A Low Cost Way to Recover Logging Residues

Integration of a residue harvesting component into a traditional harvest system can offer a reasonable alternative to whole-tree chipping of existing natural stands in supplying wood to energy conversion facilities. Initial attempts at integration should focus on a low cost, incremental expansion that minimizes the impact on productivity for the traditional harvest component, is easily adapted into a traditional harvest system, and has application to a wide range of harvesting firms in practice. Two traditional systems are analyzed–three-person and four-person systems–where chainsaws are used to fell, limb, top, and buck and rubber-tired cable skidders move the wood. Residue recovery is introduced through the addition of a 120-horsepower mobile chipper with self-mounted knuckleboom loader and two used chip vans. The productivity and cost of the residue recovery component is analyzed over a range of stand types and factors affecting productivity and costs. In general, residue recovery for a three-person system is economical only in stands of large sized timber while the four-person system becomes economical in medium sized lumber.

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