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

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

Annals of Forest Research ◽

10.15287/afr.2021.2033 ◽

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.

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Soil Disturbance by Logging in New England̶Review and Management Recommendations

Northern Journal of Applied Forestry ◽

10.1093/njaf/5.1.30 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 30-34 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

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.

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Stand Damage Following Whole-Tree Partial Cutting in Northern Forests

Northern Journal of Applied Forestry ◽

10.1093/njaf/8.2.72 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 72-76 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Michael L. Cline ◽

Benjamin F. Hoffman ◽

Michael Cyr ◽

William Bragg

Keyword(s):

New England ◽

Basal Area ◽

Partial Cutting ◽

Damage Level ◽

Logging Damage ◽

Northern Forests ◽

Stand Damage ◽

Tree Injury ◽

Residual Stand Damage ◽

Whole Tree

Abstract Eighteen mechanically harvested, partially cut hard- and mixed-wood stands in New England were examined to determine the extent of logging damage. Frequency of crop tree damage averaged 9.6%. Tree injury, both incidence and severity, was not related to location relative to skid trails or landings. Variations in damage level between sites was not explained by numbers of trees per acre, size of trees, or basal area prior to or after harvest, but cover type, rockiness, and season of harvest in combination accounted for a small part of the site-to-site differences. Residual stand damage appeared to be most influenced by the care in harvest planning and the experience of the equipment operators. North. J. Appl. For. 8(2):72-76.

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

Forest Science ◽

10.1093/forsci/fxz036 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 65 (6) ◽

pp. 767-775 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

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.

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Comparison of Productivity and Cost Between Two Integrated Harvesting Systems in South Korea

Forests ◽

10.3390/f10090763 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 763 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Cho ◽

Choi ◽

Paik ◽

Mun ◽

Cha ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Korea ◽

Low Cost ◽

Forest Biomass ◽

Mixed Forest ◽

Biomass Harvesting ◽

Logging Residues ◽

Harvesting Systems ◽

Whole Tree Harvesting ◽

Whole Tree ◽

Tree Harvesting

Interest in the production of renewable energy using forest biomass is increasing in South Korea, and improved knowledge on operations logistics to lower biomass harvesting costs is needed. This study aimed to build a low-cost forest-biomass harvesting system by analyzing the costs of two integrated (cut-to-length and whole-tree) harvesting systems for logs and logging residues. Two integrated harvesting systems were carried out in the clear-cut mixed forest on a steep slope. Compared to the cut-to-length system that separately extracts logs and logging residues in a forest, the cable whole-tree harvesting system can save $8.8/green weight ton (Gwt) because it requires no additional yarding operation cost of logging residues. Moreover, a breakeven analysis shows that the required machine utilization rates that favor whole-tree harvesting systems over cut-to-length harvesting were more than 70% for cable harvesting systems. The introduction of the whole-tree harvesting system is, therefore, required to produce forest biomass at a low cost. In the future, studies on forest-biomass processing and transportation systems will be needed to provide a biomass feedstock supply cost from stump to biomass power plant.

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Imitated Whole Tree Harvesting Show Negligible Effect on Economic Value of Spruce Stands

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12070841 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (7) ◽

pp. 841

Author(s):

Iveta Desaine ◽

Annija Kārkliņa ◽

Roberts Matisons ◽

Anna Pastare ◽

Andis Adamovičs ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Norway Spruce ◽

Economic Value ◽

Forest Types ◽

Spruce Stands ◽

The Difference ◽

Growing Conditions ◽

Whole Tree Harvesting ◽

Whole Tree ◽

Tree Harvesting

The increased removal of forest-derived biomass with whole-tree harvesting (WTH) has raised concerns about the long-term productivity and sustainability of forest ecosystems. If true, this effect needs to be factored in the assessment of long-term feasibility to implement such a drastic forest management measure. Therefore, the economic performance of five experimental plantations in three different forest types, where in 1971 simulated WTH event occurred, was compared with pure, planted and conventionally managed (CH) Norway spruce stands of similar age and growing conditions. Potential incomes of CH and WTH stands were based on timber prices for period 2014–2020. However, regarding the economics of root and stump biomass utilization, they were not included in the estimates. In any given price level, the difference of internal rate of return between the forest types and selected managements were from 2.5% to 6.2%. Therefore, Norway spruce stands demonstrate good potential of independence regardless of stump removal at the previous rotation.

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Whole-tree Harvesting Depletes Soil Nutrients

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x74-077 ◽

1974 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. 530-535 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Edwin H. White

Keyword(s):

Soil Nutrients ◽

Nutrient Removal ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Soil Nutrient ◽

Site Conditions ◽

Nutrient Pool ◽

Whole Tree Harvesting ◽

The Impact ◽

Whole Tree ◽

Tree Harvesting

This paper reports the effects of whole-tree harvesting of eight cottonwood stands on the soil nutrient pool. The data indicate possible site degradation by depletion of soil reserves of N, P, and K but not Ca and Mg on a range of alluvial site conditions in Alabama. Foresters must establish the rate of nutrient removal in intensive tree cropping systems for a variety of species and sites and develop prescriptions to minimize the impact.

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