The Tree Carbon Calculator

1. Take a soft tape measure and measure the circumference around the tree’s trunk at a height of 1.3 metres from the ground.
2. Enter the tree’s circumference in centimetres at 1.3 metre height in the form below. For Metric Conversions, see http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/ conversions.html
3. Select the tree type by selecting ‘hardwood’ (for example, a Eucalypt tree) or ‘softwood’ (for example, a pine tree). Click here for further explanation.
4. Click on the “CALCULATE” button to show an estimate of the amount of carbon stored in the tree. This includes both what you see above the ground in the stem, branches, and leaves, and also what is below ground in the roots.

   Start the Calculator.

Is my tree a hardwood or a softwood?

(SOURCE: http://www.rainforestjukebox.org/good_wood/about_oz.htm)

The term 'hardwood' applies to woods from deciduous and evergreen, broad-leaved trees, or dicotyledons. It does not mean 'hardness' in the normal sense, but is a botanical classification. Usually, the timber from broad-leaved trees is harder and heavier than that from softwood (e.g. needle-leaved trees like conifers), but there are plenty of exceptions to the rule. For example, the lightest-known woods are termed 'hardwoods' (for example, balsa wood is a hardwood)..

Hardwoods bear seed-containing fruit and come from the botanical group called Angiosperms. An example is a eucalypt.

Eucalyptus pilularis, Ourimbah State Forest

Softwoods generally come from coniferous or needle-leaved trees. They grow mainly in temperate and cool climates and comprise about 600 species. They come from the botanical group called Gymnosperms.

An example is pine.

Pinus Radiata, Buccleuch State Forest