I 

-

~ 

forest surv~y ( ~fe~se 20 

july 1956 

FOREST 

STATISTICS 

$ ' I 

·'· 
FOREWORD 

This is a preliminary report on the forest areas and timber 

volumes in Iowa. A second more compr ehensive report i s being prepared which will contain background ma terial a nd a brief ana lysis 

of the timber situation including figures on timber growth and cut. 

These publ ications are products of the nationwide Forest 

Survey being made by the Forest Service , U. S . Department of Agriculture. The preliminary planning and a large part of the field 

work for th~ survey were done by personnel of the Central States 

Forest Experi ment Station at Columbus, Oh io . The data were analyzed and the report prepared at the Lake States F'orest Experiment 

Station at Saint Pa~l, Minnesota . 

The Forest Sur vey in Iowa was i ntensified beyond national 

standards of accuracy through the cooperation of two state agencies. 

The State Conservation Commission and the Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station furnished foresters to hel p in the fie ld inventory , 

thereby permitting the measurement of double the number of ground 

plots originally planned. Acknowledgment for this assistance is 

due to Bruce Stiles , Director of the St ate Conservation Commission; 

M.A . Ellerhoff, Supe rintendent of Forestry; Dr . George Browning, 

Associate Director of the I owa Agricultural Experiment Station ; 

and Professor George Hartman, Head of the Depa rtment of Forestry. 

Complete aerial photo coverage of t he Stat e was loaned by 

the Iowa Agricultural Stabi lizat i on Committee at Des Moines. 

Field work in Iowa was done during the period November 1953 

to August 1954. From initial planning to final compilation these 

people worked on the inventory: 

General Supervision -- R. N. Cunningham, J. T. Morga n 

Photo Interpretat ion -- K. E . Moessner , P. L. Thornton 

Field Inventory - - P. L. Thornton, J . D. Burton , A. R. Eschner, 

N. J. Hansen, K. Kuusela, M. J. Peterson, 

W. C. Ritter, D. E. Stoppel 

Statistical Computations -- L. F. Compton , C. E. Jensen 

Report -- J. T. Morgan, L. F . Compton 

Central States Forest Experiment Station, U. S . Dept. of Agriculture 

Forest Service , 111 Ol d Federal Building, Columbus 15, Ohio 

W. G. McGinnies, Director 
Forest Area . 

Ownership .• 

Forest Types 

Stand-Sizes 

Species . • 

Log Grades 

Total Volume 

State and Sectional Tabies 

Iowa - State 

Northeastern Iowa 

Southeastern Iowa 

Western Iowa 

Appendix 

Forest Survey Methods 

Accuracy of Data • • 

Explanation of Terms • 

Principal Tree Species 

CONTENTS 

Page 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

20 

30 

40 

51 

52 

53 

57 
IOWA 

lfOSSllfH WIKNl8.A60 WO/ITH MITCHCLL HOWARD 

PALOAtTO HANCOCK C'lftR060/l()(J norD 

H//JriBOl.DT t'IH/6/ff 'ftANJrllN 8UTUA 

PERCENT FOREST 

0-4 

5-9 

10-14 

15-19 

20-24 

2.5-29 

30-34 

Frontispiece.--Forest Survey Regions and percent of 

forest l and by county in Iowa. 
Forest Areas 

and 

Timber Volumes 

of IOWA 

This report contains forest area and timber volume statistics 

for the State of Iowa. The information presented here was gathered 

and compiled according to three different geographical units, the 

divisions being made on the bas~s of similar forest , soil, and economic conditions (frontispiece). So, for the benefit of those who 

might find such localized information useful, forest statistics are 

shown separately for each of these units as well as for the State 

as a whole. 

Northeastern Iowa contains most of the soils that developed 

under forest cover. In the rugged uplands around McGregor are the 

remaining stands of norther.n hardwoods and remnants of the outliers 

of northern softwood species, such as white pine and balsam fir. 

Because of its rough topogr~phy and generally shallow, rather acid 

soils, much of the land in this area has remained in forest. The 

forests occur as typical farm woodlots, which are relegated to the 

poorer ground, and on the rough breaks and bottomlands bordering 

streams. Exceptions may be found, particularly on the bluffs along 

the Mississippi River where there are fairly extensive tracts of 

continuous forest. The amount of forest land by county ranges from 

32 percent in Allamakee County to 4 percent in Benton County, which 

is well into the area of prairie soils. 
Southeastern Iowa includes the remaining soils that developed 

under forest cover, largely along streams. The soils in this region, 

partly because they are older, have been mor e affected by leach ing 

and erosion and are less suited to row crops than the rest of the 

prairie. Farming is shifting from grain to permanent pasture for 

livestock production. The forests contain fewer valuable species 

and lower volumes per acre than the rest of the State. The amount 

of forest area ranges from 26 percent in Monroe County to 6 percent 

in Webster County. Much t r ee planting has been done for windbreaks 

and to halt erosion on old fields . 

Western Iowa includes soils that are mostly of recent glacial 

origin, all of which developed under prairie vegetation . Forests 

are confined almost entirely to the watercourses. Much timber exists 

in "stringers" of trees along small drainages too narrow or small in 

area to qualify as forest land. On the loess soils of the Missouri 

River bluffs, bur oak grows in pure stands but consists mostly of 

small, scattered trees with little timber volume. Bottomland hardwoods -- cottonwood, American e l m, and silver maple -- are the 

predominant species throughout the prairie . Forest area averages 

3 percent of total land area, rising as high as 11 percent along 

the Missouri River where the bur oak forests may be increasing in 

area. 

2 
AREA 

Seven percent of Iowa's 36 million acres of land area is 

forested. All but 25 thousand acres of this 2.6 million acres of 

forest is classed as commercial forest land.!/ The State owns 23 

thousand acres on which timber cutting is restricted -- in parks 

and other recreation areas -- and the other 2 thousand acres of 

noncommercial forest are in other public ownerships. 

Table 1.--Land and forest area by section 

Total Forest area 

Section land Total Percent Commer- Noncomarea forest cial mercial 

Thousand Thousand Thousand Thousand 

acres acres acres acres 

Northeast 7,634 852 11 846 6 

Southeast 8,682 1,138 13 1,127 11 

West 19,553 630 3 622 8 

State 35,869 2,620 7 2,595 25 

!J For a definition of forest land see page 53. 

3 
More than 98 percent of the commercial forest land is 

privately owned. Farmers own more than 2 million acres -- 88 

percent of the total -- and other private owners hold 276 thousand 

acres for industrial, investment, recreation , and other uses. The 

State owns 22 thousand acres, largely in state forests, and the 

federal government owns about 13 thousand acres. Counties and 

municipalities own hardly any commer cial forest land. 

4 

Table 2.--0wnership of commercial forest land by section 

(In percent) 

Northeast Sou theast West 

Ownership State sect ion section section 

Federal 0.5 1.1 0.4 

State, county, 

municipal 1. 0 .9 1.1 0 . 5 

Farm 87.9 90 . 3 85.6 88.9 

Other private 10.6 7 . 7 12.9 10.6 

All owners 100.0 100 . 0 100.0 100.0 
FOREST TYPES 

Two forest types predominate --

the elm-ash-cottonwood, typical of 

the stream borders; and the oakhickory, typical of the uplands. 

These two types make up 87 percent 

of the commercial forest land. 

Both types include many sub-types 

and a wide range of species. The 

elm-ash-cottonwood type includes 

stands of cottonwood, American elm, 

silver maple, white ash, willow, 

boxelder, and other bottomland species. The oak-hickory type (above) 

includes other upland species such as hard maple and basswood. 

The bur oak type, found both on bottomland sites and on the 

drier "islands" in the wet prairie, occupies 8 percent of the forested 

area. This type is more common in western Iowa where it occurs on 

rough land and comprises 21 percent of the forest area . The maplebirch or northern hardwood type is insignificant in area except in 

the northeast where it occupies 8 percent of the forest land. This 

type contains some of the best species, such as northern red oak and 

basswood. The hardwood-redcedar type, including pure stands of eastern redcedar on dry sites, occurs throughout the State and is considered a sub-type of oak-hickory. Aspen-birch is a very minor type in 

Iowa, confined almost entirely to the northeastern part of the State. 

Table 3.--Forest area by forest types and section 

(In percent) 

Northeast· Southeast West Forest type State section section section 

Oak types 49 49 55 39 

Elm-ash-cottonwood 47 41 45 59 

Maple-birch and aspen 4 10 2 

All types 100 100 100 100 

5 
STAND - SIZES 

A little less than 40 percent of the commercial forest area 

bears sawtimber stands which contain 1,500 or more board-feet per 

acre of merchantable sawlog material. Three-fourths of this sawtimber acreage is in large sawtimber stands (above), i.e. more than 

half of the volume is in trees 15 inches or larger in diameter. 

Poletimber stands occupy 32 percent of the forest area; seedling 

and sapling stands 11 percent. More than 18 percent (472 thousand 

acres) is in ncmstocked stands, which have little or no volume at 

present and little prospect for much in the future unless protected 

from grazing. 

Table 4 . --Forest area by stand-size classes and section 

(In percent) 

Northeast Southeast West Stand-size class State section section section 

'Large sawtimber 29 37 20 33 

Small sawtimber 10 16 9 6 

Poletimber 32 29 35 30 

Seedlings & saplings 

and nonstocked 29 18 36 31 

All classes 100 100 100 100 

6 
SPECIES 

The total sawtimber volume in Iowa is 5.1 billion board-feet. 

Two-thirds of it is in large sawtimber stands, about one-sixth is 

in small sawtimber stands, and about one-tenth is in poletimber . 

stands. The sawtimber volume is dispersed among a great variety of 

species, some much more valuable than others. American elm, a soft 

hardwood species with few present uses, accounts for 15 percent of 

the volume. Next is cottonwood, a more favored tree, with 12 percent. 

The elm-ash-cottonwood type contains 56 percent of all sawtimber 

volume. Northern red oak and white oak, two of the best hardwood 

species, each have 10 percent of the volume, and silver maple has 9 

percent. 

Table 5.--Sawtimber volume, by species and section 

(In percent) 

Northeast Southeast West Species State section section section 

Oaks 32 36 38 20 

Elms 21 19 23 23 

Cottonwood 12 8 7 24 

Maple 11 10 12 12 

Basswood 7 8 5 6 

Walnut 4 4 4 3 

Other 13 15 11 12 

All species 100 100 100 100 

7 
The board-foot volume is well distributed among tree-size 

classes. Seventy percent is in trees 15 inches or larger in d.b.h., 

including 40 percent in trees 19 inches and larger. Despite the 

volume in the larger diameter classes, only 31 percent of the sawlog 

volume is in grade 1 and 2 logs which provide most of the clear 

material needed by the hardwood industries. The oaks in general 

run heavily to low-grade logs. On the other hand, cottonwood, black 

walnut, and American elm contain more high-grade volume than the 

average. 

