Estimation of Productivity and Costs of Using a Track Mini-Harvester with a Stroke Head for the First Commercial Thinning of a Scots Pine Stand

The aim of the present work was to estimate the productivity and costs of timber harvesting and forwarding during the first commercial thinning of a Scots pine stand. Three harvesting models were introduced and compared: narrow trail, wide access trail, and schematic extraction. The analyzed harvesting equipment consisted of a track mini-excavator (34 kW) with a stroke harvester head (gripping range 4-30 cm), and a farm tractor coupled to a logging trailer with a hydraulic crane. Merchantable timber (roundwood with a minimum diameter of 5 cm inside bark) was harvested from a 25-year-old planted Scots pine stand growing on a grid of 1.4 m x 1.8 m. The study showed the productivity of the mini-harvester ranged from 3.09 to 3.47 m(3)/PMH15 (productive machine hours plus 15 min), and that of the forwarding equipment to be 4.07 m(3)/PMH15. The analyzed model of productivity as a function of tree volume and thinning intensity was statistically significant, but the intensity parameter was significant only on plots located along wide access trails (3.7 m) and insignificant on plots located along narrow access trails (2.5 m). The distance between trees was not found to be significant. The calculated net machine costs for the forwarding equipment and track mini-harvester were EUR 36.12 and 52.47 per PMH, respectively. An increase in the usage rate of the harvesting equipment to 80% would reduce the harvesting and forwarding costs to EUR 22.07/m(3).

Automated summary

The study aims to estimate the productivity and costs of timber harvesting and forwarding during the first commercial thinning of a Scots pine stand. Three harvesting models were introduced and compared: narrow trail, wide access trail, and schematic extraction. The study showed the productivity of the mini-harvester and forwarding equipment, with calculated net machine costs provided for each. Increasing the usage rate of the harvesting equipment could significantly reduce the harvesting and forwarding costs.