The paper focuses on the determination of fuel consumption (CO 2 emission) and exhaust emissions such as CO, HC, NO x , and PM in the process of timber extraction and transport. A complex assessment of fuel consumption and exhaust emissions was performed for the entire, fully mechanized supply chain including, tree felling, delimbing, and bucking with a harvester, timber extraction with a forwarder and transport with a truck. The performed investigations determined unit exhaust emissions (referred to 1 m 3 of timber) for the entire technological process and its individual stages. The investigations of the exhaust emissions and fuel consumption were performed under actual conditions of typical forest operations and transport. State-of-the-art portable emissions measurement system equipment was used for the measurements. The fuel consumption was determined through the carbon balance method. The investigations were performed for the process of extraction and transport of pulpwood. The measurements were performed on location in the town of Bębnikąt near Poznań, in a pinewood forest, typical of this part of Europe. The analysis includes the transport of timber to the lumberyard on a distance of 31.4 km. The total fuel consumption for the entire mechanized supply chain was 2.10 dm 3 /m 3 . The total exhaust emissions, however, amounted to: CO-8.91 g/m 3 , HC-1.19 g/m 3 , NO x -45.32 g/m 3 , PM-4.04 g/m 3 .

The external and internal factors in the tree development process affect wooden structures and properties. They depend on, for example, a plant species, its age, part and growth conditions. The present study investigated the chemical structure and physical properties of the common urban tree species: small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata Mill.). The properties of trees growing in an urban agglomeration, by a roadside and in a forest, i.e., areas varying in degrees of an environmental stress impact, were compared. Tree-ring width and density, selected hygroscopic properties (sorption hysteresis and isotherms), wood chemical content (percentage content of: holocellulose, cellulose, pentosanes, lignin and substances soluble in 1% NaOH and EtOH) as well as the content of selected chemical elements (Fe, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, K, Na, Mg and Ca) were studied. The analysis of the case shows no impact of the environmental stress on the growth patterns characterized by ring width index (RWI). Two-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed impact significance of growth environment and cambial age on the content of each of the investigated components and chemical elements. There was a relationship demonstrated that for a tree growing in an agglomeration with the highest environmental stress the content of cellulose and lignin was the lowest, whereas the content of substances soluble in NaOH and EtOH was the highest. For mature wood growing under the same conditions, the results corresponded to the highest Zn, Cu, K, Na, Mg and Ca content. It was also shown that the environmental stress affected hygroscopicity which was the consequence of chemical component percentage content. The research proved that Tilia cordata Mill. responded to environmental stress with alternations in its chemical or/and physical properties.

Scots pine is one of the most commercially important wood species in Europe. This study assessed the potential usefulness of pinewood from the Noteć Forest for construction purposes by evaluating its mechanical properties and investigating the influence of the site conditions on the pinewood performance. Additionally, the variability of the mechanical properties from the bark to the pith was analyzed. The results showed that the properties of pinewood varied significantly within the Noteć Forest despite similar growing conditions, which may be a result of genetic variation. Wood from Sowia Góra had the greatest density (566 kg/m3) and excellent mechanical performance (compressive strength of 64 MPa), while wood from Zamyślin exhibited the lowest density (526 kg/m3) and a lower compressive strength (54 MPa). Comparison of the properties of the pinewoods from various locations indicated that the general conditions in the forest stand, however crucial for tree growth, were not the only determinants of wood performance. The results also showed high variability in density and mechanical properties between juvenile and mature wood in all the examined trees. Overall, pinewood from the poor habitats of the Noteć Forest could be a useful raw material for various industrial purposes.

Emissions from the road transport sector are a major contributor to the climate change. Commonly used heavy vehicles powered by diesel engines emit toxic and harmful compounds that adversely affect the environment. For this reason, increasingly newer Euro emission standards are being introduced. Therefore, the emission performance of heavy-duty vehicles used in the transportation processes of diverse loads was investigated. The first research object was a set of vehicles equipped with a crane used for loading and unloading timber. The measurements were carried out in a specially designed research test reflecting the way the vehicle is used. It consisted of the drive to the loading site, the transport of timber to the destination and the processes of loading and unloading timber. The test route included driving on both unpaved forest roads and asphalt roads. The second research object was a set of vehicles used in long-distance road transport. The research route characterizing the traffic of vehicles from the cited group was selected here. There were three stages of the route–urban, extra-urban and highway. The whole trip was carried out with a load of 24,800 kg. The testing equipment consisted of SEMTECH DS and AVL Micro Soot Sensor devices belonging to the PEMS (Portable Emission Measurement System) group. Based on the obtained results, the influence of the operating conditions on the exhaust emissions and fuel consumption was determined.

Tilia cordata Mill. is a favourite tree used in urban spaces. For this reason, it is important to know its sensitivity to environmental stress, which is particularly burdensome for vegetation in urban spaces. The aim of the study was to investigate the properties necessary to control the growth of these trees and their subsequent use, i.e., chemical properties (percentage contents of cellulose, holocellulose, lignin, pentosans and substances soluble in NaOH and EtOH) as well as the chemical elements (K, Na, Mg, Ca and Fe, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, B, Ni, Cr, Al, As and Hg) and selected hygroscopic properties (hysteresis and sorption isotherms). Trees of Tilia cordata Mill. growing in environments exposed to environmental stress of varying severity were examined. Regardless of the growth conditions, in terms of its chemical composition, bark differs significantly from wood, showing twice the contents of soluble substances in NaOH and lignin and half the content of polysaccharides. Growth conditions clearly affect the range of selected chemical components in bark, e.g., substances soluble in ethanol, cellulose, or lignin. The main inorganic elements in bark and wood are Na, K, Ca, Mg and Zn. In bark, a relationship was found between the content of most chemical elements and differing environmental growth conditions. It was shown that environmental stress influenced the hygroscopic properties of wood and bark, which are a consequence of the percentage of chemical components.