Treesearch

Discusses bird activity observed in a short-rotation intensive culture Populus plantation over 5 years, from site preparation into the sixth growing season

A computer program called WALNUT is described that determines the leastcost combination of lumber grades required to produce a given cutting order of furniture dimension parts. If the least-cost mix is not available, WALNUT can be used to determine the next best alternative. The steps involved in using the program are described.

Logging cost simulators and data from logging cost studies have been assembled and converted into a series of simple equations that can be used to estimate the stump-to-mill cost of cable logging in mountainous terrain of the Eastern United States. These equations are based on the use of two small and four medium-sized cable yarders and are applicable for harvests of timber from 6 t o 24 inches in diameter. Cost components can be easily calculated on a hand-held calculator. A computer program that could be adapted to many desktop and microcomputers is available that will calculate the...

A cable logging thinning simulation model and field study data from cable thinning production studies have been assembled and converted into a set of simple equations. These equations can be used to estimate the hourly production rates of various cable thinning machines operating in the mountainous terrain of western Oregon and western Washington. The equations include seven small- and medium-sized cable yarders and are applicable to uphill thinnings of Douglas-fir from low to high volume removals. Hourly production rates can be easily calculated on a hand calculator using log size, volume...

Cable yarding can reduce the environmental impact of timber harvesting on steep slopes by increasing road spacing and reducing soil disturbance. To determine the cost of harvesting forest biomass with a small cable yarder, a 13.4 kW (18 hp) skyline yarder was tested on two southern Appalachian sites. At both sites, fuelwood was harvested from the boles of hardwood trees 10 to 36 cm (4 to 14 inches) in dbh. The volume of pieces yarded ranged from 0.01 to 0.63 m³ (0.2 to 22.4 ft³). With a crew of four on a small clearcut block and piece volumes averaging 0.14 m³ (5.1 ft³), yarding costs were...

Tree quality is an important factor in determining the market value of hardwood timber stands, but many forest inventories do not include estimates of tree quality. Butt-log grade distributions were developed for northern red oak, black oak, white oak, chestnut oak, and yellow-poplar using USDA Forest Service log grades on more than 4,700 trees in West Virginia. Butt-log grade distributions indicate the probabilities associated with each grade for each species and d.b.h. class. These estimates are useful for predicting the value of timber stands for which stand tables are available.

Forest managers often question the economic feasibility of cultural practices in hardwood sapling stands. Investment factors, including initial treatment cost, required rate of return, investment period, and stand response to treatment are discussed in terms of how they affect the outcome of early investments in even-aged hardwood stands. Attention is focused on precommercial thinning in hardwood sapling stands. Guide lines are provided to indicate the maximum allowable treatment cost under which precommercial thinning can be profitable. Data suggest that precommercial thinning is economica...

Detailed cost information on thinning operations is needed to develop economic guidelines for managing immature central Appalachian hardwood stands. Three thinning treatments were applied in a 50-yr-old mixed-oak, cove hardwood stand in northern West Virginia. A commercial logging contractor using chain saws and a rubber-tired skidder conducted the logging operations. Time-study data were used to compute production rates for felling marked trees and skidding tree-length logs to roadside landings for each thinning treatment.

A dichotomous key organizes the USDA Forest Service hardwood tree grade specifications into a stepwise procedure for those learning to grade hardwood sawtimber. The key addresses the major grade factors, tree size, surface characteristics, and allowable cull deductions in a series of paried choices that lead the user to a decision regarding tree grade.

The second inventory of the timber resource of Nebraska shows a 25% decline in commercial forest area and a 23% gain in growing-stock volume between 1955 and 1983. Text and statistics are presented on area, volume, growth, mortality, removals, utilization, biomass, and future timber supply.