romina.oliva@uniparthenope.it; lcavallo@unisa.it.

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The task of protecting users' privacy is made more difficult by their attitudes towards information disclosure without full awareness and the economics of the tracking and advertising industry. Even after numerous press reports and widespread disclosure of leakages on the Web and on popular Online Social Networks, many users appear not be fully aware of the fact that their information may be collected, aggregated and linked with ambient information for a variety of purposes. Past attempts at alleviating this problem have addressed individual aspects of the user's data collection. In this paper we move towards a comprehensive and efficient client-side tool that maximizes users' awareness of the extent of their information leakage. We show that such a customizable tool can help users to make informed decisions on controlling their privacy footprint.

A team of international specialists has developed a new guide for conducting forest work studies. The guide is a quick how-to manual designed for the field researcher, and it may contribute to the international harmonization of work-study methods. This endeavor was supported by the European Union through COST Action FP0902; however, the author team was not limited to European scientists, it was world-wide. The draft was reviewed by three international experts external to the team and to the action. Two provisional versions were administered to a test group of students, who elected the current version. Feedback was sought after publishing, through an online survey. Ninety-three researchers responded to the survey. The largest majority of respondents believed that the guide was state-of-the-art and that they were able to do a better job after reading the guide. The guide is available for free download from the Forest Energy Portal (www.forestenergy.org).

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Recovery of tree root biomass can be attractive, since the stump-root system represents a substantial portion of the tree mass and its removal may prove instrumental to re-cultivation. Most available studies concern Nordic technologies, particularly suited to mature conifer stands. Unlike spruce, plantation poplar develops a deep taproot, whose extraction requires completely different methods.The aim of the study was to investigate poplar root recovery operations in plantations with time studies, and to determine the productivity and delivery costs of the operations. Seven operation systems developed to work with poplar plantations in Italian conditions were studied. Extraction and cleaning units were based on general-purpose prime movers.Under favourable conditions extraction and cleaning units achieved a very high productivity: 150 stumps per hour for the extraction unit and 170 for the cleaning unit. Delivered cost varied widely, ranging from 28 to 66 € Mg -1 . Transportation was the most expensive single work task. It accounted for about 40% of the total recovery cost. Extraction and cleaning contributed approximately 25% each to the total cost, and loading 9%. Guidelines to recovery system improvement and efficient operation are provided.

Time studies were conducted to quantify the productivity and the operational cost of mechanized wood extraction in the Iberian Eucalyptus plantations. The key objectives were: to determine the signifi cant variables that infl uence machine productivity and extraction costs in shortwood transport within the forest and to fi nd the basis for optimization of shortwood transport with respect to Eucalyptus forest stands. Three machines were selected for study, each representative of the different log forwarding regimes that are used in Iberia and that could be extended to most of Southern Europe. These were: 1) a modifi ed articulated dumper, 2) a purpose-built forwarder and 3) a farm tractor paired to a twin-axle forestry trailer. It was observed that the productivity and the cost of shortwood extraction may vary from 6 to 15 fresh tonnes/SMH and 3.5 to 6.5 Euro/fresh tonne, respectively. It was estimated that the optimal extraction route network covered approximately 10% of the forest surface. It was also observed that the modifi ed dumper is the most-productive unit, and given its higher speed (> 5 km/h) and larger payload (16 tonnes), it is the economic choice for extraction distances in excess of 1000 m. However, it also generates the most severe rutting, hence it should be used with caution. For extraction distances below 1000 m, the light purpose-built forwarder compares favourably with the modifi ed dumper, while generating less than half the site disturbance. The tractor-trailer combination is economically inferior to the modifi ed dumper and the light forwarder, and should be regarded as a complement to the main extraction fl eet and where short-haul operations are required. Under the assumptions of the study, light forwarders (8-tonne payload) may become competitive with heavier ones when road density is at least 6 m/ha, so that extraction distance does not exceed 1 km. This study provides a model for estimating the productivity and the cost of timber forwarding under varying conditions.