A comparison of harvesting productivity and costs in thinning operations with and without midfield

Mechanised thinning operations can be carried out in the forest where skid roads are provided on which harvesters and forwarders can move. In the transition to continuous cover forestry (CCF) it is better to keep a thinner network of skid roads in the forest. Instead of tracks for harvesters and forwarders, these areas can be used for younger generations of trees. Moreover, fewer skid roads in the forest environment make the stand more natural. Fewer skid roads were introduced in this research as an alternative thinning operation with midfield¹ (MF) to the most popular mechanised thinning operation with skid roads² (SR). The aim of this paper is to analyse the productivity and economic aspects of thinning operations based on harvesters and forwarders, where there are different distances between skid roads. In both of the operations, harvesters and forwarders were used, but in the MF operation a chainsaw was additionally used to cut trees beyond the reach of the harvester boom. The distances between skid roads in the MF operation were 35–38 m, while in the other they were 18–20 m. The research was carried out in premature pine stands in a flat terrain in Poland. Bigger productivity and lower costs were found in the MF thinning operations. In the younger 44-year-old stand, the average harvester (Timberjack 770) productivity (in operational time) in the MF operation was 5.87 m³h⁻¹ and in the SR operation 4.52 m³h⁻¹; forwarding provided by the Vimek 606 6WD achieved a productivity of 5.03 and 4.52 m³h⁻¹, respectively. In the older 72-year-old stand, the Timberjack 1270B productivity was 11.53 m³h⁻¹ in MF and 8.70 m³h⁻¹ in SR; the Timberjack 1010B forwarder achieved 11.22 m³h⁻¹ (MF) and 8.84 m³h⁻¹(SR).The costs of harvesting and forwarding 1 m³ of wood were lower in the MF operations. In the younger stand, harvesting costs were 5.78 €/m³ (MF) and 6.72 €/m³ (SR) while forwarding costs were 1.94 and 2.18 €/m³ respectively. In the older stand, harvesting costs were 5.58 €/m³ (MF) and 6.78 €/m³ (SR); the forwarding costs were 2.65 €/m³ (MF) and 3.41 €/m³ (SR).     

Accurate single-tree positions from a harvester: a test of two global satellite-based positioning systems

Accurate positioning of single trees registered automatically during harvesting operations opens up new possibilities for reducing the field sampling effort in forest inventories utilising remotely sensed data. In the present study, we propose to use a harvester to collect single-tree data during regular harvest operations and use these data to substitute or supplement traditional measurements on sample plots. Today’s harvesters are capable of recording single-tree information such as species and diameter at breast height, and a cut-to-length harvester was equipped with an integrated accurate positioning system based on real-time kinematic global satellite positioning, as well as a low-cost global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver mounted directly on the harvester head. Positions from 73 trees were evaluated and compared to coordinates obtained using a total station. At the single-tree level, the mean error for the integrated positioning system was 0.94?m. The low-cost GNSS receiver mounted on the harvester head yielded a mean error of 7.00?m. The sub-meter accuracy obtained with the integrated system suggests that data acquired with a harvester using this positioning system may have a great potential as a method for single-tree field data acquisition.     

Timber quality after thinning from above and below in stands of Pinus sylvestris

Timber quality and logging damage after different thinning types in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands were studied in a field experiment in north Sweden. Thinning operations were mechanized and carried out according to normal Swedish practise. The treatments were thinning from below and thinning from above. The quality of the residual stand was evaluated using variables such as diameter of the thickest branch, stem taper, annual ring width, straightness and lean of trees. The only variables showing differences between treatments were lean of tree and stem straightness. No difference in the frequency of trees with logging damage was found. The conclusion of this study is that differences between thinning types in first thinning may be evened out when carried out as in commercial forestry due to extraction of strip road and damaged trees. Consequently, differences in timber quality and logging damage in the residual stand may be small.     

