Canadian national taper models

Abstract

Work was done to gather stem taper data for most forest tree species across Canada. They were used for producing taper models to be applied for the purposes of the national forest inventory and for regional purposes when regional taper models are not available. The models are based on squared DBH and on measured or predicted tree height. A taper equation based on the dimensional analysis approach was adopted to fit Canadian national taper models using the collected data. The model parameters were estimated using a mixed model for taking into account variance heterogeneity and within- tree autocorrelation. In spite of the different protocols for data collection, the accuracy of the proposed stem taper models is similar to that found in previous studies. Consequently, the models seem suitable for pre-harvest estimation of sawlog volume nationally or regionally.