8 

Table 6.--Sawtimber volume by log grade and section 

(In percent) 

Log grade State Northeast Southeast West 

section section sect ion 

No. 1 12 8 10 17 

No. 2 19 16 19 26 

No. 3 and tie & 

timber logs 69 76 71 57 

Total 100 100 100 100 
TOTAL VOLUME 

The sawtimber stands average 4,230 board-feet per acre, 

while the average for all stands is a little less than 2,000 boardfeet. With a reasonable degree of management these average volumes 

could be greatly increased -- probably doubled. Stand composition 

could benefit by the removal of overmature, poor-quality, and cull 

trees. 

Table 7.--Volume per acre by section 

Class of material State Northeast Southeast West 

section section section 

Sawtimber 

(board-feet) 1,962 2,530 1,441 2,135 

All growing stock 

(cubic feet) 533 667 420 554 

The total growing stock volume in Iowa is 1,382 million 

cubic feet. Seventy-six percent of it is in sawtimber trees; 24 

percent is in poletimber trees. The average volume per acre is 533 

cubic feet. In addition to the growing stock, there is an average 

of 233 cubic feet, or about 3 1/2 cords of sound wood in cull trees 

and the limbs of sawtimber trees per forest acre. The volume of 

such wood in sawtimber stands averages much higher. 

9 
STATE AND SECTIONAL TABLES 

IOWA - STATE 

Table 8 . --Forest a nd nonfor est area by county, 1954 

Region 

Northeastern 

Southeastern 

Western 

State 

Total 

land a r ea!/ 

Thousand 

acres 

7,634 

8,682 

19,553 

35,869 

Forest area Nonf orest area 

Thousand Percent Thousand Percent 

acres acres 

852 11 6,782 89 

1,138 13 7,544 87 

630 3 18,923 97 

2,620 7 33,249 93 

!./ Source: Area of the Un i ted States, 1950 . United States 

Bureau of the Census . Does not i nclude areas listed as inland water. 

10 
IOWA - STATE 

Table 9.--Commercial forest area by ownership class, 1954 

Ownership class 

Fede':ral: 

Nat.ional ·Forest 

Indian 

Other 

Total federal 

State 

County and Municipal 

Private: · 

Farm 

Industrial and other 

Total private 

All ownerships 

Commercial forest area!/ 

Thousand 

acres 

3 

1 

9 

13 

22 

2 

2,282 

276 

2,558 

2,595 

Percent 

0.1 

<Y> ... 4 

.5 

.9 

.1 

87.9 

10.6 

98.5 

100.0 

iJ Does not include 1,000 acres of forest land in 

federal · ownership, 23,000 acres in State ownership, and 

1,000 acres in county and municipal ownership which are 

reserved from commercial timber use. 

~ Less than 0.05 percent. 

11 
IOWA - STATE 

Table 10.--Commercial forest a rea b y forest type and 

stand-size class, 1954 

(In thousands of acres) 

Large Small : Pole-: Seedling 

Total :sawtimber:sawtimber:timber:& sapling 

: stands : stands :stands: stands!] 

Forest type 

Elm-ash-cottonwood 

Oak-hickory , . 

Bur oak 

Maple-birch 

Hardwood-redcedar 

Aspen-birch 

All types 

Percent 

1,219 

1,036 

202 

78 

40 

20 

2,595 

100.0 

Percent 

4 7 . 0 444 

39 . 9 220 

7 . 8 30 

3 . 0 44 

1.5 

.8 

100. 0 738 

28.4 

!./ Includes nonstocked and' other areas. 

12 

100 ' 323 352 

131 385 300 

13 78 81 

19 10 5 

24 16 

5 10 5 

268 830 759 

10.3 32.0 29.3 
IOWA - STATE 

Table 11.--Sawtimber volume on commercial forest area by species 

and stand-size class, 1954 

Species 

Eastern redcedar 

Black ash 

American elm 

Slippery elm 

Aspen 

Cottonwood 

Basswood 

Silver maple 

Sycamore 

Boxelder 

Butternut 

Black cherry 

Hackberry 

Willow 

Other soft hardwoods 

White oak 

Bur oak 

Other white oaks 

Black oak 

Northern red oak 

Other red oaks 

Hickory 

White ash 

Sugar maple 

River birch 

Black walnut 

Other hard hardwoods 

All species 

Percent 

(In million board-feet) 

Total 

6 

39 

742 

330 

15 

601 

342 

462 

9 

23 

23 

23 

29 

130 

11 

504 

360 

23 

96 

532 

135 

155 

161 

98 

37 

193 

13 

5,092 

100.0 

Percent 

0.1 

.8 

14 . 6 

6.5 

.3 

11.8 

6.7 

9.1 

.2 

.4 

.4 

.4 

. 6 

2.6 

.2 

9:9 

7 . 1 

.4 

1. 9 

10 .4 

2.7 

3.0 

3.2 

1. 9 

.7 

3.8 

. 3 

100.0 

Large Small : Pole-: Seedling 

:sawtimber:sawtimber:timber:& sapling 

: stands : stands :stands: stands!] 

34 

469 

239 

1 

527 

256 

375 

9 

11 

15 

10 

24 

36 

8 

253 

196 

16 

33 

378 

73 

52 

116 

85 

33 

100 

2 

3,351 

65.8 

1 

4 

92 

50 

14 

48 

37 

73 

3 

6 

5 

4 

31 

2 

141 

65 

6 

49 

108 

27 

48 

21 

9 

1 

61 

906 

17.8 

2 

1 

99 

29 

19 

25 

12 

5 

1 

4 

1 

34 

1 

66 

59 

1 

6 

38 

17 

39 

2 

1 

3 

23 

9 

497 

9.8 

3 

82 

12 

7 

24 

2 

4 

1 

4 

29 

44 

40 

8 

8 

18 

16 

22 

3 

9 

2 

338 

6.6 

[/ Includes the volume on nonstocked and other areas. 

13 
"Ill 

IOWA - STATE 

Table 12.--Sawtimber volume on commercial forest area by species and tree-diameter class, 1954 

(In million board-feet) 

I-' 

,)>. : : Tree-diameter class (inches) Species Total 12-14 : 16-18 : 20-22 : 24-26 : 28-30 : 32+ 

Eastern redcedar 6 y6 

Black ash 39 11 21 7 

American elm 742 182 228 158 83 30 61 

Slippery elm 330 103 113 61 14 39 

Aspen 15 11 . 4 

Cottonwood 601 53 85 89 110 95 169 

Basswood 342 99 135 76 15 · 7 10 

Silver maple 462 86 124 142 61 24 25 

Sycamore 9 -- -- -- -- 9 

Boxelder 23 15 6 -- 2 

Butternut 23 11 10 2 

Black cherry 23 17 6 

Hackberry 29 9 7 2 4 7 

Willow 130 75 38. 5 12 

Other soft hardwoods 11 6 5 

White oak 504 198 166 85 24 24 7 

Bur oak 360 137 106 56 37 19 5 

Other white oaks 23 7 7 2 -- 7 

Black oak 96 33 33 18 -- 12 

Northern red oak 532 147 174 124 . 54 16 17 

Other red oaks 135 51 31 22 23 -- 8 

Hickory 155 108 43 4 

White ash 161 46 34 26 8 47 

Sugar maple 98 35 26 18 . 9 10 

River birch 37 6 13 7 11 

Black walnut 193 85 76 23 9 

Other hard hardwoods 13 3 10 

All species 5,092 Y1,540 1,501 927 476 346 302 

Percent 100.0 30.2 29.5 18.2 9.4 6.8 5.9 

v Includes 10-inch softwood sawtimber. 
f-"' 

U1 

IOWA - STATE 

Table 13.--Hardwood sawtimber volume by species group and log grade, 1954 

Species group 

Total 

volume Log grade 1 : Log grade 2 Log grade 3 

Tie and 

timber 

grade 

Million Million Percent Million Percent Million Percent Million Percent 

American elm 

Cottonwood 

Silver maple 

White oaks!./ 

Bur oak 

Red oaks 

Hickory 

Black walnut 

Other hardwoods 

All hardwoods 

boardfeet 

1,072 

601 

462 

527 

360 

763 

155 

193 

953 

5,086 

board-

_.__ 

feet147 

172 

44 

27 

25 

32 

137 

584 

1.4 

29 

9; 

5 

3 

17 

14 

12 

boardfeet 

214 

118 

74 

116 

78 

86 

8 

53 

234 

981 

!] Includes all white oaks except bur oak. 

20 

19 . 

16 

22 

22 

11 

5 

27 

25 

19 

boardfeet 

414 

167 

156 

159 

51 

289 

75 

97 

317 

1,725 

38 

28 

34 

30 

14 

38 

49 

50 

33 

34 

boardfeet 

297 

144 

188 

225 

231 

363 

72 

11 

265 

1,796 

28 

24 

41 

43 

64 

48 

46 

6 

28 

35 
IOWA - STATE 

Table 14.--Total cubic volume of sound material on commercial forest 

area by species and class of material, 1954 

( I n million cubic feet) 

Growing stock Other material 

Total :Sawtimber trees:Pole-: :Cull :Hardwood 

Species sound :Total: Sawlog :Upper :tim- :Tota1:trys: limbs 

material. :portion :stemY: ber . 

. . 2 . . . ~ 

Eastern redcedar 3.8 3.8 1.0 0.2 2.6 

Black ash 13.1 11.4 6.4 1.4 3.6 1. 7 0.6 1.1 

American elm 321.9 206.6 115 . l 45.4 46.1 115.3 45.1 70.2 

Slippery elm 125.7 88.2 51.0 16.3 ' 20.9 37.5 16.5 21.0 

Aspen 17.2 15.0 2.7 .6 11. 7 2.2 1. 7 .5 

Cottonwood 154.1 120.4 92.2 23.3 4.9 33.7 2.9 30.8 

Basswood 111.3 83.0 55.0 15.6 12.4 28.3 12.6 15.7 

Silver maple 183.7 113.9 71.0 21.1 21.8 69.8 36.3 33.5 

Sycamore 2.2 1. 7 1.4 .3 <!/> .5 .5 

Hackberry 13.6 9.9 4.4 1.5 4.P . 3. 7 2.2 1.5 

Willow 90.0 61. 9 22.6 8.2 31.1 28.1 18.4 9 . 7 

Other soft hardwoods 60.7 25.6 12.8 4.9 7.9 35.1 24.6 10.5 

White oak 167.6 132.5 76.1 24.9 . 31.5 35 . l 11.5 23.6 

Other white oaks 177.6 112.2 60.0 23.3 28.9 65.4 37.4 28.0 

Northern red oak 166.0 126.8 84.3 24.5 18.o . 39.2 13.6 25.6 

Other red oaks SS.4 65.6 36.9 12.0 16.7 32.8 19.5 13.3 

Hickory 78.3 63.6 24 . 1 7 . 7 31.8 14 .7 9.5 5.2 

White ash 60.1 45.5 25 . 3 8.6 11.6 14.6 5.4 9.2 

Sugar maple 38.8 24.9 15 . 1 5 . 0 4.8 13.9 6.9 7.0 

Black walnut 70.7 52.8 31.6 9.7 11.5 17.9 9.5 8.4 

Other hard hardwoods 29.2 16.7 8.1 2.5 6.1 12.5 8.2 4.3 

Noncommercial 2.5 2.5 2.5 

All species 1,986.5 1,382.0 797.1 257 . 0 327 .9 604.5 284.9 319.6 

1/ Central stem between sawlog merchantable top and a point with a 

minimum diameter of 4 inches inside bark . 

