Factors Affecting Operational Cost and Productivity of Ground-Based Timber Harvesting Machines: a Meta-analysis

Louis, Libin T.; Kizha, Anil Raj; Daigneault, Adam; Han, Han-Sup; Weiskittel, Aaron R.

doi:10.1007/s40725-021-00156-5

Cited by 20 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…When the investment decision is made to purchase cut-tolength (CTL) harvesters, which require a high capital outlay, the enterprise needs to ensure that they will be applied to the optimal timber size classes to be most effective (Petterson 2017; Ackerman et al 2022). Studies have also shown that beyond a certain tree size the variability in productivity between machines tends to increase Pettersson 2017;Ackerman et al 2022) and a certain machine size class has a 'sweet spot' or optimum productivity range with regards to the tree size it is applied to (Visser et al 2009;Ackerman et al 2022;Louis et al 2022). This is where the machine can be expected to operate optimally based on its technical specifications.…”

Section: Productivity Of Machines In Target Tree Dimensionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the influence of tree size distribution on the CTL harvesting productivity of two different size harvesting machines

Ackerman,

Bekker,

Astrup

et al. 2024

Eur J Forest Res

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Tree size is one of the major factors that determines harvester productivity and is heavily influenced by forest managerial activities. Stand silvicultural management can lead to managing tree size, the distribution of tree size, and tree height amongst others. Understanding the effect of tree size distribution on harvesting productivity is central for optimizing management of operations. To investigate the effects of tree size distribution on harvester productivity, productivity functions for a medium and larger-sized harvester were applied to harvester derived tree size distributions from 35 clearfelled pine stands. These functions were applied to a normal distribution of trees covering the same tree size ranges. Productivity differences were analysed on a stand-by-stand basis. Results showed that for the larger harvester, productivity rates remained constant (67.1 vs. 67.6 m3·PMH− 1) indicating relatively little sensitivity to variations in tree size distributions. Although the standard deviation (SD) halved from 11.6 to 5.6 in the case of the uniform tree distribution. The smaller harvester productivity decreased by 15% from 47.3 to 40.1 m3·PMH− 1 and the coefficient of variation (CV) by 6% in the same transition to a uniform distribution. Further investigation was done on more skewed tree size distributions, a family of nine Weibull distributions was generated, representing combinations of three mean DBH classes (25 cm, 30 cm, and 35 cm) and three levels of CV (15%, 20%, 25%), for each DBH class. Results clearly indicate that different distribution shapes have different effects on different machine sizes, and that a low CV correlates to a higher productivity in larger tree sizes. A more uniform tree size distribution also provides more predictable results (lower CV), which would promote machine scheduling and result in fewer discrepancies on production rates.

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Section: Productivity Of Machines In Target Tree Dimensionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the influence of tree size distribution on the CTL harvesting productivity of two different size harvesting machines

Ackerman,

Bekker,

Astrup

et al. 2024

Eur J Forest Res

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“…Lundbäck et al [17] remark that the slope frequently determines the harvesting system that can be applied in a certain area. The slope also determines the productivity of some ground-based harvesting machinery: the greater the terrain slope, the lower the productivity of forwarders and skidders [18]. Other technical factors that can limit harvest productivity are the size of the property and the distance from the extraction site to the closest road.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mapping Feasibility for Wood Supply: A High-Resolution Geospatial Approach to Enhance Sustainable Forest Management in Galicia (NW Spain)

Rodríguez-Dorna,

Alonso,

Picos

et al. 2023

Forests

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The forest value chain is key to the European transition to a climate-neutral economy. Sustainable forest management is essential for this task. To plan sustainable forest management, it is essential to track forest resources in relation to their feasibility for wood supply. This means considering the constraints that may limit the incorporation of these resources into the forest value chain. Maps adapted to specific regional constraints and to the characteristics of specific forests are essential for performing sustainable forest management at a local scale. This study presents a methodology for the integrated analysis of geospatial data focused on classifying the land and the forest resources of a region according to their feasibility for wood supply. It produces maps of the feasibility for wood supply in an area and of the existing forest resources at a 10 m spatial resolution. This was done by integrating information about the legal and technical constraints present in the area according to decision rules. The land was classified into three classes: favorable, intermediate or unfavorable. Additionally, updated forest-oriented land cover maps were produced to analyze the feasibility for wood supply of the forest resources present in the region. It was found that 42% of the Eucalyptus spp., 48% of the conifers and 30% of the broadleaves in the study area were located in favorable areas. These maps would help in the quest for more sustainable forest management in the region and aid in boosting the competitiveness of the regional forest value chain.

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“…Their function is two-fold: (i) to provide criteria with quantitative or qualitative parameters [12] and (ii) to derive the state of a particular criterion [14]. Timber harvesting is a substantial part of the SFM and has multiple impacts on biodiversity conservation, renewable energy production, climate change, and carbon sequestration [15][16][17][18]. It also plays an important role in the wood-supply chain, where wood material changes location or appearance and is transformed into services and products [2].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Criteria for Assessing the Sustainability of Logging Operations—A Systematic Review

Grünberg,

Ghaffariyan,

Jourgholami

et al. 2023

Curr. For. Rep.

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Purpose of Review The comprehensive assessment of timber and fuelwood harvesting operations through the consideration of the three pillars of sustainability: Economic, social, and environmental has not received much attention. The use of criteria can significantly improve impact assessment. Therefore, the objective of this review paper is to compile and analyze the most commonly used criteria and indicators for each dimension of sustainability in logging operations over the last 6 years. This review provides an overview of these criteria for different harvesting machines, geographical areas, slope classes, time periods, types of research, and silvicultural treatments. Recent Findings The environmental pillar was the most studied (46%), followed by the economic pillar (38%). Productivity was the most investigated criterion (15%). On the one hand, productivity is linked to the environmental and social pillars, as it is related to the level of greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and the employment rate. However, productivity is mainly used as a criterion of financial interest, as it is most often studied in combination with costs. In addition to productivity, the other most frequently examined criteria were costs (10%), soil nutrients (9.5%), and soil compaction (9%). The social dimension was the least studied pillar (16%). This may be due to a lack of knowledge of social sustainability issues in this area. Summary Sustainability is achieved when all three dimensions are balanced. The results of this review show an imbalance, with economic and environmental aspects being weighted more heavily than social aspects. Balancing all three dimensions typically requires an assessment of trade-offs. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the criteria that have been studied to date and can be used as a checklist and guideline for future sustainability assessments of harvesting operations.

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Factors Affecting Operational Cost and Productivity of Ground-Based Timber Harvesting Machines: a Meta-analysis

Cited by 20 publications

References 58 publications

Understanding the influence of tree size distribution on the CTL harvesting productivity of two different size harvesting machines

Understanding the influence of tree size distribution on the CTL harvesting productivity of two different size harvesting machines

Mapping Feasibility for Wood Supply: A High-Resolution Geospatial Approach to Enhance Sustainable Forest Management in Galicia (NW Spain)

Criteria for Assessing the Sustainability of Logging Operations—A Systematic Review

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