杉木密度间伐试验林林分断面积生长效应

通过对26年生杉木密度试验林进行多次间伐后的结果进行比较研究,结果表明:(1)只要人工林立地条件相同,经过足够长的时间,林分断面积最终趋于一致,与是否间伐无关;(2)随间伐次数增加,获得的木材径阶也逐渐增大,未被间伐的保留木则多为大径材;(3)对于立地指数大于16的杉木宜林地,宜采用高密度造林、多次间伐的经营模式,以生产不同规格用材满足木材市场需求,还可提高林分累积断面积的生长量;对于立地指数小于14的杉木宜林地,应该采用稀植造林,以生产小、中径材为主;(4)应在立地条件好、低密度造林条件下培育大径材林木;(5)在立地指数小于14的杉木宜林地,间伐在促进林分断面积生长方面的贡献并不明显,对林分断面积生长起主要作用的因素是立地质量。     

Snow damage in lodgepole pine stands brought into thinning and fertilization regimes

Several heavy wet snowfalls occurred during 2007-2009 across a broad-scale thinning and fertilization experiment to bring overstocked juvenile lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) in the foothills of Alberta, Canada into an intensive management regime. We examined the bending and breakage of trees in relation to thinning and fertilization and used a multimodel information-theoretic approach to model stand and tree level predictors of snow damage. Fertilized stands suffered the greatest amount of snow damage, and this was most noteworthy when stands were also thinned; here 22% (17% broken stems) of trees were damaged compared to 8% (4% broken stems) in the thinned and unfertilized stands. At the stand level, needle weight and crown cover were reliable predictors of snow damage. At the tree level, separate models were developed for each combination of thinning and fertilization. All models used total tree volume; usually the smaller trees in the stands were more susceptible to damage but in the thinned and fertilized stands larger but slender trees with large asymmetrical crowns tended to be damaged. Also, trees with lower total stem volume were more susceptible to damage. Only in the thinned and fertilized stands were variables related to crown shape and asymmetry important predictors of snow damage. We conclude that snow damage is an important agent for self-thinning in unthinned stands and fertilization tends to exacerbate damage because of increase in foliage size. In areas with regular occurrence of heavy snow, we do not recommend fertilization at the same time as thinning, as the larger and more economically important trees in the stand are at risk.     

Model-based investigation on the effects of spatial evenness,and size selection in thinning of Picea abies stands

Size and spatial distribution of trees are important for forest stand growth, but the extent to which it matters in thinning operations, in terms of wood production and stand economy, has rarely been documented. Here we investigate how the choice of spatial evenness and tree-size distribution of residual trees impacts wood production and stand economy. A spatially explicit individual-based growth model was used, in conjunction with empirical cost functions for harvesting and forwarding, to calculate net production and net present value for different thinning operations in Norway spruce stands in Northern Sweden. The in silico thinning operations were defined by three variables: (1) spatial evenness after thinning, (2) tree size preference for harvesting, and (3) basal area reduction. We found that thinning that increases spatial evenness increases net production and net present value by around 2.0%, compared to the worst case. When changing the spatial evenness in conjunction with size preference we could observe an improvement of the net production and net present value up to 8.0%. The magnitude of impact differed greatly between the stands (from 1.7% to 8.0%) and was highest in the stand with the lowest stem density.     

The effect of quality bucking and automatic bucking on harvesting productivity and product recovery in a pine-dominated stand

On-board computers (OBC) of harvesting machines can now provide optimized bucking (task of cutting stems into different log lengths) by relying on value and demand matrices. Despite existing benefits of these systems in certain countries, they remain largely underutilized and generally poorly understood in German mechanized forest operations. The study aimed to compare and quantify the differences in harvesting productivity and value recovery between two treatments: quality bucking (OFF) and automatic bucking (ON). A mature forest stand with a high proportion of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) was divided into plots (30 m × 100 m) where initial tests of both treatments were randomly distributed and replicated 10 times for a total of 11 plots per treatment. Pre-harvest inventory was performed on each tree targeted for removal via a commercial thinning silvicultural treatment. Mechanized harvesting was performed with an excavator-based Atlas Kern T23 Königstiger single-grip harvester. The same assortment specifications and prices were used for both treatments but on-board optimized bucking solutions were applied in the ON plots, whereas the operator had full control of the products to be recovered in the OFF plots. During harvesting operations, continuous time and motion was performed in all plots. Average harvesting productivity was higher—but not statistically significant—in OFF plots compared to ON plots by 2.0 and 0.46 m³/PMH₀ for pine and spruce trees, respectively. Even if there was no difference detected in volume recovery for both treatments and tree species, value recovery was more than 1.60 € per cubic meter higher for pine in larger diameter classes when using quality bucking. This may be due to the fact that the algorithm of the OBC is designed for pine trees with a simpler crown architecture than trees harvested in this study. Results supporting quality bucking over automatic bucking in a Scots pine-dominated stands provide important forest operational information to managers.

