Estimating the age of a tree
Most people are aware that counting the circles on the inside of a tree trunk can lead you to an approximate age of the tree. The science behind this is that every year trees generally create a new coating of bark. Finding out the age of a currently healthy tree is a different task all together. First you want to use a tape measure to get the length or circumference around the tree’s trunk. In order to get the most accurate reading you want to make sure you don’t measure over bumps on the trunk.
Depending on where the tree you measured is you can learn the age. If the tree was measured from a forest take the circumference (metric) and divide it by 1.25. If the tree was measured from a more rural or urban space divides the measurement (metric) by 2.5. The number you end up with is the estimated age of the tree in question. Using this method can help you to learn the true value, age, and health of your tree in question. This means you can learn what types of fertilizers, fungicides, and treatments may be appropriate for your tree. Furthermore, arborists can use this method to help shape the pruning efforts they may explore with your tree in the future.
