.9 

87.4 

101.2 

20.5 

51.6 

35.5 

49.5 

32.4 

69.1 

All species 8,132.2 3,430.4 L992.8 ~37.6 

Percent 100.0 24.5 17.7 

95.0 

31.3 

L2 

498~9 

364.0 

408.6 

135.5 

70.0 

70.3 

227.7 

120~6 

27.2 

21.0 

80.7 

26.6 

51.1 

104.5 

28.7 

1.9 

·9 

2~7 

271.6 

481.8 

301.2 

74.0 

72~5 

38~5 

123.5 

224.3 

47.8 

22.5 

99.8 

13.8 

28.3 

126.2 

436.3 

29.1 

Not· included in the cubic-foot volumes shown in Tables 6 

and 7 excepting· the 30.5 million cubic feet in tops of pine, cedar, and cypress. 

Not included in the cubic-foot volumes shown in Tables 6 and 7. 

. - 13 -
EXPLANATION OF TERJ:'fS USED 

Forest land - Land bearing forest growth or land from which 

the forest has been removed but which shows evidence 

of past forest occupancy and which is not now in other 

use. To q_ualify as forest, an area must: (1) be at 

least 100 feet wide; (2) b~ at least one acre in area; 

(3) have a sufficient number of trees to provide 10 

percent crown coverage; or (4) lacking 10 percent 

crown coverage, be likely to remain in forest use. 

Commercial forest land- Forest land bearingor capable of bearing timber of commercial character and 

economically available now or prospectively for commercial use and not withdrawn from such use. 

Nonco:wmercial fo;r'est land - Forest land not qualifying 

as commercial forest land. Tv.ro classes of forest 

area are included: (1) commercially valuable forest 

land withdravm from timber use for such purposes as 

parks, game refuges, military reservations, or reservoir protection; ano_ (2) forest land which because 

of poor growing conditions rlill not produce trees of 

commercial ~uality. 

Forest types 

Shortleaf pine - Stands in which pine trees comprise 

at least 60 percent of the dominant and codominant 

trees. 

Cedar-hardwoods - Stands in which redcedar comprises 

at least 20 percent of the dominant and codominant 

trees. 

Oak-pine Stands of pine, oaks, and other hardwoods 

in v1hich pines comprise 20-60 percent of the dominant 

and codominant trees~ 

Oak-hickory - St~nds of hardwoods in which oaks and 

hickories comprise at least 60 percent of the dominant and codominant trees. 

White oak - Stands in which white oak (Quercus alba) 

comprises at least 60 percent of the dominant and codominant trees. 

Mixed hard\~Ods - Stands of mixed hardwood 

not qualifying for other hardwood types. 

species i nclude elB, maple, ba sswood, and 

nut in mixture with oaks and hickories. 

- J4 -

species 

Principal 

black wal-
Pin~oak flats - Stands of pin oak aBd other hardwoods occurring on poorly drained flats. Associate species include soft maple; elm, hickory, and sweetgum. 

Bottomland hardwood.s - Stands on the alluvial bottoms of rivers and streams. The principal species include · sycamore, willow, elm, blackgum; sweetgum, soft maple, oaks; hickory, cottonwood, and cypress. 

Scrub hardwoocls - Stands in which scrub oak or other noncommercial tree species comprise at least 60 per- cent of the dominant and codominant trees. 

Tree classes 

Sound saw-timber tree - A coniferous ' tree at least 9.0 inches d.b.h. (diameter outside bark at 4.5 feet above ground)~ or a hardwood tree at least 11.0 inches d.b.h., wit~ a sound butt log at least 8 feet long~ or with at . least half of the gross volume of the tree in sound ma- teria 1. 

Sound nole-timber tree ..;:. A tree at least 5.0 inches d;b.h. but less than saw-timber size, which now is or gives promise of becoming a sou.nd merchantable tree. 

Cull tree - A tree that does not qualify as a sound pole-timber or saw-timber tree because of poor form, limbiness, rot, or other defect~ 

Volwne estimates 

Board-foot volume - Includes the volume of that portion of saw-timber trees merchantable for sawlogs. Volume deductions have been made for rot, crook; and other de- f~cts. Board-foot volumes are shown in the International 1/4-inch log rule, which approximates green lumber tally. 

Cubic-foot volume - Except where specifically noted; includes the volume of sound v~od inside bark iri: (1) the saw~timber portion of sound trees, (2) the 

upper stems of saw-timber-size conifers to a minimum diameter of 4 inches inside bark, and (3) the sound pole~timber trees to the same minimum top diameter. 

Stand-size class 

Saw timber - Stands having a minimum net volume of 1500 board feet per acre • 

.:;. 15 -
Pole timber - Stan~s having a net volume of less than 

1500 board _feet per acre but which are at least 10 

percent stocked vd. th pole-size and larger trees. At 

least one..:.half the minimum stocking must be in polesize trees. 

