Because leaf area index (projected one-sided leaf surface area per unit ground surface area, hereafter referred to as LAI) is a critical variable in models that attempt to simulate carbon, nutrient, water, and energy fluxes for forest ecosystems (e.g., Running and Coughlan 1988), techniques to rapidly estimate LAI over large areas are in great demand. LAI can be measured either directly or indirectly (e.g., Norman and Campbell 1989). Direct techniques involve dimensional analysis of the canopy and imply felling trees that are representative of the stands being studied. As a consequence, these techniques are labor-intensive and expensive. Moreover, the allometric relations are influenced by environmental factors and therefore may not