'5:.J Sound bole volume only. 

~ Limbs of both merchantable and cull hardwood trees of sawtimber 

size, to a minimum diameter of 4 . 0 inches inside bark . 

!/ Less than 0.05 million cubic feet. 

16 
IOWA - STATE 

Table 15.--Cubic volume of growing stock on commercial forest 

area by species and stand-size class, 1954 

(In million cubic feet) 

Large Small :Pole- : Seedling 

Species Total :sawtimber: sawtimber:timber:& sapli!J 

: stands : stands :stands: standsl 

Percent 

Eastern redcedar 3.8 0.3 <Y> 0.3 2.3 1.2 

Black ash 11.4 .8 9.2 1.5 .4 .3 

American elm 206.6 15.0 113.7 27.8 44.2 20.9 

Slippery elm 88.2 6.4 52.9 13.2 18.2 3.9 

Aspen 15.0 1.1 1. 7 9.0 4.3 

Cottonwood 120.4 8.7 100.6 13.7 3,9 2.2 

Basswood 83.0 6.0 58.9 10.2 8.7 5.2 

Silver maple 113.9 8.2 82.8 23.3 7.1 .7 

Sycamore 1.7 .1 1. 7 

Hackberry 9.9 .7 6.3 1.2 2.2 .2 

Willow 61.9 4.5 12.0 10. 4 31.9 7.6 

Other soft hardwoods 25.6 1.9 11.3 6.2 5.2 2.9 

White oak 132.5 9.6 55 . 0 36.0 31.0 10.5 

Other white oaks 112.2 8.1 48.9 21.6 31. 3 10.4 

Northern red oak 126.8 9.2 78.0 30.3 16.6 1.9 

Other red oaks 65.6 4.7 23.2 18 . 9 17.2 6.3 

Hickory 63.6 4.6 17 . 5 15 . 2 25.1 5.8 

White ash 4 5 . 5 3.3 28.7 8 .4 3.4 5.0 

Sugar maple 24 .9 1.8 19 . 1 4. 2 .9 .7 

Black walnut 52 . 8 3 . 8 23.6 15 .4 11.1 2.7 

Other hard hardwoods 16 . 7 1. 2 9.0 .5 6.1 1.1 

All species 1,382 . 0 100 . 0 754.1 26 7.3 271.1 89.5 

Percent 100.0 54 . 6 19. 3 19.6 6.5 

ii Includes the volume on ncx1stocked and other areas. 

y Less than 0.05 million cubic feet. 

17 
IOWA - STATE 

Table 16.--Cubic volume of growing stock on commercial forest area 

by tree-diameter class and stand-size class, 1954 

(In million cubic feet) 

Tree-diameter: Stand-size class 

class Large : Small :p 1 t " b : Seedling : All classes 

(inches) sawtimber:sawtimber o e 1m er y : :& sapling : 

Percent 

6 9.2 5 . 3 38.8 4.0 57 . 3 4.1 

8 20.2 19.2 54.6 5.1 99 . 1 7.2 

10 51.0 49 . 0 66 . 4 5.4 171.8 12.4 

12 58.8 65 . 0 33.5 9.7 167.0 12.1 

14 65.6 65 . 4 29.5 16.0 176 . 5 12.8 

16 104.7 29 . 1 16 . 1 14.3 164 . 2 11.9 

18 103.9 19 . 3 11.6 6.8 141.6 10.2 

20+ 340.7 15 . 0 20 . 6 28.2 404.5 29.3 

All classes 754.l 267 . 3 271.1 89.5 1,382.0 100.0 

"!,/ Includes volume on nonstocked and other areas. 

18 
IOWA - STATE 

Table 17.--Average volume per acre by stand-size class, 1954 

Stand-size class Average volume per acre 

Board-feet Cubic feet!/ 

Large sawtimber stands 4,541 1,021. 8 r"""". , ..•• , .• __ .. _. . ...... ,. ......... . 

~ . . Small ~awtJmber stands 3,',f77 ,·< '.g97. 4 

Poletilllber stands 600 . . 3.26 .6 '. 

'· i 

44'5 U7.9 

,J .• 

Seedl{ng and _sapling stands~ 

1,962 532.6 < 

l/ · Growing stock only. 

y ·· Includes volume on nonstocked and other 1 areas. 

19 
NORTHEASTERN IOWA 

Table 18.--Forest and nonforest area by county, 1954 

County Total 

land area.!/'. Forest area Nonforest area 

. Thousand Thousand Percent Thousand Percent 

acres acres acres 

G==.::...:. .~:-.u:-l:.:':~""'.."~:~:.:.c;-,:;:,-.~:;::.::..~~~~ .. ;-:_·c_ '"'""':'S."":~~-:-~: ... ·--::~ ::.-.:~:~:· ""'"["''":. -~- ... 

Allamake~ 409 132 32 ' 277 68 )f~ 

Benton \K~ 460 20 4 440 96 \'i 

Buchanan!) 364 17 5 . 347 95 ,, Cedar /i 374 23 6 351 94 

Claytonf 498 120 24 ' 378 76 

Clinton \ 445 30 7 415 93 

Delaware "' ;'. 367 27 7 340 93 

Dubuque \\ 389 56 ··· -· :·:: 14 333 86 

Fayette 1:;> 466 38 ' 8 428 92 

Iowa 374 30 .. ' 8 344 92 " 

Jackson 412 82 -20 · ' ·330 80 

'' Johnson 397 41 l1· ., 10 356 90 

Jones 374 42 11 332 89 

Linn 456 46 10 .410 90 

Muscatine 281 30 11 251 89 

Poweshiek 377 17 5 .360 95 

Scott 290 15 5 275 95 

Tama ' 46i: ' 30 7 431 93 

Winneshiek 440 56 13 384 87 

All counties 7,634 852 11 6,782 89 

'£/ Source: Area of the United States, 1950. U. s. Bureau of the 

Census. Does not include areas listed as inland water. 

20 
NORTHEASTERN IOWA 

Table 19 . --Commercial forest area by ownership class , 1954 

Ownership class Commer cial forest area.!/ 

Thousand 

acres 

Percent 

Fede {~ r::::" ::-;:.:-:::.::L'.:Lc::r.:;; •::·:.;;;x:.·:.;:::···;:;2.cc;· ·::'2":c.:: ... •: ,;-, ·7.,.,. ··. 

Na t'ional forest '•<'.\ 

Inct ~;i n 

othn r 

'1-\,otal federal 

State 

County a n d Municipal 

Private : 

Farm 

Industrial and other 

Total private 

All ownerships 

1 

8 

9 

829 

846 

0.1 

1.0 

1.1 

.8 

.1 

90.3 

7.7 

98.0 

100.0 

!./ Does not include 1,000 acres of forest land in 

federal ownership and 5,000 acres in State ownership which 

are reserved from commercial timber use . 

21 
NORTHEASTERN I OWA 

Table 20.--Commercial forest area by forest type and 

stand-size class, 1954 

Forest type 

r\:.::.~"""'!,.";_ ~::..:::_: .. __ •• : 

~.:--

Elm -ash o t ton wood 

Oak-hick9~y 

Bur oak C; 

Maple-bi:fch 

Hardwood-~edcedar 

Aspen-hire~ 

All types 

Percent 

. ·--···-

(In thousands of acres) 

Large Small : Pole-: Seedling 

Total : sawtimber:sawtimber:timber:& sapling 

: stands : stands :stands: stands!] 

' . -~ 

346 

364 

36 

66 

19 

15 

846 

100.0 

Per~ ent 

40.9 

43.0 

4.3 

7.8 

2.2 

1. 8 

100.0 

168 

105 

2 

34 

309 

36.5 

22 83 73 

87 121 51 

2 15 17 

17 10 5 

9 10 

5 10 

133 248 156 

15.8 29.3 1 8.4 

jJ Includes nonstocked and other areas. 

22 
NORTHEASTERN IOWA 

Table 21.--Sawtimber volume on commercial forest area by species 

and stand-size class, 1954 

(In million board-feet) 

Large Small : Pole-: Seedl ' ng 

Species Total :sawtimber:sawtimber:timber:& sapling 

: stands . stands :stands: stands~ 

[~:::!'-·:·,":,=::::s1ric;::"1;:,~ .. :::;::. :.::-:::J?e r:cent::~ ·· -: :.<:<:.:. c: -_ 

h 

Eastern redceda r 3 0.1 

Black ash d 28 1.3 23 

American elm if 

Slippery elm ~-

Aspen \\ ",\ Cottonwood ;, 

Basswood 

Silver maple 

Sycamore 

Boxelder 

Butternut 

Black cherry 

Hackberry 

Willow 

Other soft hardwoods 

White oak 

Bur oak 

Other white oaks 

Black oak 

Northern red oak 

Other red oaks 

Hickory 

White ash 

Sugar maple 

River birch 

Black walnut 

Other hard hardwoods 

All species 

Percent 

252 

144 

15 

166 

181 

145 

9 

11 

22 

18 

8 

42 

l 

219 

79 

11 

75 

290 

96 

79 

68 

71 

16 

86 

5 

2,140 

100.0 

11.8 

6.7 

.7 

7 . 8 

8.5 

6.8 

.4 

.5 

1.0 

.8 

.4 

2.0 

.1 

10.2 

3 . 7 

. 5 

3.5 

13.6 

4.5 

3.7 

3.2 

3.3 

.7 

4.0 

• 2 

100.0 

172 

122 

l 

156 

129 ; . ' 

134 

9 · 

7 

15 

8 

6 

13 

.. 105 

36 

11 

23 

192 

60 

21 

55 

64 

14 

36 

1,412 

66.0 

l 

-4 

: ·44 

!-· 18 

14 

,, 4 

.· _31 ' 

2 

l 

6 

5 

2 

7£? . 19 

48 

73 

19 

26 

3 

7 

35 

438 

20.5 

···· · 

~ Includes the volume on nonstocked and other areas. 

