Height–diameter models for Scots pine and birch in Finland

Height–Diameter (H–D) models for two shade-intolerant tree species were estimated from longitudinal data. The longitudinal character of the data was taken into account by estimating the models as random effects models using two nested levels: stand and measurement occasion level. The results show that the parameters of the H–D equation develop over time but the development rate varies between stands. Therefore the development of the parameters is not linked to the stand age but to the median diameter of the basal-area weighted diameter distribution (DGM). Models were estimated with different predictor combinations in order to produce appropriate models for different situations. The estimated models can be localized for a new stand using measured heights and diameters, presumably from different points in time, and the H–D curves can be projected into the future.