Harvesting Cost and Productive of Tree-Length Thinning in a Pinus densiflora Stand Using the Tower Yarder (HAM300)

Abstract

Logging equipment and method have a major influence on harvesting productivity and cost. This study investigated the productivity and operational costs of tree-length cable yarding system using HAM300, a domestically developed tower yarder. We tested HAM300 for thinning operation in Pinus densiflora stands at Gangreung, Gangwon-do on April, 2014. To assess the productivity we conducted time study for each stage of the operation. When the average time/cycle was examined for each stage of the operation, the longest was for yarding (241 sec), followed by delimbing (237 sec), felling (153 sec), and processing (103 sec). Furthermore, productivity for felling was 8.6 m 3 /hr, followed by delimbing (5.1 m 3 /hr), yarding (3.5 m 3 /hr), and processing (8.1 m 3 /hr). The total cost for the tree-length logging system was 58,446 won/m 3 , of which the majority was incurred by the yarding cost at 46,217 won/m 3 (79.3%), whereas the lowest cost was for felling at 2,359 won/m 3 (4.1%). We suggest that it is necessary to foster specialized operators and provide training in operating the tower yarder thereby implementing efficient harvesting system resulting from low-cost yarding.

Yarding productivity of tree-length harvesting using a small cable-yarder in steep slope, South Korea

“…Since the p-values for predictor variables show differences less than the significance level of 5%, each of the variables included in the final regression equation. The coefficient of determination of this regression equation was higher than those of previous studies (Han 2008;Cho et al 2016), and the proposed regression equation may be used to estimate yarding productivity when HAM300 is used to harvest larch trees.…”

“…D ¼ Mean of the predicted and measured yarding productivity S D ¼ Standard error of the mean difference in yarding productivity When a yarding productivity regression equation was a good fit to represent the given data, the final yarding productivity regression equation was established using the full data (Shin and Han 2006;Han 2008;Cho et al 2016). Further, the influence of individual yarding cost factors was analyzed using the finally established yarding productivity regression equation along with the factors, lateral distance, yarding distance, and tree volume.…”

“…There were many cable yarding productivity and cost analyses of operations using cable yarding systems used in South Korea. For example, You (2015) and Cho et al (2016) performed productivity and cost analyses in their studies on yarding operations using HAM300, a domestic tower yarder in its early development stage. Although we have done several cable yarding studies in South Korea, there has been little research conducted to develop a yarding productivity regression equation.…”

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

“…The scale (CAS RW-10L) was used to examine the total weight and the empty weight of the forwarder and truck to calculate the amount of forest biomass. The cost factors of the forest machines used (e.g., initial input cost, fuel consumption, fuel cost, and labor cost), as well as wages for workers, were used to calculate the work cost of the forest-biomass harvesting systems [21][22][23]29]. Moreover, the stand stock (m 3 /ha), bucking rate (%), and proportion of each tree species were surveyed to analyze the economic benefits of each harvesting system [30].…”

“…Considering the increasing market value for unused forest biomass, it is necessary for South Korea to construct efficient forest-biomass harvesting and supply systems. Many studies have analyzed the productivity and costs of extracting logs using various tree-harvesting systems [19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. Although Lee et al [26] analyzed the productivity and cost factors for forest-biomass harvesting using the cut-to-length harvesting system, studies on the effects of forest-biomass harvesting systems with whole-tree harvesting are still insufficient.…”