~ Less than 0.5 million board-feet. 

1 

29 

3 

6 

20 

9 

· 3 

Y. 

3 

7 

1 

32 

11 

4 

17 

11 

19 

2 

y 

2 

12 

5 

197 

9.2 

2 

7 

l 

1 

l 

2 

22 

6 

13 

8 

6 

13 

8 

3 

93 

4.3 

23 
NORTHEASTERN IOWA 

Table 22.--Sawtimber volume on commercial forest area by species and tree-diameter class, 1954 

(In million board-feet) 

N 

~ 

: : Tree-diameter class (inches) Species Total 12-14 . . 16-18 : :· , 0-:?2~,.1,:l~. :::,:r;1 24 -26 : 28-30 : 32+ 

14 

~13 :1 Eastern redcedar 3 ~~ 

-- -- •' 

Black ri ash 28 7 14 7 ~ " j 

American elm 252 69 82 50 ;i 26 -- 25 

Slippery elm 144 40 42 32 r; 12 18 JJ 

Aspen 15 11 4 -- I> 

~ .• 

Cottonwood 166 7 26 16 i 33 54 30 

Basswood 181 62 64 40 •i 5 -- 10 ,, 

Silver maple 145 13 40 26 ,

1 31 10 25 

Sycamore 9 -- -- -- ~ -- 9 

Box elder 11 7 4 

Butternut 22 10 10 2 j \ 

Black cherry 18 14 4 

Hackberry 8 6 2 

Willow 42 24 10 -- 8 

Other soft hardwoods 1 1 

White oak 219 102 77 25 11 4 

Bur oak 79 33 21 18 5 2 

Other white oaks 11 2 2 -- -- 7 

Black oak 75 31 30 14 

Northern red oak 290 87 97 74 21 11 

Other red oaks 96 40 27 19 2 -- 8 

Hickory 79 54 25 

White ash 68 21 15 5 -- 27 

Sugar maple 71 28 15 12 6 10 

River birch 16 1 5 2 8 

Black walnut 86 44 28 9 5 

Other hard hardwoods 5 -- 5 

All species 2,140 lj717 649 351 173 152 98 

Percent 100 . 0 33 . 5 30.3 16 . 4 8 . 1 7.1 4 . 6 

~/ Includes 10-inch softwood sawtimber. 
l:'V 

(Jl 

NORTHEASTERN IOWA 

Table 23.--Hardwood sawtimber volume by species group and log grade, 1954 

.:Y .f ;:.c\'. ··-. : ~ •• :""' "'r''~ ; Tie and 

Total . ,.. 1, 

Species group : 1 : Log grade 1 .. : ··Log grade 2 : Lo gi grade 3 : timber ~u~ 0 d r-i : gra e 

Million Million Percent Million Percent Mil1ibn Percent Million Percent 

board- board- board- boartl- board- --- feet feet feet feet; feet --.· ;: 

American elm 396 40 10 67 17 l 7~l 44 113 29 

Cottonwood 166 32 19 15 9 631 38 56 34 I' 

Silver maple 145 , 21 15 22 15 7-!J 51 28 19 

White oaks.!/ 230 ;, 8 4 53 23 60; 26 109 47 

Bur oak 79 -- -- 13 16 u~ : 23 48 61 

Red oaks 461 3 1 42 9 18~ 40 232 50 

Hickory 79 -- -- 4 5 4()\ 51 35 44 

Black walnut 86 8 9 29 34 41 48 8 9 

Other hardwoods 495 69 14 94 19 193 39 139 28 

1 

i 

All hardwoods 2,137 181 · 8 339 16 849 40 768 36 

!/ Includes all white oak~ except bur oak. 
NORTHEASTERN IOWA 

Table 24.--Total cubic volume of sound material on commercial forest 

area by species and c l ass of material, 1954 

(In million cubic feet) 

Growing stock Other material 

Total :Cull :Hardwood Species sound : . :Total: Sawlog : Upper : tim- :Total:trees: 

material 1 / 0 / 

: : : portion : stem~ : ber : ~ : 

rl 

American elm 

i f 

Slippery el'.m 

\ 

Aspen 

Cottonwood ,. 

Basswood 

Silver maple·' 

Sycamore 

Hackberry 

Willow 

Other soft hardwoods 

White oak 

Other white oaks 

Northern red oak 

Other red oaks 

Hickory 

White ash 

Sugar maple 

Black walnut 

Other hard hardwoods 

Noncommercial 

2.1 

9.1 

101.3 

44.3 

17.0 

42.3 

58.2 

53.5 

2.2 

3.1 

20.2 

28.7 

71. 7 

42.8 

90.1 

58.1 

31.6 .. 

23.1 

29 . 5 

30.6 

10.2 

.5 

2.1 

7.9 

70.l 

34.8 

14 . 8 

32.0 

46.5 

33 .4 

1. 7 

2 . 2 

11. 7 

16 . 5 

57.2 

27 . 7 

69 . 2 

42.2 

.27.9 

18 .2 

18.2 

22.9 

7 .2 

0.5 

4.5 

39.3 

22.2 

2.7 

25.4 

29.3 

21.9 

1.4 

1. 3 

7.2 

8.6 

33.5 

14.0 

46.3 

27 . 7 

12.4 

10.8 

11.0 

14.1 

3.3 

0.1 

1.0 

14.7 

6.6 

.6 

6.2 

7,7 

6.0 

.3 

.5 

3.1 

3.0 

10.7 

5.6 

12.7 

8.5 

3.8 

3.1 

3.6 

4.4 

.9 

1.5 

2.4 

16.1 

6.0 

11.5 

.4 

9.5 

5.5 

<'!./> 

.4 

1.4 

4.9 

13 . 0 

8.1 

10 .2 

6.0 

11.7 

4.3 

3.6 

4.4 

3.0 

1.2 

31.2 

9.5 

2-. 2 

10.3 

11. 7 

20.1 

.5 

.9 

8.5 

12.2 

14.5 

15.1 

20.9 

15.9 

3.7 

4.9 

11.3 

7.7 

3.0 

.5 

0.4 

10.6 

2.7 

1. 7 

1.5 

4.7 

9.0 

.6 

4.7 

7.9 

4.9 

7.6 

7.1 

7.9 

1. 3 

1.5 

5.9 

4.1 

1.4 

.5 

limbs 

y_ 

0.8 

20.6 

6.8 

. 5 

8.8 

7 . 0 

11.1 

.5 

.3 

3.8 

4.3 

9.6 

7.5 

13.8 

8.0 

2.4 

3.4 

5.4 

3.6 

1.6 

All species 770.2 564.4 337.4 103.1 123.9 205.8 86.0 119.8 

"!/ Central stem between sawlog merchantable top and a point with a 

minimum diameter o:f 4 inches inside bark. 

'Y_ Sound bole volume only. 

~ Limbs of both merchantable and cull hardwood trees of sawtimber 

size, to a minimum diameter of 4.0 inches inside bark. 

'!} Less than 0.05 mi l lion cubic feet. 

26 
' 

NORTHEASTERN IOWA 

Table 25.--Cubic volume of growing stock on commercial forest 

area by species and stand-size class, 1954 

(In million cubic feet) 

Large Small :Pole- . . Seedling 

Species Total :sawtimber:sawtimber:timber:& sapling 

: stands : stands :stands: stands!Z 

'7{·:~ :. -::;:· --=~ ::;:: ~--.::"!" . 

Pe;rceI.l_t 

<~\ 

Eastern redcecl.ar 2.1 0.4 <Y> 0.1 1.0 1.0 

Black ash 7.9 1.4 6.0 1.5 .4 

American elm .· 

l_. 70 . 1 12.4 42.0 :14.3 12.0 1. 8 

Slippery elm '. 34 . 8 6.2 25.8 5.4 3.1 .5 

Aspen 14.8 2.6 1. 7 9.0 4.1 

Cottonwood 32.0 5.7 29.6 .8 1.2 .4 

Basswood 46.5 8.2 31.0 8.9 6.4 .. • 2 

Silver maple 33.4 5.9 29.8 .7 2.9 

Sycamore 1.7 .3 1. 7 

Hackberry 2.2 .4 1. 9 .3 

Willow 11. 7 2.1 3.5 3.0 5.2 

Other soft hardwoods 16.5 2.9 7.9 4.3 3.2 1.1 

White oak 57.2 10.l 24.0 20.9 10.7 1.6 

Other white oaks 27.7 4.9 11.5 5.0 7.5 3.7 

Northern red oak 69.2 12.3 39.0 22.1 6.3 1.8 

Other red oaks 42.2 7.5 18.4 15.8 '6,7 1.3 

Hickory 27.9 4.9 - 6.4 7.6 10.3 3.6 

White ash 18.2 3.2 13.7 1.8 1.1 1.6 

Sugar maple 18.2 3.2 13.8 3.6 .8 

Black walnut 22.9 4.1 8.6 9.3 4.3 .7 

Other hard hardwoods 7.2 1.3 3 . 2 .2 3.7 .1 

All species 564.4 100.0 319.5 131.6 88.7 24.6 

Percent 100.0 56.6 23.3 15.7 4.4 

ij Includes the volume on nonstocked and other areas. 

y Less than 0.05 million cubic feet. 

27 
NORTHEASTERN IOWA 

Table 26 . --Cubic volume of growing stock on commercial forest area 

by tree-di ameter class a nd stand-size class, 1954 

Tree-diameter: 

class 

(inches) 

6 

8 

10 ;.., 

12 r· 

14 

16 ·.·i 

18 

20+ 

All classes 

(In million cubic feet) 

Stand-size class 

Large Small : Poletimber = Seedling : All classes 

sawtimber: sawtimber: :& sapling.!/: 

Percent --· - . -· ""'.-:;. · . . 

3.3 9.2 0 . 8 18.1 3.2 

10.4 15.3 1.9 37.8 6.7 

21. 8 24 . 8 20.2 1.4 68.2 12 . 1 

27.9 31.1 13.1 · 3.o: · 75.1 13.3 

33.6 29.8 13.3 6~5 83.2 14.7 

47.8 15.6 5 .9 ' 3.4 72.7 12.9 

42.5 8.8 6 . 1 - .8 58.2 10.3 

130 . 9 7.8 5 . 6 6.8. 151.1 26.8 

319.5 131.6 88 . 7 24 .• 6 564.4 100.0 

iJ Includes volume on nonstocked and other areas. 

28 
NORTHEASTERN IOWA 

Table 27.--Average volume per acre by stand-size class, 1954 

Stand-size class Average volume per acre 

Board-feet Cubic feet!/ 

Large sawtimber stands 4,570 1,034 

Small sawtimber stands 3,293 990 

Poletimber stands 794 358 

Seedling and sapling stands~ 596 158 

All stand-sizes 2,530 667 

~ Growing stock only. 