Seedlings and saplings - Stands not qualifying either 

for saw timber or pole timber but having at least 300 

seedlings and saplings of commercial species per acre. 

Poorly stocked - Commercial forest land not qualifying 

for any other cl8. ss, including denuded area. 

Species listed 

Shortleaf pine - Pinus echinata. Includes a small volume of other pines occurring in plantations. 

Redcedar- Eastern redcedar - Juniperus virginiana 

Cypress - Taxodium distichum 

White oak - Quercus alba 

Post-oak group includes: 

Post oak - Qpercus stellata 

Swamp white oak - Ruercus bicolor 

Swamp chestnut oak - Quercus prinus 

Overcup oak - Quercus lyrata . Bur oak - Quercus mac.rocarpa 

Chinquapin oak - Quercus muehlenbergii 

Black oak - Q,uerc us velu tina 

Scarlet oak - Quercus cocaine§ 

Northern red. oak - Quercus borealis 

Other red oaks include: 

Southern red oak - ~uercus falcata 

Pin oak - Quercus palustris 

Willow oak - Quercus phellos 

Water oak - Quercus nigra 

S.hingle oak - Quercus imbricaria 

Hickory - includes all species of hickory (Carya) 

Elm- includes all species of elm (Ulmus) 

Ash includes &ll species of ash (Fr~xinus) 

Sycamore - Platanus occidental is 

- 16-
Maple ...; includes all species of maple (~) 

Cottonwood .:.. Populus <ieltoides 

Black walnut .:.. Juglans nigra 

Other hardwoods - include all other commercial hard.:. ·wood species. 

Noncommercial species - include species which do not 

normally have commercial value such as blackjack oak, 

sassafras, blue beech; ironwood, alder~ redbud; and 

service berry. 

...; 17 
FORES_T _SURVEY .PROCEDURE 

The inventory of the forest resources of Missouri was 

begun in September 1946 and vms completed in September 1947. 

A sampling procedure was used involving ari office study of 

aerial P.hotographs and a field examination of randomly selected forest and nonforest plots. 

The proportiq_n of forest land by counties v,ras obtained 

by placing over each photograph a transparent template marked 

with unifor.rr;_ly spaced dots and counting the number of dots 

fa_lling on fore.st and · on nonforest areas. The percentage of 

forest dots in a county applied to the total land area gave 

a preliminary estinate of the forest acreage. 

The location of every second or third dot (depending 

on the template used) falling on forest land was marked on 

the photograph~ The acre surrounding each marked dot was 

examined under stereoscope · ano classified by stand-size class 

6n the ·basis of the height; crown width, and density of trees 

on the plot.. · 

Plots for field examination were selected from those 

photo classified as fallows: 

Saw timber - - - - - - - - - l in 5 

Pole timber- - - - -- - l in 10 .Seedling & sapling - - - - - - - l in 20 

Poorly stocked - - - - - l in 10 

In addition; eYery 50th nonforest plot was selected far field 

examination to measure the movement of nonforest land to forest. 

The locations · of tb.e selected pl·:Jts were marked on 

the photographs which were then sent to the field. Crews of 

two men each located these points on the ground and at each 

established a l/5-acre plot on which they recorded the species 1 size, condition; and growth rate of trees, and the forest 

type and site quality of plots. A field check of the photo 

interpreter's stand-size-class determination was also made. 

The field examination also provided a basis for adjusting · the preliminary estimate of forest and nonforest area. 

Approximately 196,590 d.ots were counted on the photos 

for forest area determination. Stereoscopic examinations 

were made. on · 26 ., 370 forest plots to determine stand-size 

class, and 3 9 489 plots were examined on the ground. These 

photo. and field examinations provided the basic data for 

computation of forest area and timber volu~e statistics for 

the State. 

- 18 ' -
ACCURACY OF DATA 

Forest area - Statistical analysis of the forest area 

data for the State of Missouri shows a sampling error of 

+ 0.7 percent of the total forest area or + 100;190 acres, at 

a level of one standard deviation. Tne error of estimate increases with each subdivision of the otal forest area so 

that small tabular acreages may have ia~ge errors and therefore indicate only relative ma&nitudes. 

Timber volume - The sampling error of the total boardfoot volume in the State is + 2.6 percent or + 315 million 

bo ard feet. This does not include the errors-of volume tables~ 

cull factors, or other phases of the inventory work for which 

satisfactory methods of measuring accuracy have not been developed. All phases of field work and computations were closely supervised to keep these errors at a minimum. · Ag;3.in the error 

of estimate increases with each subdivision of the total vol.;.. 

ume so that small vol-umes indicate only relative magnitudes. 

- 19 -
I 

I 

0 w " 

MISSOURI 

... 

... . 

ILLINOIS 

I 

'j . 

T. E N 

TERRITORY SERVED 

BY THE 

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0 H I 0 · 

:./ . / . 

I 

I 

L 

CENTRAL STATES FOREST .EXPERIMENT STATIO_N 

FOREST SERVICE 

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE