The development of bioenergy from biomass has dominated the minds of forest engineering researchers over the last decade. One of the main themes that has been generated from that research is that bioenergy from biomass has major operational hurdles to overcome before becoming economically feasible. More directly, the impact of...
An understanding of the factors that influence surface erosion from roads is necessary to prevent and mitigate sediment production from forest roads. This study investigated the impacts of log truck traffic and road hydrology on sediment yield from ten forest road segments in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains of...
The Northwest economic adjustment initiative (NWEAI) provides economic assistance to a region including western Washington, western Oregon, and northern California. Timber harvests have fallen markedly in this region since 1990. The forest products industry is the largest manufacturing sector in the region, and employment has followed the downward trend in...
Stream temperature, as an important component of stream ecosystems, can be affected by forest harvesting through removal of riparian shade and changes in hydrology. Riparian Management Areas
(RMAs), as implemented through the current Oregon Forest Practice Rules, are designed, in part, to maintain stream temperature following forest harvesting. However, effectiveness...
This study considered regional forest policies for sequestering carbon in existing
forests in western Oregon. A model of log markets in western Oregon was employed to
examine the impacts of forest policy changes on future carbon stock, harvests, and
management activities. A carbon tax program, as a mitigation option for...
Forested landscapes displaying evidence of timber
harvesting have often induced conflicts between forest
managers and the public. Potential conflicts with
neighboring homeowners also has been increasing because of
growing environmental concern and increasing numbers of
neighbors.
Analysis of previous studies suggests that people's
reaction toward forested landscapes will be different...
Published November 1931. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Central Oregon has attracted attention as a potential location for a biomass industry based on a locally fixed source of western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis Hook) feedstock. This study identifies a supply of juniper from private lands to determine how much of the available juniper is economically supplied at alternative prices...
Management restrictions are simulated on streamside acres owned by private interests in western Oregon to assess forest inventory and log market implications. A dynamic, nonlinear optimization model of western Oregon's softwood log market simulates the resource and economic impacts of set-aside and minimum harvest age restrictions on forest acreage within...
Considerable interest has arisen in the relation between timber-selling procedures and the accomplishment of timber-selling objectives on public lands in the West. Procedures of public agencies for measuring and paying for timber by log scale or by lump sum have attracted special attention. There are significant differences in the two...
Contract harvest operations have become the preferred approach to reducing the largest cost component of timber production through free market competition amongst logging contractors bidding or negotiating for work. The goal of this research was to investigate economic components of harvesting operations not previously studied for steep slope thinning harvests...
In the Pacific Northwest, a transition has begun that is shifting many practices in forest management. Traditionally, harvesting and regeneration has been done through clearcutting which removes all trees in the area being cut and plants an entirely new stand. Clearcutting is often the most efficient method for harvesting forests...
Recent catastrophic wildfires have forced the forest management community to develop new strategies for reducing forest fuels. Tightly spaced understory trees often create a fire ladder allowing surface fires to encroach into the crowns of overstory trees. This situation can lead to intensive, catastrophic, stand-replacement forest fires. Mechanical removal or...
Young Douglas-fir stands were commercially thinned to achieve vegetation- and wildlife-related objectives. Harvesting and forwarding production and costs were compared among three mechanized thinning treatments: light thin [(115 residual trees per acre (tpa)], light thin with 0.5-ac openings (92 residual tpa), and heavy thin (53 residual tpa). The sites were...