What is an inventory for?
Foresters use inventories to decide what to cut, what to leave, what to plant and when. For a landowner, it also shows what is worth protecting and what problems need attention.
A basic inventory can be done over a few weekends with a map, a notebook and some tools.
Even a rough inventory is better than none. You can refine it each time you walk the woods. If you are thinking about a timber sale, an inventory is the first thing a buyer or forester will ask for, and it protects you from selling blind.
How do you start with a map?
Get an aerial photo or a map of your property, and sketch areas that look different: older trees, young trees, wet spots, steep slopes, open fields. Each area is called a stand.
County GIS offices and NRCS soil surveys often provide free maps. A forester can help you draw stands.
Mark plot centers with flagging tape or a stake, and write down the compass bearing and distance from a fixed landmark so you can return. Take a hand compass or a phone app and note north on your map. Mark your plot locations as you go so the inventory is repeatable.
- Property boundary
- Roads, trails and streams
- Stands of different age or species
- Wet areas and steep slopes
- Gates, access points and neighbors' lines
What are sample plots?
Instead of counting every tree, foresters measure trees in small circular plots spread through each stand and scale up. Plots are marked on the map so you can find them again.
Ask your extension forester about plot sizes and methods used in your state.
Spread plots evenly across a stand rather than choosing places that look good. That keeps the numbers honest. Plot size and number depend on how variable the stand is. A forester can tell you how many plots are enough for your woods.
- Fixed-radius or variable-radius plots
- Flagged center points and notes
- Even spacing across each stand
- Same method each time you return
What do you measure?
Common measurements include species, trunk diameter at chest height, tree height, crown condition and signs of damage or disease. Seedlings and saplings are counted too, since they show the future forest.
A diameter tape and a notebook are enough to begin. A forester can show you how to use other tools.
Record the number of seedlings and saplings and the species. If deer or invasive plants are eating or crowding them, your woods may not regenerate without help. Do not forget to note invasive plants, standing dead trees, grapevines on trunks and signs of wildlife. These details shape your plan.
- Species of each tree in the plot
- Diameter at chest height
- Height or number of logs
- Crown health and damage
- Seedlings and saplings by species
How do you identify species and problems?
Learn the main trees on your land by their bark, leaves and buds. Field guides and extension publications help. Take photos of anything you cannot identify and ask an expert.
Look for dead tops, oozing wounds, odd leaf colors and signs of insects. Report unusual patterns to extension or your state forestry agency.
Take a sample of leaves or a photograph of a problem tree, and ask your extension office or state forestry agency to look at it.
How do you use the results?
Summarize what you found by stand: dominant species, crowding, health and regeneration. Compare it to your goals and make a list of priorities, such as thinning, controlling invasives, protecting a stream or planting.
Revisit plots every five to ten years to see how the woods change.
Keep inventories and maps with your land records. A future owner, a lender or a forester will find them useful. Draw a simple table with each stand and your notes, and rank your goals from most to least urgent. That turns data into a plan.
When do you hire a forester?
A professional can design a plan, mark timber and handle sales. Ask about credentials, fees and references, and get an agreement in writing. State forestry agencies keep lists of consulting foresters.
Some states offer free or low-cost visits from a service forester.
Ask what the forester will measure, how long it will take and what you will get in the end, such as a written report and a map. Check what program or cost-share help might apply, since some states and USDA programs support forest management plans for landowners. Ask early.
Key takeaways
- An inventory shows what you have so you can match it to your goals.
- Divide the woods into stands and sample with plots.
- Measure species, diameter, health and young trees.
- Repeat every few years and call a forester for help.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Rural Farm Life Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.