Graduation Date
Spring 2018
Document Type
Thesis
Program
Master of Science degree with a major in Natural Resources, option Forestry, Watershed, & Wildland Sciences
Committee Chair Name
Han-Sup Han
Committee Chair Affiliation
Community Member or Outside Professional
Second Committee Member Name
Daniel Opalach
Second Committee Member Affiliation
Community Member or Outside Professional
Third Committee Member Name
John-Pascal Berrill
Third Committee Member Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Keywords
Forest operation, Detailed time study, Thinning productivity, Harvester, Forwarder, Stump-to-truc
Subject Categories
Forestry
Abstract
Cut-to-length (CTL) harvesting systems have recently been introduced to the redwood forests of California’s north coast. These machines are being used to commercially thin dense redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) stands which tend to form clumps of stems that vigorously sprout from stumps after a harvest. One of the challenges is to avoid damaging residual trees which can decrease productivity, increase costs, and lower the market value of trees. The goal of this study was to evaluate the productivity and costs associated with CTL systems used in a redwood forests and use that data to develop equations for predictions. Time and motion study methods were used to calculate the productivity of a harvester and forwarder used during the winter and summer seasons. Regression equations for each machine were developed to predict delay-free cycle (DFC) times. Key factors that influenced productivity for the harvesters was tree diameter and distance between harvested trees. Productivity for the harvesting ranged from 28.8 to 35.6 m3 per productive machine hour (PMH). For the forwarders, the number of logs per load and travel distance were important factors affecting productivity. Forwarder productivity ranged from 22.4 to 23.3 m3 per PMH. Total stump-to-truck costs for CTL harvesting system ranged from US$17.1 to $22.8 per m3.
Citation Style
Chicago
Recommended Citation
Baek, Kigwang, "Productivity and cost of a cut-to-length commercial thinning operation in a northern California redwood forest" (2018). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 164.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/164