ABSTRACT
Single-tree management models aim to maximize individual tree performance and can be adapted to different management regimes, like commercial tree growing and agroforestry. In general these models are designed to help forest and plantation managers to maximize stand value by predicting relationships between bole diameter and tree height as timber value generally increases in an exponential fashion related to bole diameter. This is especially the case for coniferous tree species (Uzoh and Oliver, 2008; Vargas-Larreta et al, 2009). Such height/diameter models are generally used to maximixe diameter growth using easily available variables (for example from exisiting inventories) such as tree height and DBH data sets. However, their predictive capability is hampered by the generally weak relationship of tree height and diameter development observed for most forest stands and species, and recently stand density functions have been included in the models (Condés and Sterba, 2008).
