Means “diameter breast-high”;the diameter of a tree at a point 41/2 feet above the ground.
Many homeowners associations prohibit cutting trees of a certain DBH on one's own land, unless the property owner receives prior approval.
When selling timber, purchasers generally need to know the average DBH for the trees. The information is also necessary to calculate tonnage of timber, which is the more modern way of pricing, rather than calculating board-feet.