Harvesting costs and environmental impacts associated with skyline yarding shelterwood harvests and thinning in Appalachian hardwoods

Abstract

To evaluate the potential for moderating the visual impact and soil disturbance associated with timber harvesting on steep-slope hardwood sites, thinning and shelterwood harvests were conducted with a skyline yarding system. Operations were monitored to document harvesting production, residual stand damage, soil disturbance, and visual quality. Yarding costs for thinning, removing 1,310 ft³/acre, were 30 percent higher than those for the conventional shelterwood (2,060 ft³/acre), and 33 percent higher than those for the irregular shelterwood (2,290 ft³/acre). Ninety percent of the harvested area on all sites showed little or no soil disturbance. On the two shelterwood units, 28 percent of residual trees were heavily damaged or destroyed compared with 6 percent on the thinning unit. A case study and aerial photos provide information that can help forest managers plan harvesting operations on environmentally or aesthetically sensitive sites.

Citation

Baumgras, J. E.; LeDoux, C. B.; Sherar, J. R. 1993. Harvesting costs and environmental impacts associated with skyline yarding shelterwood harvests and thinning in Appalachian hardwoods. In: Foresters together: meeting tomorrow''s challenges; Proceedings of the 1993 Society of American Foresters, National convention: Indianapolis, IN; November 7-10: Bethesda, MD. 579-580.