     

Extent and causes of site damage due to forestry traffic

Increased mechanization in the forestry means usually increased traffic on a ground which is also used as a growth substrate. In this state‐of‐the‐art article it is found that the traffic could have an areal extent of 10–30% of the site area mainly due to yarding at clear‐felling and thinning. In the future there could be up to 6 machine entries on the site till a stand age of 50 year.

Skidding is often recognized as the major cause of soil disturbance with 50–75% of the skid trails considered as apparently compacted. Rut formation after forwarders can also be a problem but harvesters seems to be forgotten or give minor problems.

In order to reduce soil compaction smaller machines must be considered on many sites. Maybe 5–10 tonnes machines with a real mean ground pressure of 60–70 kPa could give, thanks to good tyres, an acceptable level of soil disturbance.

High tractive forces and slip may contribute to the soil disturbance as much as double the ground pressure. Calculations show it is therefore better to carry the load than to skid. However, the change in weight balance of the machine due to the load is still a problem and maybe anti‐slip control could give the machine a better torque distribution.     

徐州侧柏林林分密度与林木生长关系的研究

以徐州市侧柏人工林为研究对象,研究50年生侧柏人工林不同经营密度与林分生长之间的关系规律。根据调查数据,绘制了不同密度侧柏林的径阶分布曲线;建立了胸径、单株材积、林分蓄积与密度的相关数学模型;并选出适合徐州石灰岩山地侧柏林生长的最优模型,为徐州市侧柏人工林的密度管理和林分生产力的预测提供科学依据。       

Case studies on farm tractors as base machines for single-grip thinnings harvester heads

Time and ergonomic studies were carried out for three farm tractor-basedsingle-grip harvesters. The base machines were two models butall attachments varied. One of the machines was also used asforwarder by attaching a wagon and exchanging the harvestinghead for a grapple. The studies indicate a productivity at thesame level as that of Nordic specialized forest machines (harvestingand forwarding). Ergonomics proved to be fairly good, especiallyfor two of the machines, but still not at the same level asfor Nordic specialized forest machines. Mean ground pressureexerted by the farm tractor-based harvesters was at the samelevel as for some of the Nordic specialized single-grip harvesterswhich were compared. That was also the case for the highestground pressure (the highest ground pressure for one wheel withthe crane at full length and turned off to the side 90^°)The ability of the machines to operate in the terrain was good. These machines can also be used for other jobs, such as forwarding,and the traditional variety of jobs in agriculture. Thus themachines function more as attachment carriers than custombuiltspecialized machines. With a more careful planning of operations,the machines can be used to a high degree and more effectively.The relatively low investment cost in comparison with that ofmany custom-built specialized machines often contributes toa reduction in operating costs.     

Comparative analyses on the cycle time,productivity, and cost between commercial thinning and clear-cutting operations in Nasu-machi Forest Owners’ Co-operative,Tochigi Prefecture,Japan

This study investigates clear-cutting operations on moderately and gently sloping sites. Cycle times, productivities, and costs of those operations are analyzed and compared with those of commercial thinning operations, to enable logging contractors to easily find trends of those three variables. Felling cycle times of clear-cutting were lower than those of commercial thinning operations. Processing cycle times of clear-cutting on the gently sloping site were lower than those of clear-cutting on the moderately sloping site and commercial thinning. However, processing cycle times of clear-cutting on the moderately sloping site were similar to those of commercial thinning. Forwarding cycle times of clear-cutting on the moderately sloping site were the lowest among the estimated forwarding cycle times. Costs of operation systems were the lowest with clear-cutting on the gently sloping site, followed by clear-cutting on the moderately sloping site, and then commercial thinning with mechanized and current operation systems according to forwarding distance, with extracted volume 0.5 m³/stem. Costs of the current thinning operation system were less than those with a mechanized thinning system below extracted volume 0.3 m³/stem, because of smaller machinery expenses.     

