diff --git a/libraries/octree/src/OctreeElement.cpp b/libraries/octree/src/OctreeElement.cpp
index cdc4f419c0..7697338a28 100644
--- a/libraries/octree/src/OctreeElement.cpp
+++ b/libraries/octree/src/OctreeElement.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ quint64 OctreeElement::_externalChildrenMemoryUsage = 0;
 quint64 OctreeElement::_voxelNodeCount = 0;
 quint64 OctreeElement::_voxelNodeLeafCount = 0;
 
+void OctreeElement::resetPopulationStatistics() {
+    _voxelNodeCount = 0;
+    _voxelNodeLeafCount = 0;
+}
+
 OctreeElement::OctreeElement() {
     // Note: you must call init() from your subclass, otherwise the OctreeElement will not be properly
     // initialized. You will see DEADBEEF in your memory debugger if you have not properly called init()
diff --git a/libraries/octree/src/OctreeElement.h b/libraries/octree/src/OctreeElement.h
index ca2fa0b540..a37866bdbe 100644
--- a/libraries/octree/src/OctreeElement.h
+++ b/libraries/octree/src/OctreeElement.h
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ public:
     static void addUpdateHook(OctreeElementUpdateHook* hook);
     static void removeUpdateHook(OctreeElementUpdateHook* hook);
     
+    static void resetPopulationStatistics();
     static unsigned long getNodeCount() { return _voxelNodeCount; }
     static unsigned long getInternalNodeCount() { return _voxelNodeCount - _voxelNodeLeafCount; }
     static unsigned long getLeafNodeCount() { return _voxelNodeLeafCount; }