In forestry, how is growth defined?

• A. The total amount available for harvest at a given time.
• B. Increase over a given period of time.
• C. The rate of diameter growth per year.
• D. The maximum height a tree can reach.

Answer: (B)

Growth is the increase in forest stock (the amount of wood or biomass) that occurs over a specific time period. It captures how much new wood is added by trees during that interval, and is usually expressed as annual volume or biomass growth per area (for example, cubic meters per hectare per year). This distinguishes it from standing volume at a moment in time (which is the total available for harvest now), from diameter growth as a single metric (a component of growth, not the whole concept), and from maximum height (which reflects potential height rather than actual production). In short, growth = increase in stock over the chosen period.