Single-tree and Group Selection in Montane Norway Spruce Stands: Factors Influencing Operational Efficiency

The operational efficiency of single-tree and group selection with a single-grip harvester was studied in uneven-aged spruce forests at high altitudes in southern Norway. Three harvest intensities of single-tree selection and two group sizes were examined in group selection. Single-tree selection included harvest intensities of 25, 45 and 65% of basal area. Group sizes for group selection were 0.063 and 0.250 ha. Normally, single-tree selection is considered less efficient than group selection or clear-cutting. In this study, because time consumption per cubic metre was primarily dependent upon average harvested tree volume, the large harvested tree size for single-tree selection allowed this treatment to be more efficient than group selection. The two blocks in this study were part of a larger design of five blocks with identical treatments under varying stand conditions. The relative operational efficiency of single-tree selection compared with group selection was greatest in stands of low stocking. Other studies have also shown that mechanical damage to the residual stand is lowest under these conditions.     

不同间伐强度对阔叶混交林生长及径级结构的影响

通过对辽东山区阔叶混交林进行抚育间伐试验,结果表明:适度的抚育间伐可促进阔叶混交林林木胸径和蓄积生长,林分平均胸径和蓄积生长率随着间伐强度的增加先升高后降低,其中弱度间伐区林分平均胸径生长率最大,中度间伐区林分蓄积量生长率最大。间伐效果表现在伐后最初几年,随着时间的推移,林分平均胸径和蓄积生长率逐渐降低,各间伐区差异逐渐变小。随着间伐强度和林龄的增加,峰值向大径级位置偏移,分布范围明显地向大径级扩展。由不同间伐强度林分径级分布范围看,伐后4~21a,经过间伐的林分,径级分布峰值比对照区提高1~2径级。与对照区相比,各间伐区林分自然径级最大值、极差和直径离散度均有所增加,总体上表现出随着间伐强度和林龄增加而加大的趋势。综合考虑,中度间伐最有利于提高林分生产力,改善林分直径结构。     

长白山阔叶林高产大径木林分结构及择伐周期优化研究

以红石林业局为研究对象,建立了长白山林区阔叶林高产大径木收获量和净收益优化模型,其中包括矩阵生长子模型,采伐成本和林木价格子模型。通过大量的省级固定样地资料,对林分生长转移概率模型和进界生长模型进行了参数估计,并对模型进行了比较和修正。林分结构优化模拟时综合考虑了林木最大保留直径(LDT),相邻径级立木株数之比(q),林分保留断面积(RBA)和择伐采伐周期4个因素。模拟结果表明,高产大径木的林分结构参数为:q=1.2、LDT=46cm、RBA≥26m2,采伐周期(C)为10–20年。表9参9。     

Toward sustainable harvesting of Africa's largest medicinal plant export (Prunus africana): a case study in Tanzania

Global demand for treating prostate disorders with Prunus africana bark extract has made P. africana Africa's largest medicinal plant export. Unsustainable harvesting practices can lead to local extirpations of this multipurpose tree. Survey research targeting P. africana harvesters in a Tanzania forest reserve revealed that 78% of them used unsustainable harvesting practices. This research focused on establishing a socioeconomic profile of the harvesters, the profitability of their business operations, and identifying the factors that influence their selection of harvesting practices. Results indicate that harvesters have above-national-average education, double the average family size, and generate income exceeding government's minimum wages. Large family size and high earning potential imply increased future harvesting activity. Logistic regression results indicate that education and training level could predict the likelihood that a harvester would use unsustainable harvesting practices. Local- and district-level government organisations could implement a resource assessment as a basis to design and implement harvesting schedules and ensure that the harvesters receive appropriate training, regardless of their education level.     

