H. Soman, A. Kizha, Bethany L. Muñoz Delgado, L. Kenefic, K. Kanoti
{"title":"Production economics: comparing hybrid tree-length with whole-tree harvesting methods","authors":"H. Soman, A. Kizha, Bethany L. Muñoz Delgado, L. Kenefic, K. Kanoti","doi":"10.1093/forestry/cpz065","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Felled trees with tops and branches are transported to the landing with a grapple skidder in conventional groundbased whole-tree (WT) harvesting. This method has greater potential to damage advance regeneration than those in which trees are processed at-stump. Hybrid tree-length (Hyb TL) harvesting using an stroke-boom delimber for in-woods processing might be a feasible alternative, but little is known about the production economics of this method. An experimental strip-cutting study was conducted in central Maine, US in the winter of 2018 to: (1) evaluate and compare operational productivity and costs of ground-based Hyb TL and WT methods; (2) identify factors influencing productivity of at-stump and at-landing log processing; and (3) calculate best management practice (BMP) implementation costs in WT harvesting. Time-motion data were recorded for operational phases such as felling, extraction, processing, sorting and loading; machine rates were calculated to determine productivity and costs of operations. Total cost of Hyb TL (US $17.01 m−3) was lower than that of WT ($18.38m−3). Processing costwas lower at-stump than at-landing ($2.66 and $2.73m−3 for Hyb TL and WT, respectively). This is likely due to fewer logs handled per cycle at-landing (1.2 logs per turn) compared to the number handled per cycle at-stump (1.4 logs per turn). Sensitivity analysis showed that a 30-m increase in average in-woods distance travelled by the delimber would result in a 41 per cent increase in the processing cost. Cost of BMP implementation in WT was $2.25 m−3 or $59.2 per productive machine hour. Results suggest that it is feasible to apply Hyb TL method in an industrial harvesting operation, though distance of in-woods delimber movement influences processing costs. Insights from this study will help forest managers and loggers efficiently plan and execute harvesting operations.","PeriodicalId":12342,"journal":{"name":"Forestry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0000,"publicationDate":"2020-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"17","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Forestry","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1093/forestry/cpz065","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"FORESTRY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 17
Abstract
Felled trees with tops and branches are transported to the landing with a grapple skidder in conventional groundbased whole-tree (WT) harvesting. This method has greater potential to damage advance regeneration than those in which trees are processed at-stump. Hybrid tree-length (Hyb TL) harvesting using an stroke-boom delimber for in-woods processing might be a feasible alternative, but little is known about the production economics of this method. An experimental strip-cutting study was conducted in central Maine, US in the winter of 2018 to: (1) evaluate and compare operational productivity and costs of ground-based Hyb TL and WT methods; (2) identify factors influencing productivity of at-stump and at-landing log processing; and (3) calculate best management practice (BMP) implementation costs in WT harvesting. Time-motion data were recorded for operational phases such as felling, extraction, processing, sorting and loading; machine rates were calculated to determine productivity and costs of operations. Total cost of Hyb TL (US $17.01 m−3) was lower than that of WT ($18.38m−3). Processing costwas lower at-stump than at-landing ($2.66 and $2.73m−3 for Hyb TL and WT, respectively). This is likely due to fewer logs handled per cycle at-landing (1.2 logs per turn) compared to the number handled per cycle at-stump (1.4 logs per turn). Sensitivity analysis showed that a 30-m increase in average in-woods distance travelled by the delimber would result in a 41 per cent increase in the processing cost. Cost of BMP implementation in WT was $2.25 m−3 or $59.2 per productive machine hour. Results suggest that it is feasible to apply Hyb TL method in an industrial harvesting operation, though distance of in-woods delimber movement influences processing costs. Insights from this study will help forest managers and loggers efficiently plan and execute harvesting operations.
期刊介绍:
The journal is inclusive of all subjects, geographical zones and study locations, including trees in urban environments, plantations and natural forests. We welcome papers that consider economic, environmental and social factors and, in particular, studies that take an integrated approach to sustainable management. In considering suitability for publication, attention is given to the originality of contributions and their likely impact on policy and practice, as well as their contribution to the development of knowledge.
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