~ Includes volume on nonstocked and other areas. 

29 
SOUTHEASTERN IOWA 

Table 28.--Forest and no~forest area by county, 1954 

County Total Forest area Nonforest area land area!.( 

Thousand Thousand Percent Thousand Percent 

acres acres acres -- Appanoose 335 56 17 279 83 

Boone 367 30 8 337 92 

Clarke 275 39 14 236 86 

Dallas 382 36 9 346 91 

Davis 326 51 10 275 84 

Decatur 339 57 17 282 83 

Des Moines 262 40 15 222 85 

Guthrie 381 38 10 343 90 

Henry 282 3 5 13 246 87 

Jefferson 279 37 13 242 87 

Keokuk 371 3!) 9 336 91 

Lee 334 81 24 253 76 

Louisa 258 41 16 217 84 

Lucas 278 51 18 227 82 

Madison 362 50 14 312 86 

Mahaska 366 31 8 335 92 

Marion 363 52 14 311 86 

Monroe 278 71 26 207 74 

Polk 380 32 8 348 92 

Ringgold 344 27 8 317 32 

Van Buren 312 64 21 248 79 

Wapello 280 49 18 231 82 

Warren 366 44 12 32~ 88 

Washington 363 37 10 326 90 

Wayne 340 27 8 313 92 

Webster 459 26 6 433 94 

All counties 8,682 1,138 13 7,544 

ii Source: Area of the United States, 1950. u. s . Bureau of the 

Census. Does not include areas listed as inland water. 

30 
SOUTHEASTERN IOWA 

Table 29.--Commercial forest area by ownership class, 1954 

Ownership class 

Federal: 

National Forest 

Indian 

Other 

Total federal 

State 

County and Municipal 

Private: 

Farm 

Industrial and other 

Total private 

All ownerships 

Commercial forest area!./ 

Thousand 

acres 

3 

1 

4 

13 

<y> 

965 

145 

1,110 

1,127 

Percent 

0.3 

.1 

.4 

1.1 

85.6 

12.9 

98.5 

100.0 

£1 Does not include 10,000 acres of forest land i n 

State ownership and 1,000 acres in county and municipal 

ownership which are reserved from commercial timber use. 

y Less than 0.5 thousand acres and/or 0 . 05 percent. 

31 
SOUTHEASTERN IOWA 

Table 30.--Commercial forest area by forest type and 

stand-size class, 1954 

Forest type 

Elm-ash-cottonwood 

Oak-hickory 

Bur oak 

Maple -birch 

Hardwood-redcedar 

Aspen-birch 

All types 

Percent 

(In thousands of acres) 

Large Small : Pole-: Seedling 

Total : sawtimber:sawtimber:timber:& sapling 

Percent 

503 44.6 

567 50.3 

37 3.3 

5 .5 

15 1.3 

1,127 100.0 

· 100.0 

s t ands stands :stands: stands!/ 

120 

92 

7 

5 

224 

19.9 

55 

42 

2 

99 

8.8 

157 171 

219 214 

5 23 

15 

--

396 408 

35 .:1 36.2 

"!_/ Includes the volume on nonstocked. and ·other_. areas . . • . : •:- ·' ·.. "l 

.. 

;" · : ....... -·: ·1 

32 
SOUTHEASTERN IOWA 

Table 31.--Sawtimber volume on commercial forest area by species 

and stand-size class, 1954 

(In million board-feet) 

Large Small : Pole-: Seedling 

Species 

Eastern redcedar 

American elm 

Slippery elm 

Cottonwood 

Basswood 

Silver maple 

Boxelder 

Butternut 

Black cherry 

Hackberry 

Willow 

Other soft hardwoods 

White oak 

Bur oak 

Other white oaks 

Black oak 

Northern red oak 

Other red oaks 

Hickory 

White ash 

Sugar maple 

River birch 

Black walnut 

Other hard hardwoods 

All species 

Percent 

Total 

Percent 

3 

285 

92 

116 

83 

174 

3 

1 

3 

5 

63 

6 

247 

126 

9 

21 

185 

22 

46 

33 

13 

14 

67 

7 

1,624 

100.0 

0.2 

17.5 

5.7 

7.1 

5.1 

10.7 

.2 

.1 

• 2 

.3 

3.9 

.4 

15.2 

7.8 

.6 

1. 3 

11.4 

1. 3 

2.8 

2.0 

. 8 

.9 

4.1 

.4 

100.0 

:sawtimber:sawtimber:timber:& sapling 

: stands : stands :stands: stands!] 

143 

37 

84 

55 

100 

1 

2 

16 

4 

117 

69 

3 

10 

136 

11 

21 

22 

12 

12 

38 

2 

895 

55.1 

32 

31 

20 

2 

71 

1 

2 

31 

2 

65 

20 

5 

1 

35 

13 

8 

1 

26 

366 

22.5 

2 

51 

18 

12 

5 

3 

1 

1 

1 

1 

13 

31 

20 

1 

2 

14 

6 

11 

1 

1 

2 

4 

201 

12.4 

1 

59 

6 

21 

2 

3 

34 

17 

8 

5 

1 

3 

1 

1 

162 

10.0 

!J. Includes the volume on nonstocked and other areas. 

~ Less than 0.5 million board-feet. 

33 
,. 

SOUTHEASTERN IOWA 

Table 32 . --Sawtimber volume on commercial forest area by species and tree-diameter class, 1954 

(In million board-feet) 

w 

,.,. 

Species : Total : Tree-diameter class (inches) 

12-14 : 16-18 : 20-22 : 24-26 : 28-30 : 32+ 

Eastern redcedar 3 ~.13 

American elm 285 68 87 65 30 22 13 

Slippery elm 92 36 31 16 2 7 

Cottonwood 116 15 28 19 12 12 30 

Basswood 83 20 37 16 10 

Silver maple 174 60 36 34 30 14 

Boxelder 3 3 

Butternut 1 1 

Black cherry 3 3 

Hackberry 5 3 2 

Willow 63 32 22 5 4 

Other soft hardwoods 6 4 2 

White oak 247 87 85 35 13 20 7 

Bur oak 126 50 25 20 9 17 5 

Other white oaks 9 4 3 2 

Black oak 21 2 3 4 -- 12 

Northern red oak 185 50 55 28 33 5 14 

Other red oaks 22 3 2 3 14 

Hickory 46 33 9 4 

White ash 33 8 13 4 2 6 

Sugar maple 13 3 4 6 

River birch 14 4 4 3 3 

Black walnut 67 32 29 6 

Other hard hardwoods 7 2 5 

All species 1,624 Ys26 482 270 162 115 69 

Percent 100.0 32.4 29.7 16.6 10.0 7.1 4 . 2 

y Includes 10-inch softwood sawtimber. 
w 

C.1l 

SOUTHEASTERN IOWA 

Table 33.--Hardwood sawtimber volume by species group and log grade, 1954 

Species group 

Total 

volume Log g rade 1 Log .grade 2 Log grade 3 

Tie and 

timber 

grade 

Million Million Percent Million Percent Million Percent Million Percent 

American elm 

Cottonwood 

Silver maple 

White oaks!/ 

Bur oak 

Red oak s 

Hickory 

Black walnut 

Other hardwoods 

A 11 hardwoods 

board- board- board- board- boardfeet feet feet feet feet 

377 

116 

174 

256 

126 

228 

46 

67 

231 

1,621 

57 

47 

8 

12 

15 

9 

24 

172 

15 

41 

5 

5 

6 

13 

10 

10 

55 

19 

13 

63 

30 

36 

3 

12 

71 

302 

15 

16 

7 

24 

24 

16 

7 

18 

31 

19 

143 

10 

51 

77 

21 

88 

19 

45 

44 

498 

38 

9 

29 

30 

17 

39 

41 

67 

19 

31 

122 

40 

102 

104 

75 

89 

24 

1 

92 

649 

y Includes all white oaks except bur oak. 

32 

34 

5 9 

41 

59 

39 

52 

2 

40 

40 
SOUTHEASTERN IOWA 

Table 34.--Total cubic volume of sound materi al on commer cial forest 

area by species and class of material, 1954 

Species 

Eastern redcedar 

American elm 

Slippery elm 

Aspen 

Cottonwood 

Basswood 

Silver maple 

Hackberry 

Willow 

Other soft hardwoods 

White oak 

Other white oaks 

Northern red oak 

Other red oaks 

Hickory 

White ash 

Sugar maple 

Black walnut 

Other hard hardwoods 

Noncommercial 

All species 

(In million cubic feet) 

Gr owi ng stock Total Other material 

: : Sawtimber trees:Pole-: sound . :Cull :Hardwood 

. :Total : Sawlog : Upper :tim- :Total:trees: material . 1 1 2/ 

1. 4 

134.7 

48.5 

.2 

28.2 

28 .1 

68.6 

4.6 

46 . 6 

10 . 0 

81.2 

58.0 

54 . 0 

31.1 

32 . 7 

13 . 9 

5 . 1 

25 . 4 

15 . 3 

. 6 

: : portion : stem.:::;: ber: ~ : 

1.4 

83.5 

30 . 6 

. 2 

22.8 

18.6 

48 . 5 

3. 4 

34 . 9 

5 . 0 

63 . 8 

37 . 3 

41.3 

17 . 5 

24 . 6 

9 . 7 

3 . 7 

19 . 5 

7 . 0 

0 . 5 

44. 1 

14. 3 

18 . 0 

13 . 3 

27 . 3 

. 7 

11. 0 

1. 8 

36 . 9 

21. 3 

29.1 

6.5 

7.1 

5.2 

2.0 

1 1. 2 

3.6 

0 . 1 

18 . 2 

5 . 2 

4 .2 

4 . 3 

7 . 9 

. 3 

3 . 5 

. 7 

12 . 5 

8 . 1 

8 . 6 

2 . 5 

2.3 

2.1 

.7 

3.2 

1.2 

0.8 

21.2 

11.1 

.2 

.6 

1.0 

13 . 3 

2 . 4 

20.4 

2.5 

14. 4 

7.9 

3.6 

8 . 5 

15.2 

2 . 4 

1.0 

5.1 

2.2 

51.2 

17.9 

5 . 4 

9 . 5 

20 . 1 

1.2 

11.7 

5.0 

17 . 4 

20.7 

12.7 

13.6 

8.1 

4.2 

1.4 

5.9 

8.3 

. 6 

21.5 

9.0 

.5 

4.4 

10.8 

1.0 

8.2 

3.7 

5.0 

9 . 9 

4.1 

9.4 

6.5 

1. 8 

.7 

3.1 

5.9 

.6 

limbs 

~ 

29.7 

8.9 

4 . 9 

5.1 

9.3 

.2 

3.5 

1.3 

12 . 4 

10.8 

8.6 

4.2 

1.6 

2 . 4 

.7 

2.8 

2 . 4 

688 . 2 473 . 3 253 . 9 85.6 133.8 214 .9 106.1 108.8 

!J Central stem between sawlog merchantable top and a point with a 

minimum diameter of 4 inches insi de bar k . 

y Sound bole volume only. 