Impact of number of stems per stool on mechanical harvesting of a Eucalyptus globulus coppiced plantation in south-west Western Australia

Coppice regeneration of eucalypt plantations is increasingly being used in Australia to reduce re-establishment costs. However, little is known about the impact of early coppice reduction regimes on harvester performance during clearfelling. The trial compared the productivity, time consumption, cost and fuel use of a single-grip harvester (Hyundai 210LC-9 base and SP 591LX harvesting head) clearfelling a 10.5-year-old, second-rotation coppiced Eucalyptus globulus stand in south-west Western Australia for chip logs. Coppice stems had been reduced to one stem or two stems per stool or left untreated. Time and piece counts were used to determine harvester productivity. Harvester cycle and elemental times and the number of logs and harvester head passes per stem were obtained from video recordings. Harvester fuel use was determined by refilling the fuel tank to the same point each day. Stem size was the major factor influencing harvester productivity (20.8 m3 per productive machine hour without delays [PMH₀], 11.8 m³ PMH₀^?1 and 8.6 m³ PMH₀^?1 in the single-stem (mean stem volume [MSV] 0.21 m³), two-stem (MSV 0.09 m³) and untreated trial areas (MSV 0.06 m³), respectively. Estimated harvester cost (AU$ m^–3) was considerably greater for the two-stem and untreated trial areas, which reflected the lower harvester productivity in these areas. Processing time represented over 60% of the total cycle time for all trial areas. Coppice characteristics resulted in significantly different moving/positioning times between trial areas. However, this difference had no impact on cycle times. Number of logs per stem was a significant variable in cycle and processing time regressions for all trial areas and felling time for the single-stem trial area. Number of harvester head passes was a significant variable in cycle and processing time regressions for the single-stem trial area and processing times for the two-stem trial area, although its effect was less than that of the number of logs per stem. Fuel consumption (L PMH₀^?1) was relatively constant between the trial areas, hence harvester energy intensity (L m^?3) reflected the harvester productivity in each trial area.     

Line thinning promotes stand growth and understory diversity in Japanese cedar (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cryptomeria japonica</Emphasis> D. Don) plantations

We studied the effects of line thinning on stand structure, microclimate and understory species diversity of two Cryptomeria japonica D. Don plantations in south-central Japan. In each of two study sites we compared stand structure between the thinned stand and an adjacent unthinned stand and found that line thinning increased the growth rate of residual trees such that stand basal area may recover within 10 years after thinning. In the thinned stand, more open canopy conditions resulted in higher maximum temperatures on the forest floor during the early growing season than in the unthinned stand. The thinned stand had greater understory plant species richness and biomass than the unthinned stand. This study suggested that line thinning could potentially enhance biodiversity while simultaneously increasing tree-growth rates in overstocked Cryptomeria japonica plantations.     

Productivity of single-grip harvesters in clear-cutting operations in the northern European part of Russia

A field-based study was carried out to broaden our knowledge of fully mechanized cut-to-length harvesting productivity in naturally grown forests in the northern European part of Russia (NEPR). The recorded data comprised 38 midsized single-grip harvesters (JD 1270D) in clear-cutting operations in the Karelia, Komi, Vologda, Leningrad, Tver, and Kirov regions in NEPR, 4.3 million felled trees, and 1.4 million m³ u.b. (under bark) of processed timber. Harvesting operations were conducted in forest stands composed of spruce (48% on average), pine (19%), birch (22%), and aspen (11%), with an average stem volume 0.31 m³ u.b. The cut-to-length harvesters produced from 4.3 to 14.9 m³ u.b./productive machine hour (PMH) and 16.0–49.5 m³ u.b./stem processing machine hour (S _proc MH). A machine evaluation analysis and a regression analysis were used to formulate models for predicting cutting productivity of modern single-grip harvester. The regression models were developed to estimate the productivity of the harvesters in the regions taking into account two significant factors influencing the productivity: the stem volume and tree species of the felled trees. Productivity/cubic meter u.b. of processed timber/PMH was calculated according to stem volume and tree species distributions in most forest-covered NEPR regions. Further research is suggested to improve the developed productivity models and to allow prediction of system performance over a broad range of stand and site conditions.     

伐木联合机间伐作业性能和时间研究

本文介绍了伐木联合机间伐针叶林的时间研究过程和方法。通过欧洲赤松和落叶松的间伐试验、测量了单株作业时间和各动作时段比例。得到(?)SA250EVA型伐木联合机的生产能力为每小时57～68株或6.8～8.5m~3分析不树种、林木胸径及作业方式对伐木联合权作业性能的影响,作业评估表明,伐木联合机生产率高、工作条件舒适安全。对林木和林地捐伤小,适合在针叶林间伐中使用。