SiteTools was created to fill several requirements.
People needed to produce site index tables for more species and equations
as they were developed, and also to calculate site index for large data files
containing height and age. They also needed a standard set of functions for
computing site index, height, age, or years to breast height. These functions
were then available for use in other programs developed by the Ministry of
Forests (e.g., TASS,
TIPSY
and VDYP)
and outside the ministry.
SiteTools provides convenient access to dozens of site
index and height growth equations for British Columbia's commercial tree
species, as well as site index conversion equations and growth intercept
equations for some species. You can plot graphs, print tables, or just use the
calculator. It also has a batch option for large data files. SiteTools
contains the recommended site index curves used by the B.C. Ministry of Forests in
timber supply analysis.
The Research Branch of the Ministry of Forests developed
and maintains SiteTools with the support from the Forest Investment Account (FIA). The
Province of British Columbia has the copyright. SiteTools is distributed free
of charge at the discretion of the Ministry.
SiteTools includes two of the most common site index
estimation methods in B.C. They are the growth intercept method, and the site index
curve method. The methods differ in their availability throughout the province, their
suitability for different stand conditions, the survey data required to predict site index,
and their accuracy. The other common site index estimation method is
SIBEC (Site Index by Site Unit and Species Look-up Table).
Growth Intercept and Site Index Curve
Methods. With the growth intercept and site index
curve methods, site index is predicted from the height and age of sample
trees measured on the site. These measured values are used to determine site
index. The growth intercept method is used on younger stands (3-50 years breast height
age), whereas the site curve method is generally applied to stands greater
than 50 years breast height age but may also be applied to younger stands.
How SiteTools Works
You can use
SiteTools for the following applications:
Select 'Calculate value' from the Tools menu to open the calculator tool and
for the selected species you can calculate a value as follows:
|
Calculate |
By Knowing |
|
Height |
Age and Site Index |
|
Site Index |
Age and Height |
|
Age |
Height and Site Index |
|
Years to breast height |
Site Index |
|
Convert to Site Index of other species |
Other species Site Index |
Select 'Create table' from the Tools menu to generate
a table for the selected species as follows:
|
Generate a table of: |
By Knowing : |
|
Height |
Age and site index |
|
Site index |
Age and height |
|
Age |
Height and site index |
|
Years to breast height |
Site index |
|
Convert to site index of other species |
Other species site index |
Once you have created a table, you can either save it
and create another one using the Create table option in the Tools menu, or
edit the table using the Table specifications option from the Edit menu. If
you want to use the data in another program use the Export option from the
file menu to create and save an ASCII file containing only table data.
Select this option to open the Plot Graph dialog box, and to access the
Plot program. This program is designed to work with a number of different
programs such as TIPSY.
This release of SiteTools comes with an upgraded Plot program. Access to the
Plot program has also changed. Now you have to create a table first, then
ask SiteTools to send the data to the Plot program.
Batch SiteTools lets you calculate more than one
value at a time. It requires an input file and specifications for calculating
and formatting the output.