~ Limbs of both merchantable and cull hardwood trees of sawtimber 

size, to a minimum diameter of 4 . 0 inches inside bark. 

36 
SOUTHEASTERN IOWA 

Table 35.--Cubic volume of growing stock on commercial forest 

area by species and stand-size class, 1954 

(In million cubic feet) 

Large Small : Pole- : Seedling 

Species Total :sawtimber:sawtimber:timber:& sapli!J 

: stands : stands :stands: stands! 

Percent 

Eastern redcedar 1.4 0.3 1.3 0.1 

American elm 83.5 17.6 34.8 8.2 25.7 14.8 

Slippery elm 30.6 6.5 9.9 7.2 11.3 2.2 

Aspen .2 <Y> .2 

Cottonwood 22.8 4.8 15.7 4.3 2.5 . 3 

Basswood 18.6 . 3. 9 12.0 .5 1.5 4.6 

Silver maple 48.5 10.3 22.8 22.5 3.1 .1 

Hackberry 3.4 .7 1.0 .9 1.3 .2 

Willow 34.9 7.4 6.7 10.4 16.3 1.5 

Other soft hardwoods 5.0 1.1 1.0 1. 7 1. 5 .8 

White oak 63.8 13.5 24.9 15.1 15.7 8.1 

Other white oaks 37.3 7.9 15.4 7.0 10.8 4.1 

Northern red oak 41. 3 8.7 28.3 8.1 4.8 .1 

Other red oaks 17.5 3.7 4.4 .2 9.5 3.4 

Hickory 24.6 5.2 7.9 3.8 11.0 1.9 

White ash 9.7 2.0 6.2 1. 8 .9 .8 

Sugar maple 3.7 .8 3.4 .2 .1 

Black walnut 19.5 4.1 9.6 6.1 3.3 .5 

Other hard hardwoods 7.0 1.5 3.5 .3 2.4 .8 

All species 473.3 100.0 207.5 98.3 123.2 44.3 

Percent 100.0 43.8 20.8 26.0 9.4 

iJ. Includes the volume on nonstocked and other areas. 

~ Less than 0.05 percent. 

37 
SOUTHEASTERN IOWA 

Table 36.--Cubic volume of growing stock on commercial forest area 

by tree-diameter class and stand-size class, 1954 

(In million cubic feet) 

Tree-diameter: Stand-size class 

class Large Small : Poletimber: Seedling : All classes 

(inches) sawtimber: sawtimber: :& sapling!/: 

Percent 

6 2.6 1.4 21. 2 2.5 27.7 5.8 

8 5.9 5 . 9 28.3 2.2 42.3 8.9 

10 18.2 12.6 29.5 3.6 63.9 13.5 

12 17.1 24.6 11.8 4.0 57.5 12.1 

14 17.5 27.5 8.1 6.8 59.9 12.7 

16 29.9 10.0 7.0 5.5 52 . 4 11.1 

18 27.2 9.6 4.3 5.1 46.2 9.8 

20+ 89.1 6.7 13.0 14.6 123.4 26.1 

All classes 207.5 98.3 123.2 44.3 473.3 100.0 

ij Includes volume on nonstocked and other areas. 

38 
SOUTHEASTERN IOWA 

Table 37.--Average volume per acre by stand-size class, 1954 

Stand-size class Average volume per acre 

Board-feet Cubic feet!./ 

Large sawtimber stands 3,996 926.3 

Small sawtimber stands 3 , 697 992.9 

Poletimber stands 508 311.1 

Seedling and sapling stands~ 397 108.6 

All stand-sizes 1,441 420.0 

!} Growing stock only. 

~ Includes the volume on nonstocked and other areas. 

39 
WESTERN IOWA 

Table 38.--Forest anJ nonforest area by county, 1954 

Total 

County land area.!/: Forest area Nonforest area 

Thousand Thousand Percent Thousand Percent 

acres acres acres 

Adair 364 12 3 352 97 

Adams 273 16 6 2j7 94 

Audubon 287 4 1 283 99 

Black Hawk 363 17 5 346 95 

Bremer 281 1::5 5 266 95 

Buena Vista 367 5 1 362 99 

Butler 373 15 4 358 96 

- Calhoun 366 2 1 364 99 

Carroll 367 5 1 362 99 

Cass 358 9 3 349 97 

Cerro Gordo 369 4 1 365 99 

Cherokee 367 11 3 356 97 

Chickasaw 323 16 5 307 95 

Clay 365 8 2 357 98 

Crawford 458 14 3 444 97 

Dickinson 244 4 2 240 98 

Emmet 2 ::. 3 4 2 249 98 

Floyd 322 9 3 313 97 

Franklin 375 4 1 371 99 

Fremont 335 31 9 304 91 

Greene 364 12 3 352 97 

Grundy 321 1 <y> 320 100 

Hamilton 369 9 2 360 98 

Hancock 365 3 1 362 99 

Hardin 367 14 4 353 96 

Harrison 445 44 10 401 90 

Howard 301 11 4 290 96 

Humboldt 278 6 2 272 98 

Ida 276 2 1 274 99 

Jasper 471 31 7 440 93 

Kossuth 627 8 1 619 99 

Lyon 376 4 1 372 99 

40 
WESTERN IOWA 

Table 38.--Forest and nonforest area by county, 1954 (cont'd) 

Total 

County land area.!/: Forest area Nonforest area 

Thousand Thousand Percent Thousand Percent 

acres acres acres 

Marshall 367 14 4 353 96 

Mills 285 25 9 260 91 

Mitchell 299 10 3 289 , 97 

Monona 446 48 ll 398 89 

Montgomery 270 10 4 260 96 

O'Brien 368 4 1 364 99 

Osceola 255 2 8 253 92 

Page- 342 12 4 330 ' 96 

Palo Alto 359 6 2 353 98 

Plymouth 552 12 2 540 98 

Pocahontas 371 1 <y> 370 100 

Pottawattamie 617 27 4 590 96 

Sac 370 6 2 364 98 

Shelby 376 5 1 371 99 

Sioux 490 3 1 487 99 

Story 364 13 4 351 96 

Taylor 338 21 6 317 94 

Union 273 22 8 251 92 

Winnebago 257 3 1 2j4 99 

Woodbury 558 25 4 533 96 

Worth 257 5 2 252 98 

Wright 369 6 2 363 98 

All counties 19,553 630 3 18,923 97 

ii Source: Area of the United States, 1950. u. S. Bureau of the 

Census. Does not include areas listed as inland water. 

y Less than 0.5 percent. 

41 
42 

WESTERN IOWA 

Table 39.--Commercial forest area by ownership class, 1954 

Ownership class 

Federal: 

National Forest 

Indian 

Other 

Total federal 

State 

County and Municipal 

Private: 

Farm 

Industrial and other 

Total private 

All ownerships 

Commercial forest area!./ 

Thousand 

acres 

.... -

2 

1 

553 

66 

619 

622 

Percent 

o.3 ' 

0.2 

88.9 

10.6 

99. :i 

100 . 0 

i/ Does not include 8,000 acres of forest land in 

State ownership which are reser ed from commercial imber 

use. 
WESTERN IOWA 

Table 40.--Cornmercial forest area by forest type and 

stand-size class, 1954 

(In thousands of acres) 

Large Small ~ Pole-: Seedling 

Forest type Total :sawtimber:sawtimber: timber:& sapli!J 

: stands : stands :stands: standsl 

Elm-ash-cottonwood 

Oak-hickory 

Bur oak 

Maple-birch 

Hardwood-redcedar 

Aspen-birch 

All types 

Percent 

370 

105 

129 

7 

6 

5 

622 

100.0 

Percent 

59.5 

16.9 

20.7 

1.1 

1.0 

.8 

100.0 

156 23 ;83 

23 2 45 

21 9 58 

5 2 

205 36 186 

33.0 5.8 29. 9 

!..J Includes the volume on nonstocked and other areas. 

108 

35 

41 

6 

9 

195 

31.3 

43 
WESTERN IOWA 

Table 41.--Sawtimber volume on commercial forest area by species 

and stand-size class , 1954 

(In million board-feet) 

Large Small : Pole-: Seedling 

Species Total : sawt imber:sawtimber:timber:& sapli!J 

: stands : stands :stands: standsl 

Percent 

Black ash 11 0.8 ·11 

American elm 205 15.4 154 16 19 16 

Slippery elm 94 7.1 80 1 8 5 

Cottonwood 319 24.0 287 24 1 7 

Basswood 78 5.9 72 4 2 

Silver maple 143 10.8 141 2 

Boxelder 9 .7 3 1 ,1 4 

Black cherry 2 .1 2 _ ... ' 

Hackberry 16 1.2 16 

Willow 25 1.9 7 14 4 

Other soft hardwoods 4 .3 4 

White oak 38 2.9 31 3 4 

Bur oak 155 11. 7 91 26 28 10 

Other white oaks 3 . 2 2 1 

No rthern red oak 57 4.3 50 ~/ 7 

Other red oaks 17 1. 3 2 8 7 

Hi cko ry 30 2.3 10 9 9 2 

White ash 60 4. 5 39 10 11 

Sugar maple 14 1.0 9 2 3 

Ri ver birch 7 . 5 7 

Black walnut 40 3.0 26 9 5 

Other hard hardwoods 1 .1 1 

All species 1,328 100 . 0 1,044 102 99 83 

Percent 100 .0 78 . 6 7.7 7.4 6.3 

!./ Includes the volume on nonstocked and other areas. 

~ Less than 0 . 5 million board-feet. 

44 
WESTERN IOWA 

Table 42 . --Sawtimber volume on commercial forest area by species and tree-diameter class, 1954 

(In million board-feet) I 

Species · Total . Tree-diameter class (inches) 

: 12-14 : 16-18 : 20-22 : 24-26 : 28-30 32+ 

Black ash 11 4 7 

American elm 205 45 59 43 27 8 23 

Slippery elm 94 27 40 13 -- 14 

Cottonwood 319 31 31 54 65 29 109 

Basswood 78 17 34 20 -- 7 

Silver maple 143 13 48 82 

Boxelder 9 5 2 -- 2 

Black cherry 2 -- 2 

Hackberry 16 <.!/> 3 2 4 7 

Willow 25 19 6 

Other soft hardwoods 4 1 3 

White oak 38 9 4 25 

Bur oak 155 54 60 18 23 

Other white oaks 3 1 2 

Northern red oak 57 10 22 22 -- -- 3 

Other red oaks 17 8 2 -- 7 

Hickory 30 21 9 J White ash 60 17 6 17 ' 6 14 ' 

Sugar maple 14 4 7 -·- )~ ·; 3 . -. . , ~· ·-' ., River birch 7 1 4 2 1--

Black walnut 40 9 19 8 j 4 

Other hard hardwoods 1 1 -- -- ', 

All species 1,328 297 370 306 -- ., 141 79 135 

Percent 100.0 22.4 27.9 23.0 10.6 5.9 10.2 

ii Less than 0.5 million board-feet~ 

..,. 

