Logging Methods in Spain

Pablo Rial Gil (241065) Logging Methods: Cut-to-length method vs Tree-length Method (3513071)

Overview

Pablo Rial Gil (241065) Logging Methods: Cut-to-length method vs Tree-length Method (3513071)

Overview

• Total surface: 50,5 Millions of hectares.

• Forest surface: 27,9 Millions of hectares.

• Forest surface wooded: 18,0 Millions of hectares.

• Existences: 674 Millions of m3 with bark

• Annual possibility: 35,5 Millions of m3 with bark.

• Annual cutting volume: 15,0 Millions of m3 with bark (42,3%).

Pablo Rial Gil (241065) Logging Methods: Cut-to-length method vs Tree-length Method (3513071)

Pablo Rial Gil (241065) Logging Methods: Cut-to-length method vs Tree-length Method (3513071)

Eucalyptus sp. 33%

Other Broadleaves

1%

Pinus sylvestris 7% Pinus nigra

4% Pinus pinaster

31%

Pinus pinea 1%

Pinus halepensis 2%

Pinus radiata 12%

Pinus canariensis 0,1%

Other Conifers 1%

Populus sp. 4%

Fagus sylvatica 1%

Castanea sativa 1%

Q. petraea and Q. robur

1%

Other Quercus 1%

Logging Percentage by Species

Biomass: fuel & coal 1%

Biomass: pellets& chips 0,1%

Others 4%

Sawmill 40%

Veneer 2%

Posts 2%

Wood Pulp 21%

Chipboards 30%

Wood Purpose

Tree species distribution

Specie

Surface (ha)

Mainly

Monospecific

Mixed with

Conifers

Mixed with

Quercus

Mixed with

Other

Broadleaves

Mix of diferent

Conifers and

Broadleaves

Q. ilex 3.374.590 181.919 503.788 31.999 58.450

P. halapensis 1.920.627 126.543 64.745 7.223 15.337

P. pinaster 1.149.937 260.123 48.543 210.290 33.768

P. sylvestris 969.137 203.443 - 3.683 291.348

Q. pyrenaica /

Q. humilis 692.218 27.788 428.733 75.140 122.996

Eucalyptus sp. 585.853 172.306 - 52.139 57.735

Q. robur /Q.

petraea 298.472 - 96.308 152.424 53.866

Q. suber 290.200 29.498 147.425 65.629 17.914

Fagus sylvatica 432.904 25.399 28.142 23.524 15.337

P. pinea 316.748 91.014 7.611 - -

Pablo Rial Gil (241065) Logging Methods: Cut-to-length method vs Tree-length Method (3513071)

Dominant tree species distribution in wooded areas (Source: MMARM 2009)

Machinery used

Pablo Rial Gil (241065) Logging Methods: Cut-to-length method vs Tree-length Method (3513071)

Most used systems

• Full tree logging – No bucking point – High mechanization

• Tree length logging – No bucking point – Skidder for the yarding

• Short wood or cut-to-length logging – Bucking point – Forwarder for the yarding

Pablo Rial Gil (241065) Logging Methods: Cut-to-length method vs Tree-length Method (3513071)

Full tree - Selection criteria

1. To make the most of branches and tips to produce energy, essential oils or tannins.

2. High salary costs, high exploitation cost or luck of labour. 3. High tree density, allowing to build a dense network of skid

trails and reduce skidding distances and damage to soil and residual mass.

4. High wood volume to extract. The volume increase directly proportional to the reduction of the total costs and fixed cost of machinery.

5. With clear-cut method (no residual forest – no damage) 6. Different destinies for the wood (cut to size in the sawmill).

(numbered in order of importance)

Pablo Rial Gil (241065) Logging Methods: Cut-to-length method vs Tree-length Method (3513071)

Sequence of the operations (Full tree method)

Felling

(Cutting point)

• Chainsaw

• Cutter-stacker

• Harvester

• Full tree harvester

Pablo Rial Gil (241065) Logging Methods: Cut-to-length method vs Tree-length Method (3513071)

Yarding

(Cutting-Loading point)

• Yarding tractor

Lopping-Bucking-Chipping

(Loading point)

• Lopping-Bucking machine

• Lopping machine + Bucking-Chipping machine

Transport

(Loading point-Plant)

• Truck

• Most used system

Tree length – Selection criteria

1. Long wood pieces required. 2. With shelterwood: to protect the regeneration before the

thinnings. 3. High tree density, allowing to build a dense network

of skid trails and reduce skidding distances and damage to soil and residual mass.

4. Mobility difficulties of wood in the forest (waterlogged or broken ground)

5. Different purposes for the wood (cut to size in the sawmill).

(numbered in order of importance)

Pablo Rial Gil (241065) Logging Methods: Cut-to-length method vs Tree-length Method (3513071)

Sequence of the operations (Tree length method)

Felling

(Cutting point)

• Chainsaw

• Cutter-stacker

• Harvester

• Cut-to-lenght harvester

Pablo Rial Gil (241065) Logging Methods: Cut-to-length method vs Tree-length Method (3513071)

Lopping

(Cutting-Loading point)

• Chainsaw

• Cutter-lopping machine

• Tree lenght harvester

• Most used system

Yarding

(Cutting-Loading point)

• Yarding tractor (skidder)

• Tree lenght harvester

Transport

(Loading point-Plant)

• Truck

Debark

(Plant or Loading point)

• Fixed or semi-fixed debarker

Cut

(Plant or Loading point)

• Fixed or semi-fixed cutting machine

Cut-to-length – Selection criteria

Criterion Tree length Cut-to-length

1. Mobility conditions Bad Good

2. Tree density >150 m3 / ha <150 m3 / ha

3. Wood purpose Posts or sawmill Wood industry or

disintegration

Pablo Rial Gil (241065) Logging Methods: Cut-to-length method vs Tree-length Method (3513071)

(Comparison with tree length)

(numbered in order of importance)

Sequence of the operations (Cut-to-length method)

Felling

(Cutting point)

• Chainsaw

• Cutter-stacker

• Processing machine

• Tree lenght harvester

Pablo Rial Gil (241065) Logging Methods: Cut-to-length method vs Tree-length Method (3513071)

Lopping

(Cutting-Loading point)

• Chainsaw

• Processing machine

• Harvester

• Most used system

Cutting

(Cutting point)

• Chainsaw

• Processing machine

• Harvester

Transport

(Loading point-Plant)

• Truck

Debark

(Cutting point)

• Manual

• Processing machine

• Harvester

Bucking point

(Cutting-Loading point)

• Yarding tractor

• Harvester