Izvod: The paper studies the possibility of using the stratified sampling in forest inventory. The technique of average and total volume assessment is explained in the example of one beech high forest management class. We first observed stands as strata and then homogeneous groups of stands. We concluded that there are numerous possibilities for using stratified sampling in forest inventory. Compared to a simple sample of the same size, the obtained volume assessment has a greater precision. The effect of the performed stratification is significant. In the given example, to achieve the same degree of precision of the assessments, the size of the stratified sample can be 27.2% smaller than the simple sample.
       Ključne reči: stratified sampling, forest inventory, stand, management class