A Unique Grubbing Head Prototype for Environmentally Friendly and Sustainable Stump Removal

Abstract

Stumps left behind after the felling of trees represent an important source of renewable energy that could be used for fuel mixtures as a sustainable solution. The subject of this research was to determine the influence of tree species, stump diameter size, and subsoil on the time required for stump processing. Evaluated parameters included the mean time for one stump’s processing; the stump processing time based on the stump diameter; different soil types and tree species; and the tree species type (coniferous, broadleaved). The research was conducted in the territory of the Czech Republic in 2020/2021. There were 287 stumps and 6 tree species in total. The stumps were uprooted using a new prototype of grubbing head, developed at Mendel University in Brno, attached as an adapter on the boom of a JCB JS 220 LC excavator with a tracked undercarriage and was controlled remotely from an excavator cab. Research results confirmed that the processing time of one stump depends on the stump diameter (GLM), and the time needed for the processing of one stump increased with an increase in stump diameter in all experimental sites. An equation was suggested to predict the time needed to work on one stump.

Innovative Technology of Saplings Planting for Increase Tourism Potential of the Landscape

“…Additionally, environmental factors can affect the forest regeneration include soil quality, weed presence or invasive species that may discontinue the natural regeneration process or cause insufficient seed dispersal (Rey Benayas et al 2008). For this reason, it is necessary to carry out an appropriate site preparation that might improve the stand conditions and thus increase the survival and growth of the planted seedlings within an artificial regeneration (Wallertz et al 2018;Staněk et al 2022). However, this process brings increased financial costs.…”