Soil Disturbance by Logging in New England̶Review and Management Recommendations

1988 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Wayne Martin
Keyword(s):  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Soil Disturbance ◽  
Northern Hardwood ◽  
Harvesting Systems ◽  
Management Recommendations ◽  
Whole Tree Harvesting ◽  
Subsequent Regeneration ◽  
Whole Tree ◽  
Tree Harvesting

Abstract The extent and magnitude of soil disturbance caused by mechanized, whole-tree harvesting was studied on a central hardwood site in Connecticut, a northern hardwood site in New Hampshire, and a spruce-fir site in Maine. Twenty-nine percent of the soil surface at the central hardwood site was undisturbed, but only 8% on the other sites was undisturbed. Mineral soil was exposed on 8 to 18% of soil surfaces after cutting, with wheel ruts more than 30 cm deep occupying less than 3%. Mechanized whole-tree harvesting causes a greater proportion of soil disturbance than other harvesting systems and will affect advanced and subsequent regeneration to a greater degree. If deep rutting occurs on wet soils, equipment should be moved until drier conditions prevail; winter logging and conversion from wheel to track vehicles may be options for reducing impact. Skid trails should follow the land contours. Travel routes should be predetermined to reduce the surface area being compacted. Practices that expose infertile mineral soil should be minimized. North. J. Appl. For. 5:30-34, March 1988.

Soil Disturbance Following Whole-Tree Harvesting in North-Central Maine

1991 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 68-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
David E. Turcotte ◽  
C. Tattersall Smith ◽  
C. Anthony Federer
Keyword(s):  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Soil Disturbance ◽  
Silt Loam ◽  
Site Productivity ◽  
Organic Horizons ◽  
On Line ◽  
Site Disturbance ◽  
Whole Tree Harvesting ◽  
Whole Tree ◽  
Tree Harvesting

Abstract Mechanical whole-tree harvesting can reduce site productivity if it results in excessive soil disturbance, which may both kill advanced regeneration and reduce the potential of the soil to support tree growth. Large feller-forwarders with wide, high flotation tires were designed to reduce soil disturbance, but they can cause excessive amounts of site disturbance if harvesting is conducted when soils are wet. The spatial distribution and severity of soil disturbance were determined on line transects after a spring whole-tree clearcut in northern Maine on the silt loam soils of the Chesuncook catena. Exposed mineral soil and deep wheel ruts occurred more frequently on somewhat poorly (37% of surface area) and poorly (42%) drained soil than on moderately well-drained soil (19%). This amount of site disturbance seems excessive and could reduce future site productivity due to removal of organic horizons and destruction of advanced conifer regeneration. Harvesting with large feller-forwarders on the poorly and somewhat poorly drained silt loam soils of this region should be discouraged in the spring and possibly during other periods of high soil water tables. North. J. Appl. For 8(2):68-72.

Changes in soil sulfur constituents in a forested watershed 8 years after whole-tree harvesting

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 356-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yimin Zhang ◽  
M J Mitchell ◽  
C T Driscoll ◽  
G E Likens
Keyword(s):  
Stream Water ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Forest Harvesting ◽  
Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest ◽  
Soil Solutions ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Soil Sulfur ◽  
Whole Tree Harvesting ◽  
Whole Tree ◽  
Tree Harvesting

Soil S constituents were evaluated before and after the whole-tree harvesting of Watershed 5 (W5) at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire. Soil solution and stream water concentrations of SO42-, NO3-, and H+ were compared between W5 and W6 (reference watershed). Whole-tree harvesting increased phosphate-extractable SO42- (PSO4) in the E horizon, from 2 mg S·kg-1 soil in pre-harvest to 9 and 10 mg S·kg-1 soil 3 and 8 years post-harvest, respectively. Harvesting increased PSO4 in the Bh horizon from 11 mg S·kg-1 soil prior to harvesting to 20 and 25 mg S·kg-1 soil 3 and 8 years after harvesting, respectively. Temporal patterns in soil chemistry were also reflected in stream SO42-, NO3-, and H+ concentrations. Eight years after harvesting, PSO4 concentrations in the mineral soil increased with elevation. This elevational pattern was likely due to the higher concentrations of SO42- and H+ in soil solutions that enhanced SO42- adsorption at the higher elevations. The high H+ concentrations were attributed to enhanced nitrification and differences in vegetation at upper elevations. The importance of these factors were discussed with respect to the effects of forest harvesting and changes in atmospheric S deposition.

scholarly journals Analysis of a feller-buncher productivity: a case study of whole-tree harvesting from Marmara region, Turkey

2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-110
Author(s):  
Neşe Gülci ◽  
Kıvanç Yüksel ◽  
Sercan Gülci ◽  
Hasan Serin ◽  
Ebru Bilici ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Diameter ◽  
Tree Height ◽  
Forest Products ◽  
Forest Harvesting ◽  
Marmara Region ◽  
Harvesting Systems ◽  
Whole Tree Harvesting ◽  
Whole Tree ◽  
Diameter Classes ◽  
Tree Harvesting

