The measurement of wood decay in landscape trees

The evaluation of wood in a tree trunk is essential for tree risk assessment; however, the accurate measurement of decay is still in its infancy. A review of the current methods used for field measurement of wood decay in landscape trees is presented. Methods are compared in terms of the damage caused to tree tissues, ease of use, and their level of accuracy. Moderately invasive decay detecting devices, such as constant feed drills, are accurate for locating wood decay in a tree. In contrast computerized tomography devices are less damaging to tree tissues, but results may be difficult to interpret.