INVEST
PLANT
SOFTWOODS
HARDWOODS
CALCULATORS
RESOURCES
PROGRAMS
Softwoods
Learn More
Trees are living assets. Whether you are a landowner, farmer, woodlot manager, or urban homeowner, knowing the approximate value of a tree can help you make better decisions about harvesting, selling, insuring, or preserving your trees. This tree value calculator provides a quick way to turn basic measurements—tree height, trunk diameter, and species—into an estimated dollar value.
To use the Tree Value Calculator, simply choose the tree’s height, the diameter of the trunk at breast height, and the tree type from the dropdown lists, then press “Calculate.” Behind the scenes, the calculator uses a species factor (based on typical log and lumber value) and your measurements to estimate what a tree could be worth as timber or veneer.
This tool is ideal for people considering a selective harvest, evaluating a woodlot investment, or just curious about the potential value of a particularly impressive shade tree. Keep in mind that the calculator focuses on timber value rather than landscape or amenity value, which arborists may appraise differently for insurance or urban forestry purposes.
For the most reliable results:
Use this calculator alongside our Tree Carbon Calculator and Tree Spacing Calculator to see not only what a tree might be worth as timber, but also how much carbon it stores and how to plan future plantings for maximum long-term value.
Every tree planted is a metric waiting to be measured by a tree calculator. Use these tools together to plan tree spacing, estimate timber value, and track carbon storage across your forest, farm, or woodlot.
Together, these calculators create a decision toolkit for owners who want to manage trees as both an ecological asset and a long-term financial investment.
As a rule, the taller the tree and the larger its diameter, the more valuable it is as a timber tree. Long, straight trunks with no branches along most of their length are ideal and are often sold as class 1 sawlogs for veneer or clear lumber. A tall, clear log produces more high-quality boards and veneer sheets per cut, which dramatically increases its market value.
Branch-free trunks also mean fewer knots and defects, which is why managed plantations prune lower limbs on high-value species. Large-diameter trees that are 4 feet across or more can be worth a small fortune if they are straight and largely branchless for 50 feet or more. In general, hardwoods are worth more than softwoods, with the exception of unique softwoods such as exceptionally tall, large-diameter white pine, where veneer-quality logs can rival or exceed tropical hardwood prices.
Black walnut is one of the best-known examples of a valuable backyard tree. It is so prized for its dark, fine-grained wood that forestry officials have been called in to track down black walnut poachers. In one case, a 95-foot tree worth over US $28,000 was cut down from a homeowner’s yard while they were away on holiday. DNA testing of wood samples was used to solve the crime.
A tall, large diameter branch-free white pine can be worth more than some tropical hardwoods. In Quebec, Canada, an Eastern white pine over 220 feet tall, 9 feet across, and branch free for nearly 80% of its height reportedly sold for tens of thousands of dollars—and it was growing in a person’s backyard.
Similarly, a massive black locust harvested from a city park fetched an impressive payout because the wood is incredibly rot resistant and in demand for outdoor structures. Municipalities facing tight budgets sometimes harvest select park trees as a revenue source, especially when they can also replant with younger trees and diversify their urban canopy.
Fruitwood can also be valuable. An abandoned orchard of fruit trees—apple, pear, and cherry grown for lumber rather than fruit—was sold for hundreds of thousands of euros in Europe because of demand for specialty furniture and musical instrument wood.
At the very top end of value, African black ebony is one of the most valuable woods in the world. A large, old-growth tree could be worth a staggering amount, but most of the original old-growth stands have already been logged. The calculator on this page lets you get a sense of how such species compare in potential value to more common hardwoods.
There is inherent value in growing trees, some that are obvious—like timber and firewood—and others that are hidden but profitable all the same, such as carbon capture, erosion control, and habitat creation. A smart strategy considers both financial returns and ecosystem services.
Growing trees in managed tree plantations often generates the highest and most predictable return on investment. The managed timber market is dominated by softwood and biomass plantations due to short cropping rotations of between 5 and 20 years compared to hardwood plantations that extend beyond the comfort level of most timber investors.
For institutional investors willing to wait for exceptional returns, growing veneer quality hardwood sawlogs may be the most profitable approach, often exceeding the short crop returns of softwoods tenfold. Use the Tree Value Calculator to compare the value of individual hardwood trees like maple, cherry, or walnut that may be grown commercially in a long-rotation plantation.
Pole wood production represents the majority of softwood plantations. Profits can be generated in three phases: the first is an every-fourth-tree thinning around year 7 for short fence posts and stakes; the second is an every-second-tree thinning around year 14 for tall fence posts and round or squared construction posts; and the final harvest in year 21 or later yields telephone poles and large posts used in post-and-beam construction. The Tree Value Calculator helps you estimate the value of each thinning and the final harvest for common softwoods like white pine and loblolly pine.
Growing trees for biomass has the shortest crop rotation—often averaging 5 years—and can create predictable short-run revenue cycles from species that coppice (regrow from cut stumps). Biomass trees can be chipped for fuel, pellets, or pulp, and revenue can be modeled using the Woodlot Estimator in combination with local market prices.
Growing trees to rebuild ecosystems may not at first seem like a profitable venture, but governments, NGOs, and private partners increasingly pay to reclaim land and restore ecosystems damaged by fire, flood, or mining. In some regions, reforestation contracts, conservation easements, and stewardship agreements create a steady income stream for landowners who keep trees standing.
