Appendix A: Forestry Measurements and Conversions

Land Measurements

Linear

1 link = 7.92 inches
100 links = 1 chain
1 chain = 66 feet
80 chains = 1 mile
1 rod = 16.5 feet
4 rods = 1 chain
1 mile = 5,280 feet

Area

1 square rod = 272.25 square feet
10 square chains = 1 acre
1 acre = 43,560 square feet; a square acre measures about 209 feet on each side
1 square mile (section) = 640 acres
1 township = 36 sections Metric to English

Tree and Log Measurements

1 board foot = 144 cubic inches of solid wood
1 cubic foot = 1,728 cubic inches of solid wood or about 5 to 6 board feet (because of losses in sawing)
1 cunit = 100 cubic feet of solid wood
1 cord = a closely stacked pile of wood containing 128 cubic feet of wood, bark, and air spaces. Usually measured as 4 feet x 4 feet x 8 feet and contains 70 to 90 cubic wood or about 500 board feet.

Approximate English to Metric System Conversions

English to Metric

1 inch = 2.540 centimeters
1 foot or 12 inches = 30.480 centimeters
1 yard or 3 feet = 0.914 meters
1 U.S. statute mile or 5,280 feet = 1.609 kilometers
1 acre or 43,560 square feet = 0.405 hectares
1 cubic foot or 1,728 cubic inches = 0.028 cubic meters

Metric to English

1 centimeter or 10 millimeters = 0.394 inches
1 meter = 39.370 inches
1 kilometer or 1 ,000 meters = 0.621 U.S. statute mile
1 hectare or 10,000 square meters = 2.471 acres
1 cubic meter or 1,000,000 cubic centimeters = 35.315 cubic feet