(.Jl 
"" Ol 

WESTERN IOWA 

Table 43.--Hardwood sawtimber volume by species group and log grade, 1954 

Total . .. Tie and 

Species group : : -Log grade 1 : Log grade 2 : Log grade 3 : timber volume 

: : : : grade 

Million Million Percent Million Percent Million Percent Million Percent 

board- board- board- board- boardfeet feet feet feet feet -- -- -- -- American elm 299 50 16 92 31 95 32 62 21 

Cottonwood 319 93 29 84 26 94 30 48 15 

Silver maple 143 15 10 39 27 31 22 58 41 

White oaks.!/ 41 7 17 -- -- 22 54 12 29 

Bur oak 155 -- -- 35 22 12 8 108 70 

Red oaks 74 7 9 8 11 17 23 42 57 

Hickory 30 -- -- 1 3 16 54 13 43 

Black walnut 40 15 38 12 30 11 27 2 5 

Other hardwoods 227 44 19 69 31 80 35 34 15 

All hardwoods 1,328 231 17 340 26 378 28 379 29 

y Includes all white oaks except bur oak. 
WESTERN IOWA 

Table 44.--Total cubic volume of sound material on commercial forest 

area by species and class of material, 1954 

Species 

Eastern redceda' 

Black ash \ 

American elm 

Slippery elm 

Cottonwood 

Basswooa 

Silver maple 

Hackberry 

Willow 

r 

Other soft hardwoods 

White oak 

Other white oaks 

Northern red oak 

Other red oaks 

Hickory 

White ash 

Sugar maple 

Black walnut 

Other hard hardwoods 

Noncommercial 

All species 

(In million cubic feet ) 

Total Growing stock Other material 

:Cull :Hardwood 

limbs 

~ 

d . :Sawtimber trees Pole-~ soun 

t . 1 :Total: Sawlog :Upper : tim- :Total:trees: 

ma eria . ii 2/ 

: :portion :stem.:::.; : ber ~ • ~ : 

0.3 

4.0 

, 85.9 

32.9 

8B.6 

25.0 

61.6 

, 5. 9 

23.2 

22.0 

l,4.7 

76.8 

21.9 

9. 2, 

14,0 

23.1 

4.2 

14.7 

3.7 

1.4 

528.1 

0 : 3 

3.5 

53.0 

, 1.9 

31.7 

22.8 14.5 

65,6 '' ' 48.8 

17.9 

32.0 

4.3 

i5.3 

4 . 1 

11.5 

47.2 

16.3 

5.9 

ll. l 

17.6 

3;0 

10.4 

2.5 

344.3 

12.4 

2i.8 

2 . 4 

4.4 

2.4 

5 . 7 

24.7 

8.9 

2 . 7 

4 . 6 

9.3 

2.-1 

6.3 

1. 2 

205 . 8 

0.4 

12-.5 

4-.5 

12.9 

3.6 

7.2 

,7 

1.6 I 

1.2 

1.7 , 

9.6 

3.2 

1.0 

1.6 

3.4 

-. 7 

2.1 

.4 

68.3 

"<o;,3 

:·~ 

,8', 8 <". ! 

'$ .• 8 

3.9 

1.9 

3.0 

1.2 

9 .3 

. 5 

4.1 

12 . 9 

4.2 

2 . 2 

4.9 

4 . 9 

. 2 

2.0 

.9 

70.2 

·\ 

\~ ...... __ -'i.\ 

,,. 

0.5. ! 0.2 

32 . 9'\ 13.0 

10.1 \;>, 4·8 

18 . 0 ".:: t ·9 

0.3 

19.9 

5.3 

17.1 

7 . 1 3.6 

29.6 

1.6 

7.9 

17.9 

3 ,, 2 

29.6 

5 . 6 

3.3 

2.9 

5 . 5 

] . • 2· 

4.3 

1.2 

1.4 

183.8 

\ \ 16.5 p.1 

.6 ': 1.0 

5 . 5 ~: 2. 4 

13 . 0 4.9 

l.~ ,/ 

19.9 

2.4 

2.2 

1. 7 

2.1 

.3 

2.3 

• 9 

1.4 

92.8 

1.6 

9.7 

3.2 

1.1 

1.2 

3.4 

.9 

2.0 

. 3 

91.0 

!./ Central stem between sawlog merchantable top and a point with a 

minimum diameter of 4 inches inside bark. 

y Sound bole volume only. 

~ Limbs of both merchantable and cull hardwood trees of sawtimber 

size, to a minimum diameter of 4.0 inches inside bark. 

47 
WESTERN IOWA 

Table 45.--Cubic volume of growing stock on commercial forest 

area by species and stand-size class, 1954 

(In million cubic feet) 

Large Small : Pole- : Seedling 

Species Total :sawtimber:sawtimber:timber & sapling 

• stands : stands :sta~ds: stands!} 

Percent 

Eastern redcedar 0.3 0.1 0 . 2 0 .1 

Black ash 3.5 1.0 3.2 . 3 

American elm 53.0 15.4 36.9 5.3 6.5 4.3 

Slippery elm 22.8 6.6 17.2 .6 3.8 1. 2 

Cottonwood 65.6 19.1 55.3 8.6 .2 1. 5 

Basswood 17.9 5.2 15.9 . .8 .8 .4 

Silver maple 32.0 . 9.3 30.2 .1 1.1 .6 

Hackberry 4 .3 1.3 3.4 .9 

Willow 15.3 4.5 1. 8 12.6 . 9 

Other soft hardwoods 4 .1 1.2 2.4 . 2 .5 1.0 

White oak 11.5 3.3 6.1 4.6 .8 

Other white oaks 47.2 13.7 22.0 9 . 6 13.0 2.6 

Northern red oak 16.3 4.7 10.7 . 1 5.5 

Other red oaks 5.9 1. 7 . 4 2.9 1.0 1.6 

Hickory 11.1 3.2 3.2 3.8 3.8 .3 

White ash 17.6 5.1 8.8 4.8 1.4 2.6 

Sugar maple 3.0 .9 1.9 .4 .7 

Black walnut 10.4 3.0 5.4 3.5 1. 5 

Other hardwoods 2.5 .7 2 . 3 • 2 

All species 344 . 3 100.0 227.1 37 .4 59.2 20.6 

Percent 100.0 65.9 10 . 9 17 .2 6 . 0 

~/ Includes the volume on nonstocked and other areas. 

48 
WESTERN IOWA 

Table 46.--Cubic volume of growing stock on commercial forest area 

by tree-diameter class and stand-size class, 1954 

(In million cubic feet) 

Tree-diameter: Stand-size class 

class ----------------------------------------------- Large Small 1 : Seedling : 

( . Po etimber . ii inches) sawtimber: sawt1mber: :& sapling:::;: 

<·- --,.,-. .•.. , 

'· . ' 6 ' . 1..8 0.6 ( 

8 } ~ " 4 .1. 2·.:9 

10 /···,~ · rl: ·o· ll.6 . ~ '· 

12 .·.13 •. '8 9.3 

14 '\' 14 : 5 8.1 ' 8 .1 

' -16 ', 27.0 3.5 3.·2 '· ' •. i 

18 34.~ .9 1.2 . r·-~ ....... 9 

120.7 ' .. 20+ .5 ~ 2.0 · 6.8 

All classes 227.1 37.4 59.:2 20.6 

·' 

ij Includes'· volume on nonstocked and other grades. 

All classes 

Percent 

\ \J.\l . 5 

f9.0 

'$9. 7 

"' 3!1.4 

\_o}.,,""-

33 : 4 ,>, 

3.3 

5.5 

11.5 

10.0 

9.7 ,, 39.1 \""' 11.4 

37 .2 \\10. 8 

i 30. o. ' :3rz. 8 

•' 

344.3 

I ., 

~oo.o 

49 
WESTERN IOWA 

Table 47.--Average volume per ac r e b y stand-size class, 1954 

Stand-size class Average volume per a c re 

Board-feet Cubic feet!/ 

Large sawtimber stands 5,093 1,107.8 

Small sawtimber stands 2,806 1,038.9 

Poletimber stands 538 318 . 3 

Seedling and sapling standsY 426 105 . 6 

All stand-sizes 2,135 553.5 

!/ Growing stock only . 

y Includes the vo l ume on nonstocked and other areas. 

50 
APPENDIX 

FOREST SURVEY METHODS 

The inventory of the forest resources of Iowa involved an 

office study of aerial photographs and a field examination of 

randomly selected forest and nonforest plots. 

The percentage of forest land in each county was obtained 

by placing a transparent template marked with uniformly spaced 

dots over aerial photographs and counting the number of dots falling on forest and nonforest areas. The percentage of forest dots 

in a county, multiplied by the total area gave a preliminary 

estimate of the forest area. This was later adjusted after field 

examination indicated the number of plots that had changed since 

the aerial photos were taken. 

A selected number of forest dots were marked on the photographs. The acre surrounding each dot was examined under stereoscope and was classified by stand-size class on the basis of the 

height, crown width, and number of trees on the plot. Plots to 

be examined in the field were then randomly drawn. In drawing, 

greatest weight was given to the stand-size classes containing 

the largest timber volume. In addition, nonforest plots were 

selected for field examination to measure the conversion of open 

land to forest since the photographs were taken. 

The selected field plots were marked on the photographs. 

Field crews located these points on the ground and established 

1/5-acre circular plots for which species, size, quality, and 

growth of trees and other data were recorded. 

The following tabulation gives the number of dots and plots 

examined for each region. 

Number of photo dots counted for 

forest-area determination 

Number of plots stereoscopically 

examined and classified by stand-size 

Number of forest plots field examined 

Northeastern 

Region 

58,446 

1,068 

262 

Southeastern 

Region 

66,074 

1,407 

316 

Western 

Region 

146,704 

784 

173 

51 
ACCURACY OF DATA 

Statistical analysis of the commercial forest area and timber 

volume data shows the following sampl i ng errors'!:./ for each region: 

COMMERCIAL FOREST : GROWING STOCK : SA WT IMBER 

Area Sampl i ng: :Sampling: Volume :Sampling 

error Volume . error : error 

Thousand Million Million 

acres Percent cu. ft. Percent bd.-ft. Percent 

Northeastern 846 1.8 565 5 .4 2,140 6.6 

Southeastern 1,127 1. 5 473 5.7 1,624 7.4 

Western 622 3.1 344 8 .4 1 ,328 11. 5 

State 2,595 1. 1 1,382 3.6 5 ,092 4.7 

The estimates of sampling error do not include errors resulting from mistakes in measurement or judgment . All phases of field 

and office work were closely s u pervised to keep such errors to a 

minimum. 