The value of growing trees to capture carbon from the atmosphere is growing exponentially as the effects of global warming and climate change are felt worldwide. An entire industry has emerged around exchangeable carbon credits designed to reduce net emissions. Carbon credits are an especially attractive source of revenue because income can be generated year after year without ever cutting down the trees. Use the Tree Carbon Calculator to estimate how much carbon each tree in a plantation captures and how that might translate into carbon credit revenue.
Use the tree value calculator as a timber value calculator to estimate the value of timberlands by the acre. First, estimate the number of harvestable trees growing per acre and group them by species. For example, if you determine that an acre contains 35 harvestable black cherry trees, enter the average height and width in the tree value calculator. Multiply the calculated value by 35 to get an approximate value of the black cherry timber growing on that acre.
Repeat the process for other species on the same acre—such as maple, oak, or pine—and add the totals to arrive at an approximate per-acre timber value. Combine that with information from the Woodlot Estimator to compare different management strategies, thinning schedules, or species mixes.
The tree value calculator also functions as a black walnut tree value calculator. Choose “Black Walnut” from the species list and enter the trunk diameter and height of the merchantable stem. For a refined estimate, divide the trunk into 10-foot sections and run each section separately as if it were an individual log. This lets you estimate the value of veneer-quality lower logs versus upper logs that are only suitable for standard lumber or blocking.
To use the calculator as an oak tree value calculator, divide the tree into 10-foot sections where the diameter is at least 12 inches. Enter the diameter and height for each section, choose “Red Oak” or “White Oak” in the dropdown, and record the value the calculator provides. Add the values from all usable sections to estimate the total value of that oak tree. This method mirrors how log buyers evaluate and scale logs by grade and length.
To use the tool as a pine tree value calculator, first select the appropriate pine type (such as loblolly pine or white pine). Pine is often sold as long-length pole wood—commonly around 40 feet, the length of a typical flatbed truck. Measure the tree caliper (diameter) and height of the usable pole section, enter those values, and calculate. Repeating this process across a stand of trees gives you a snapshot of the potential value of a plantation or polewood block.
Partner with us in a land management project to repurpose agricultural lands into appreciating tree assets. We have partnered with growingtogive.org, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, to create tree planting partnerships with land donors that benefit local communities and global climate goals.
We have partnered with growingtogive.org, a Washington State nonprofit, to create a land and tree partnership program that turns flat, fallow farmland into appreciating tree assets.
The program utilizes privately owned land to plant trees that benefit both the landowner and the environment. Long-lived trees can provide future timber, carbon income, and habitat value while improving soil health and water retention.
If you have 100 acres or more of suitable land and would like to plant trees, we would like to talk to you. There are no costs to enter the program. You own the land; you own the trees we plant for free, and there are no restrictions—you can sell or transfer the land with the trees at any time. The Tree Value Calculator gives you a glimpse of what those trees might be worth in the decades ahead.
Stake only when a young tree truly needs support. Staking is helpful on very windy or exposed sites, for bare-root or top-heavy trees, or when a small root ball is planted into loose backfill. It can also be useful in public spaces where vandalism, leaning, or mower damage is a risk. A properly planted container tree in reasonably calm conditions usually does not need stakes—letting it sway naturally encourages stronger roots and trunk taper. If you are planning a new planting, our Tree Spacing Calculator can help you lay out rows so trees establish more quickly without over-staking.
Use sturdy, rot-resistant stakes such as treated wood, fiberglass rods, or metal T-posts driven firmly into undisturbed soil. For ties, avoid wire or thin string. Instead, choose broad, flexible materials—rubber tree ties, webbing, old inner tubes, or dedicated arbor-tie products. Wrap ties in a loose figure-8 around the trunk so they support the tree while still allowing gentle movement without cutting into the bark. Avoid hardware that can girdle the trunk or damage the bark, especially on young fruit trees and ornamentals.
Most yard and street trees do well with two stakes placed just outside the root ball on the upwind and downwind sides, driven into firm, undisturbed soil. The ties connect from each stake to the trunk just below the lowest scaffold branches. In very windy or exposed locations, you can use three evenly spaced stakes or an underground guying system to stabilize the tree while its roots establish. Be careful not to damage surface or structural roots when driving stakes near the trunk.
Ties should be snug but never rigid. Leave a little play so the trunk can sway a few inches in the wind. This natural movement is what stimulates stronger roots and trunk thickening. If the tree is held perfectly still, it may develop a weak, narrow trunk and shallow roots. Check ties a few times a year and loosen or reposition them if they begin to pinch or rub. While you are inspecting stakes, it’s also a good time to check soil moisture and, if needed, add slow-release fertilizing stakes out at the dripline for extra nutritional support.
Most trees only need stakes for one growing season—typically 6–12 months. Inspect the tree each season: if it stands upright on its own and the root ball no longer shifts in the soil, it’s time to remove the stakes and ties. Leaving stakes on too long can weaken the tree, cause girdling, and create rubbing wounds where ties press against the bark. As your trees mature and put on biomass, you can estimate the value of that growth with our Tree Value Calculator .
Common mistakes include tying directly to the trunk with wire or cord, placing stakes through the root ball instead of into firm soil, pulling ties too tight, and leaving stakes in place for years. Avoid tying low on the trunk where you get poor leverage—ties should be set just below the lowest permanent branches. Also avoid staking every tree by default; many healthy plantings establish better without staking, especially when row spacing and layout have been planned for prevailing winds and soil conditions.
Copyright © All rights reserved Tree Plantation
