This dictionary seeks to strike a balance between being too inclusive and being too exclusive of both general and specialist terms.  The general guidelines for development of the dictionary included (1) not duplicating the depth of more specialized, disciplinary dictionaries and glossaries in the various fields of forest science, (2) avoiding terms that are either self-explanatory or contained in standard dictionaries, (3) no providing taxonomic details or classification systems, (4) amplifying definitions by providing notes that help users interpret the definitions or provide examples of use, and (5) providing cross references to allied terms.

Those guidelines were necessarily interpreted subjectively.  The terms included and the information provided in definitions were largely at the discretion of the scientists and practitioners who developed them.  Consequently, this dictionary presents the terms and definitions that the science and technology leaders of the Society of American Foresters recognize as being used currently in the profession of forestry.

Terms are printed in lowercase letters unless they are commonly or always capitalized.  Definitions for terms with more than one sense are numbered with bold Arabic numerals.  The disciplinary or other context for a term with multiple senses is given in italic before the numbered definitions; if the context applies to only one sense, it appears after the numeral for that definition.  Technical words used to define a term are cross-referenced in bold; at the ends of some definitions are related terms, also cross-referenced in bold.  Certain out-of-date terms have been included so that readers can use older literature; these terms are marked obsolete.  Where appropriate, synonyms and antonyms are given at the ends of the definitions.

The following abbreviations are used:

• Å      ångstrom
• ac     acre(s)
• C      Celcius
• ch     chain(s)
• cm    centimeter(s)
• F       Fahrenheit
• ft      foot (feet)
• g      gram(s)
• gal    gallon(s)
• GIS   geographic information system
• ha     hectare(s)
• in      inch(es)
• kg     kilogram(s)
• km    kilometer(s)
• kPa   kilopascal(s)
• l        liter(s)
• lb      pound(s)
• m      meter(s)
• mb    millibar(s)
• mi     mile(s)
• mm   millimeter(s)
• MPa   megapascal(s)
• psi     pound(s) per square inch
• sec    second(s)
• sp.    species (singular or plural)