In fully mechanized forest harvesting systems, tree felling activities are mostly performed by using harvesters or feller-bunchers. In some regions of Turkey, where terrain conditions and stand characteristics are suitable, fully mechanized harvesting systems have been recently practiced by some of the logging contractors as private forest industry demands for large amounts of forest products throughout the year. Thus, performances of these newly practiced harvesting systems should be carefully analyzed in order to implement productive and cost-effective mechanized harvesting systems. In this study, productivity of whole-tree harvesting using a feller-buncher was investigated based on stand parameters including tree height, DBH, and volume. The DBH of the felled trees were divided into four classes (i.e. very small: 16-19 cm, small: 20-23 cm, medium: 24-27 cm and large: 28-31 cm) to investigate the effects of various DBH class on the time consumption of cutting stage and productivity of the feller-buncher. To estimate productivity of feller-buncher in harvesting operation, multiple linear and polynomial regressions were also developed and discussed after the interpretation of diagnostic plots. The results indicated that the average productivity of the feller-buncher was 74.96 m3 /h which was closely related with tree height (r = 0.63), DBH (r = 0.67), and volume (r = 0.67). The average moving time was the most time-consuming stage (60%), followed by cutting (29%) and bunching stages (11%). It was found that DBH classes caused statistically significant (p < 0.05) effects on the time spent on cutting stage and productivity of the feller-buncher. The cutting time and productivity increased from very small to large diameter classes, while bunching time increased from very small to small diameter and then medium diameter to large diameter classes. Polynomial regression had a positive impact on the performance of the estimation model of manually field-measured data based on the error parameters.

Productivity and Cost of Processors in Whole-Tree Harvesting Systems in Southern Pine Stands

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (6) ◽  
pp. 767-775 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph L Conrad ◽  
Joseph Dahlen
Keyword(s):  
Us South ◽  
High Productivity ◽  
Time And Motion ◽  
The Us ◽  
Harvesting Systems ◽  
Motion Studies ◽  
Whole Tree Harvesting ◽  
Harvesting Costs ◽  
Whole Tree ◽  
Tree Harvesting

AbstractLogging businesses in the US South have not adopted cut-to-length harvesting systems. Adding dangle head processors on the landing of whole-tree harvesting systems may allow southern loggers to achieve some of the advantages of cut-to-length systems (i.e., precise length and diameter measurements) while maintaining high productivity and low costs per ton characteristic of current whole-tree systems. We conducted a designed study of conventional (i.e., feller-buncher, grapple skidder, loader) and processor (i.e., feller-buncher, grapple skidder, processor, loader) systems. Four harvest sites were split, with half of each site harvested by a conventional system and the other half by a processor system. Harvesting productivity was estimated using time-and-motion studies, and costs were estimated using the machine rate method. Cut-and-load costs averaged US$13.57 and US$14.67 ton–1 on the processor and conventional harvests, respectively (P > .10). Cost per ton was elevated on several conventional harvest tracts because of long skidding distances, indicating harvest planning is more important than harvesting system in determining harvesting costs. Processing and loading costs were US$1.70 ton–1 higher on processor harvests, which, combined with restrictive mill quotas being more problematic for processor crews, suggests loggers will require a logging rate premium in order to invest in processors.

Damage to northern hardwoods from thinning using whole-tree harvesting technology

1986 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 1238-1244 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. D. Ostrofsky ◽  
R. S. Seymour ◽  
R. C. Lemin Jr.
Keyword(s):  
New England ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Harvesting Systems ◽  
Stand Type ◽  
Northern New England ◽  
Stand Damage ◽  
Whole Tree Harvesting ◽  
Total Damage ◽  
Whole Tree ◽  
Tree Harvesting

A mechanized whole-tree harvesting system, which has recently found widespread use in northern New England, was evaluated for its impact on residual crop trees in two northern hardwood stands in western Maine. Stand type, skid trail spacing, and whether or not skid trails were designated prior to harvesting significantly influenced stand damage levels. A higher mean percentage of residual trees was injured in a Betulapapyrifera Marsh, stand (49%) than in similar treatments in a Fagusgrandifolia Ehrh. – Quercusrubra L. stand (32%). A spacing of 20 m between predesignated trails resulted in less damage (22%) to the remaining trees than a spacing of 40 m (53%), but with many more potential crop trees cut for trails. At both sites, highest total damage was found in treatments where no skid trails were predesignated, with 82 and 43% of the crop trees damaged or removed in the B. papyrifera stand and the Fagus–Quercus stand, respectively. Models were developed to predict the effects of thinning systems, tree size, species, dbh, stand basal area, and distance from tree to skid trail on the probability of being damaged. High damage levels indicate that such harvesting systems are unsuitable for some sites and require careful planning and layout on all sites.

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