The point-centered quarter tree survey method produces three quantitative measures: the relative density, the relative frequency, and the relative basal area. These three values are added together to give the Importance Value of that species. This is then converted to a relative importance value (Table 5).

The importance value of a species can reach a maximum of 300 in a survey that only finds one species present. A high importance value does not necessarily mean that the spec

Tree surveys are an important technique for both private and public stakeholders. They can provide helpful information to allow land managers to make informed decisions. A community may want to do a tree inventory to determine if there is a need for a forestry program. For example, the survey may reveal many dead or diseased trees (Figure 3) and indicate the need for more plantings. The survey may also help the community set up a maintenance schedule to prevent damage from hazardous trees. Lastly, the su