Innovation Born from a Persistent Problem
For more than a century, foresters have measured trees, calculated taper curves, and estimated volume with methods that could never quite bridge the gap between observed field data and modeled tree geometry. Traditional taper equations were locked to fixed shapes—polynomial curves and generalized form classes—that could not adapt to the real variation in trees across species, sites, and ages. The result was a persistent problem: every dataset required its own regression, and even then, predicted cubic-foot volumes rarely aligned with growth-and-yield models such as FVS.
Within the FRASS Analytics system, we re-imagined this process from the ground up. The Flex Taper Model was designed as an adaptive geometric solver—a system that iteratively reshapes each tree’s taper curve until its computed cubic-foot volume matches the FVS-reported volume exactly. Instead of forcing trees to fit a single equation, Flex Taper lets the equation flex to fit each tree.
This innovation grew into invention. The δ-based algorithm at the heart of the Flex Taper Model is patent-pending and available exclusively through the FRASS platform. It transforms biometric data—DBH, height, crown ratio, and species—into merchantable log lists with true geometric fidelity. From there, FRASS seamlessly applies Scribner Board-Foot volumes, log grades, and delivered-log prices to produce defendable, stand-level valuations.
In short, Flex Taper solved what decades of forestry software could not: a direct, transparent link between growth modeling and market valuation. It is more than a formula—it is the missing bridge between biometric science and forest economics.
The Flex δ Solution
Inputs:
DBH (outside bark), Total Height, Crown Ratio, and optional upper-stem diameter.
Flex δ Process:
Iteratively adjusts small-end diameter ratios along the stem until the calculated Cubic-Foot Volume (CFV) matches the FVS-reported value for the same tree.
Outputs:
Predicted diameters inside bark (DIB) at log segments, Small- and Large-End Diameters (SED & LED), log grade assignment, and Scribner Board-Foot volumes drawn from lookup tables.
Validated against FVS MCW volumes; species-specific bark factors applied per Wonn & Hoyer (1997).
From Algorithm to Action
In practice, the Flex Taper Model brings the mathematics of forest measurement into the hands of those who depend on accuracy the most. Field cruisers record only what they can observe—DBH, total height, and crown ratio—while FRASS performs the complex volume reconciliation automatically. Each tree’s taper solution becomes a log-level value profile, instantly usable for appraisal, harvest planning, or portfolio analysis.
For appraisers, this delivers defensible volume-to-value linkage that meets modern standards of transparency and reproducibility. For landowners, it reveals how biological growth converts to marketable assets over time. And for agencies and tribes managing public or trust forests, Flex Taper provides a consistent framework for comparing inventory data, modeling harvest alternatives, and quantifying financial performance across rotations.
The result is a unified language connecting biometric science, economic forecasting, and sustainable forest management— an innovation available only within the FRASS Analytics ecosystem.
