DBH
/dee-bee-AYCH/🌲 Arboriculture● Basic
Also known as: diameter at breast height, trunk diameter
DBH (Diameter at Breast Height) is the standardized point for measuring tree trunk diameter, taken at 4.5 feet (1.37 meters) above the ground on the uphill side of the tree. It is the most common metric used in forestry and arboriculture for inventory, growth monitoring, and species comparison. For multi-stemmed trees, each stem's DBH is measured separately or a combined equivalent is calculated.
Etymology
Acronym: Diameter at Breast Height, from Greek diametros (diagonal of a circle)
Example
“The mature white oak measured 36 inches DBH, making it one of the largest specimens in the park inventory.”