For the backward of forest resources investigation and monitoring in China, a mechanical electronic forest box compass was developed to measure sample plot perimeter, tree height and tree coordinates. Comparing with mechanical electronic forest box compass, Blume-less hypsometer, forest compass and handheld laser rangefinder, the results demonstrated that the accuracy of mechanical electronic forest box compass in measuring azimuth, height and horizontal distance was 0.30°, 0.03 m and 0.06 m, the precision of mechanical electronic forest box compass in measuring azimuth, height and horizontal distance was 0.30°, 0.94 m and 3.53 m. The variance of mechanical electronic forest box compass in measuring azimuth, height and horizontal distance was 313.60, 1.12 and 17.97, the standard deviation of mechanical electronic forest box compass in measuring azimuth, height and horizontal distance was 17.71, 1.06 and 4.24, and the S value of mechanical electronic forest box compass in measuring azimuth, height and horizontal distance was 310.50, 1.12 and 18.05, respectively. The measurement results of mechanical electronic forest box compass were the best. The development of mechanical electronic forest box compass would explore a new way for the three-dimensional monitoring system of forest resources, especially the updating of ground investigation instruments.