Growing stock estimates from aerial photographs in Bastar, Madhya Pradesh

Regressions between average height of the five tallest trees measured on the aerial photograph and volume on the ground and regressions between crown density estimated on the aerial photograph and volume on the ground for 0.1 ha circular plots were calculated for six photographic scales in an area in Central India. The scales were 1:5,000-1:7,500-1:10,000-1:15,000-1:20,000 and 1:25,000. Applying the F test to test the significance of the regressions it was found that all the regressions were significant. Compared with the larger scales the scale 1:20,000 gave good results. A drop in the significance of the regression of the 1:25,000 scale occurred. Gross volume estimates in the deciduous forest seem to be possible using this technique. The most economic scale will probably be 1:20,000. The authors are grateful to Col. J. N. Sinha, Dean of the Indian Photo-interpretation Institute and Ir. F.C. d'Audretsch, Netherlands Project Leader of the I.P.I.-project for the opportunity given to them to carry out this study. The authors are also indebted to Shri A. N. Chaturvedi, mensuration officer of the Forest Research Institute at Dehra Dun, for his valuable suggestions and assistance.