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...
The forest industry is constantly changing, and technology is constantly shifting the bar for efficiency and profitability. To maintain competitiveness and control costs in a global market, an efficient log tracking method must be used by regional stakeholders in the log supply chain from stump to mill to end consumer....
Globally the forest harvesting industry is becoming increasingly mechanized. Driving
this trend is the desire to increase productivity and reduce cost, as well as to improve
labor-related issues. With mechanization comes an in-forest platform for the
introduction of state-of-the-art communication and measurement technologies, and
powerful on-board computers. These systems have...
A compilation of Oregon State University research work on computer-aided crosscutting (bucking) of trees into logs. Major considerations for deciding whether to adopt optimal bucking and steps to implement it are described. The bulletin references field studies which evaluated and tested prototype optimal bucking systems.