Since the percentage error increases with each subdivision 

of the total, small acreages or volumes may have large e rrors and 

may therefore indicate only r e lative magnitudes . A rough guide for 

estimating the sampling error s of various acreages and volumes is 

given below: 

COMMERCIAL FOREST GROWING STOCK : SAWTIMBER ~------------~-

Area : sampling: V 1 : Sampling: V 1 :Sampling o ume o ume 

: error : e r ror : • e rror ------------------- Thousand 

acres 

2,595 

1,000 

500 

100 

50 

10 

Percent 

1 

2 

3 

6 

8 

18 

Million 

cu. ft. 

1,382 

500 

100 

50 

10 

1 

Million 

Percent bd.-ft . 

4 

6 

13 

19 

43 

135 

5,092 

1 ,000 

500 

100 

50 

10 

Percent 

5 

ll 

15 

34 

47 

106 

'g/ At one standard deviation; that is, the chances are two 

out of three that the calculated acreages and volumes do not differ 

from the totals that would have been obtained by 100 percent measurement by more than the errors shown in the tabulation. 

52 
EXPLANATION OF TERMS 

Forest land --Includes (a) land which is at least 10 percent stocked 

by trees o : any s ze and capable of produc·ng timber or other 

wood products . or of exerting an influence on the limate or 

on the water regime; (b) land from which the trees described 

in (a) have been removed to less than 10 percent stocking and 

which has not been developed for other use; (c) afforested 

areas. 

The mi nimum area that qualifies as forest land is one acre. 

Strips of timber must be at least 120 feet wide to qualify. 

Conversely, clearings, streams, treeless strips and unimproved 

roads less than one acre in area or less than 120 feet in 

width within forest areas are classified as forest land. Improved rights-of-way such as graded roads, railroads, or 

transmission lines are classified as nonforest regardless of 

width. 

Commercial forest land.--Forest land which is (a) producing, 

or physically capable of producing, usable crops of wood 

(usually sawtimber), (b) economically available now or prospectively, and (c) not withdrawn from timber utilization. 

Noncommercial forest land.--Forest land withdrawn from timber 

utilization through statute, ordinance, or administrative 

order but which otherwise qualifies as commercial forest land. 

Forest types 

Oak-hickory.--Forests in which 50 percent or more of the stand 

is upland oaks or hickory , singly or in combination; except 

where bur oak makes up 50 percent or more of the stand (in 

which case the stand is classified "bur oak" ) ; and except where 

redcedar makes up 25 percent or more of the stand (in which 

case the stand is classified "hardwood-redcedar"). Common 

associates include elm, maple, and black walnut. 

Bur oak.--Forests in which 50 percent or more of the stand is 

bur oak. 

Hardwood-redcedar.--Forests in which 25 percent or more of the 

stand is redcedar and the remainder is hardwoods, usually oaks. 

Maple-birch.--Forests in which 50 percent or more of the stand 

is hard maple or yellow birch, singly or in combination. Common 

associates include elm and basswood, and in the Northeastern 

Region white pine and hemlock. 

53 
Elm-ash-cottonwood . --Forests in which 50 percent or more of 

the stand is elm , ash, or cottonwood, singly or in combination. Common associates include willow, sycamo r e, and maple. 

Aspen-birch.--Forests in which 50 percent or more of the stand 

is aspen, balsam poplar, or paper birch, singly or in combination. 

Tree classes 

Sawtimber tree.-~ live softwood (coniferous) tree at least 

9.0 inches d.b.h. or live hardwood tree of commercial species 

at least 11.0 inches d.b.h., with a sound butt log at least 

8 feet long, or with at l east half of the gross board-foot 

volume of the tree in sound material. 

Poletimber tree.--A live, sound tree of commercial species at 

least 5.0 inches d.b.h. but less than sawtimber size that gives 

promise of becoming a sawtimber tree. 

Seedling and sapling trees.--Live trees of commercial species 

less than 5 . 0 inches in diameter at breast height and of good 

form and vigor . 

Cull tree.--A live tree at least 5.0 inches d.b.h. that does 

not qualify as a sawtimber or poletimber tree because of species, 

poor form, limbiness, rot, or other defect. 

Volume estimates 

54 

Board-foot volume includes the sound volume of sawlogs in sawtimber trees to a minimum top d.i.b. of 6 inches for softwoods 

and 8 inches for hardwoods. Volume deductions have been made 

for rot, crook, and other defects. Board-foot volumes are 

shown in terms of the International 1/4-inch log rule, which 

measures the approximate yield of green lumber cut to standard 

specifications. 

Cubic-foot volume 

Total volume i ncludes the sound wood inside bark in both 

sound and cull living trees 5.0 inches d . b.h. and larger, 

from the stump to a minimum top diameter of 4.0 inches 

inside bark. It includes the upper stems of softwood trees 

and the upper stems and limbs of hardwoods. 

Growing stock includes the volume of sound wood inside bark 

in the stem portion of sawtimber and poletimber trees from 

stump to a minimum top d . i . b. of 4 inches. 
Stand-size classes 

Large sawtimber.--Stands having a net volume of 1,500 or more 

board-feet per acre in sawtimber trees, and having more than 

half of this volume in trees 15.0 inches d.b.h. and larger. 

Small sawtimber.--Stands having a net volume of 1,500 or more 

board-feet per acre in sawtimber trees, and having at least 

half of this volume in trees smaller than 15.0 inches d.b.h. 

Poletimber.--Stands failing to meet the sawtimber stand 

specifications, but at least 10 percent stocked with poletimber and larger trees and with at least half the minimum 

stocking in poletimber trees. 

Seedlings and saplings.--Stands not qualifying as either 

sawtimber or poletimber stands but having at least 150 

seedlings and saplings of commercial species per acre. 

Nonstocked.--Commercial forest land not qualifying for any 

other class. 

Hardwood log grades 

Grade 1.--Butt logs at least 13.0 inches (uppers at least 

16 inches) in diameter inside bark with five-sixths of the 

surface on the three best faces clear of defect in not more 

than two cuttings, (minimum length of cutting variable, 

3-7 feet, depending upon log diameter and position in tree). 

Minimum log length 10 feet. On the average such logs will 

yield at least 65 percent No. 1 common and better lumber. 

Grade 2.--Logs at least 11 inches in diameter inside bark 

with two-thirds of the surface on the three best faces clear 

of defect in not more than three cuttings, (minimum length 

of cutting, 3 feet). Minimum log length 8 feet. On the 

average such logs will yield at least 40 percent No. 1 common 

and better lumber. 

Grade 3.--Merchantable logs at least 8.0 inches in diameter 

inside bark at the small end, 8 feet long with one-half of the 

surface on the three best faces clear of defect in cuttings 2 

feet long. Maximum cull deduction 50 percent. On the average 

such logs will yield less than 25 percent No. 1 common and 

better lumber. 

55 
56 

Tie and timber.--This class includes the roughest logs considered merchantable. Tie and timber logs must be at least 

8 inches in diameter i nside bark at the sma 1 end and at least 

8 feet long . No limit is placed on surface defects as long 

as they do not extend into the interior enough to affect the 

strength of the contained tie and timber. 
PRINCIPAL TREE SPECIES~ 

Softwoods 

Eastern redcedar!/ 

Hardwoods 

Soft hardwoods: 

Black ash 

American elm 

Slippery elm 

"Aspen" includes: 

Quaking aspen 

Bigtooth aspen 

Balsam poplar 

Eastern cottonwood 

American basswood 

Silver maple 

American sycamore 

BoxelderV 

ButternutV 

Black cherryV 

Hackberry 

Willow 

Juniperus virginiana 

Fraxinus nigra 

Ulmus americana 

Ulmus r ubra 

Populus tremuloides 

P. grandidentata 

P. balsamifera 

P. deltoides 

Tilia. americana 

Acer saccharinum 

Platanus occidentalis 

Acer negundo 

Juglans cinerea 

Prunus serotina 

Celtis occidentalis 

Salix spp. 

"Other soft hardwoods" includes paper birch, sassafrass, red 

maple, and minor commercial low-density spec i es. 

Hard hardwoods: 

White o~l) 

Bur oak§/ 

"Other white oaks" includes: 

Chinkapin oak 

Swamp white oak 

Post oak 

Quercus ~ 

~· macrocarpa 

~· muehlenbergii 

~· bicolor 

~· stellata 

~ Source of nomenclature: Check List of the Native and 

Naturalized Trees of the United States, Agriculture Handbook No. 41, 

Forest Service, Washington, D. c., 1953. 

!/ Other native softwoods, such as eastern white pine and 

eastern hemlock, are not sufficiently common to be commercially 

important. 

v 

§./ 

Combined with "other soft hardwoods" in cubic-foot tables. 

Combined with "other white oaks" in cubic-foot tables. 

57 
Black oak!} 

Northern red oak 

"Other red oaks" includes: 

Scarlet oak 

Pin oak 

Shingle oak 

Blackjack oak 

Hickory 

White ash includes: 

White ash 

Blue ash 

Green ash 

Sugar maple includes: 

Sugar maple 

Black maple 

River birch!V 

Black walnut 

2.· velutina 

2.· rubra 

2.· coccinea 

~· palustris 

~· imbricaria 

~· marilandica 

Carya spp. 

Fraxinus americana 

F. quadrangulata 

!:.· pennsylvanica 

Acer saccharum 

!· nigrum 

Betula nigra 

Juglans nigra 

"Other hard hardwoods" includes yellow birch, rock elm, red 

mulberry, honeylocust and minor commercial high-density species. 

"Noncommercial species" includes American hornbeam , eastern 

hophornbeam, serviceberry, pin cherry , and others. 

58 

iJ. Combined with "other r ed oaks" in the cubic-foot tables. 

~ Combined with "other hard hardwoods" in cubic-foot tables. 

Agriculture - Forest Service - Columbus, Ohi o 
; 

TERRITORY SERVED BY THE 

CENTRAL STATES FOREST EXPERIMENT STATION 

FOREST SERVICE 

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

IOWA 

• 

MISSOURI • 

ILLINOIS 

* C. S. F. E. S. HEADQUARTERS 

e RESEARCH CENTER 

A EXPERIMENTAL FOREST 

• BRANCH OFFICE 

OHIO • 

INOIANA *