Tree Diamter Effects on Cost and Productivity of Cut-to-Length Systems

Abstract

Currently, there is a lack of economic information concerning cut-to-length harvesting systems. This study examined and measured the different costs of operating cut-to-length logging equipment over a range of average stand diameters at breast height. Three different cut-to-length logging systems were examined in this study. Systems included: 1) felier-buncher/manual/forwarder; 2) feller-buncher/processor/forwarder, and 3) swing-to-tree harvester/forwarder. Operating costs were ca!culated by generating stands with the stand generator program PCWThin. Once stands were generated, costs for thinning were determined using a computer spreadsheet model known as the Auburn Harvester Analyzer. Each individual system followed different cost trends; however, for all systems, tree size had a significant effect on unit cost of wood produced. As tree size increased, unit cost of wood produced decreased. The swing-to-tree harvester system was much more expensive for small-diameter trees than the other two systems due to individual stem processing and small volume per tree but approached the unit costs of the other systems at larger tree sizes.

Citation

Holtzscher, Matthew A.; Lanford, Bobby L. 1997. Tree Diamter Effects on Cost and Productivity of Cut-to-Length Systems. Forest Products Journal Vol. 47, No. 3 March 1997