Productivity of timber extraction using farm tractor equipped with trailer (Case study: in Kheiroud Forest in northern Iran)

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 Associate Prof., Department of Forestry and Forest Economics, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, I.R. Iran.

2 Prof., Department of Forestry and Forest Economics, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, I.R. Iran.

Abstract

In the Hyrcanian forest of Iran, farm tractors equipped with 2-wheels trailer are mostly used to perform forwarding operations of pulpwood and fuelwood in small-scale timber harvesting. This study was carried out in Gorazbon district in Kheiroud experimental forest to evaluate time regression models and estimate the forwarding costs. A continuous time study was conducted to explore farm tractor for forwarding pulpwood and fuelwood, to assess farm tractor productivity and costs and to identify those variables which are most likely influential. The model indicates that the most influential important on forwarding productivity were the forwarding distance and the number of logs per turn. The average productivity of forwarding with farm tractor was 2.66 and 3.83 m3 for pulpwood and fuelwood, respectively. When the forwarding distance increased, the total time of a cycle increased as well. In addition, productivity of farm tractor was decreased by increasing the forwarding distance in a logarithmic manner. The cost of the farm tractor logging system was 508635 Rial per productive machine hours. Furthermore, hourly costs of pulpwood and fuelwood forwarding were 132730 and 190960 Rial/m3, respectively. The cost of farm forwarding was increased as simple power equation when extraction distance was increased. The element time consumption showed that the loading phase was the highest time consumption phase per turn, mainly due to labor-intensive manual loading and physical handling of logs. The forwarding operation is, however, concluded to bear advantages such as larger payload, less soil disturbance, and transportation of the logs from stump to the logging truck off-ground. It is therefore a good alternative for extraction of pulpwood and fuelwood in gentle slope in the Hyrcanian forests.
 
 

Keywords


- Akay, A.E. 2005. Determining cost and productivity of using animals in forest harvesting operations. Journal of Applied Sciences Research, 1(2): 190-195.
- Anonymous, 2010. Gorazbon forest management plan. Kheyrud Forest Research Station, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, 460p.
- Bjorheden, R. and Thompson, M.A. 1995. An International Nomenclature for Forest Work Study. Paper Presented at the XX IUFRO World Congress, Tampere, 6-12 August, 16p.
- Conway, S. 1984. Logging Practice; Principles of Timber Harvesting Systems. Miller Freeman Publications, Inc. 465p.
- Dykstra, D.P. and Heinrich, R. 1996. FAO Model Code of Forest Harvesting Practice. FAO, Rome, 97p.
- Ghaffariyan, M. 2003. Study of the production and damage to stand (soil and regeneration) due to traditional timber hauling (Case study: Kheyrud forest). M.Sc. thesis, University of Tehran, 109p (In Persian).
- Gilanipoor, N., Najafi, A. and Heshmatolvaezin, S.M. 2012. Productivity and cost of farm tractor skidding. Journal of Forest Science, 58(1): 21-26.
- Greulich, F.R., Hanley, D.P., McNeel, J.F. and Baumgartner, D. 1999. A Primer for Timber Harvesting. EB1316. WSU Cooperative Extension, Pullman, Washington, 33p.
- Huyler, N.K. and LeDoux, C.B. 1989. Small tractors for harvesting fuelwood in low-volume small diameter hardwood stands. In: Proceedings of the 12th annual meeting of the Council on Forest Engineering, 1989 August 27-30; Coeur d'Alene, ID. Atlanta, GA: US. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Region: 61-66.
- Jourgholami, M., Majnounian, B., Zobeiri, M. and Feghhi, J. 2008. Evaluation of production and costs of mule logging in down and up slopes (Case study: Kheirood forest). Journal of the Iranian Natural Resources, 61(3): 625-636 (In Persian).
- Kent, T., Kofman, P.D. and Coates, E. 2011. Harvesting Wood for Energy. Cost-effective woodfuel supply chains in Irish forestry. COFORD, Dublin, 98p.
- Lanford, B.L., Sobhani, H. and Stokes, B.J. 1990. Tree length loading production rates for southern pine. Forest Products Journal, 33(10): 56-66.
- LeDoux, C.B. and Huyler, N.K. 1992. Cycle-time equations for five small tractors operating in low-volume small-diameter hardwood stands. Res. Pap. NE-664. Radnor, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station, 6p.
- Magagnotti, N. and Spinelli, R. 2011. Integrating animal and mechanical operations in protected areas. Croatian Journal of Forest Engineering, 32(2): 489-499.
- Miyata, E.S. 1980. Determining fixed and operational costs of logging equipment. USDA Forest Service, General Technical Report NC-55, 16p.
- Russell, F. and Mortimer, D. 2005. A Review of Small-Scale Harvesting Systems in Use Worldwide and Their Potential Application in Irish Forestry. COFORD, National Council for Forest Research and Development, Dublin, Ireland, 48p.
- Sobhani, H. 2006. Guidelines for Planning Depot and Skid Trails. 45p.
- Sobhani, H. and Raafatnia, N. 1997. Guidelines of Forest Harvesting Plan Preparation. 39p.
- Sowa J., Kulak, D. and Szewczyk, G. 2007. Costs and efficiency of timber harvesting by NIAB 5–15 processors mounted on a farm tractor. Croatian Journal of Forest Engineering, 28(2): 177-184.
- Spinelli, R. and Baldini, S. 1992. Productivity and cost analysis of logging arch used with farm tractor in Mediterranean forest skidding operations. Forest System, 1: 211-221.
- Spinelli, R. and Magagnotti, N. 2012. Wood extraction with farm tractor and sulky: estimating productivity, cost and energy consumption. Small-scale Forestry, 11: 73-85.
- Spinelli, R. and Visser, R. 2008. Analyzing and estimating delays in wood chipping operations. Biomass and Bioenergy, 3: 1-5.
- Šušnjar, M., Horvat, D., Kristi, A. and Pandur, Z. 2008. Morphological analysis of forest tractor assemblies. Croatian Journal of Forest Engineering, 29(1): 41-51.
- Turk, Y. and Gumus, S. 2010. Logs skidding with farm tractors. FORMEC 2010, Forest Engineering: Meeting the Needs of the Society and the Environment, July 11-14, Padova, Italy, 1-6.
- Turner, T.L., Huyler, N.K. and Bousquet, D.W. 1988. Farm tractor skidding costs in relation to profitability of a fuelwood harvesting system. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry, 5(3): 207-210.
- Updegraff, K. and Blinn, C.R. 2000. Applications of Small-Scale Forest Harvesting Equipment in the United States and Canada. Staff Paper Series No. 143. College of Natural Resources and Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, 51p.
- Zenner, E.K., Fauskee, J.T., Berger, A.L. and Puettmann, K.J. 2007. Impacts of skidding traffic intensity on soil disturbance, soil recovery, and aspen regeneration in north central Minnesota. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry, 24: 177-183.