Environmental factors affecting technical efficiency in Norwegian steep terrain logging crews: a stochastic frontier analysis

Aalmo, Giovanna Ottaviani; Baardsen, Sjur

doi:10.1007/s10310-014-0466-x

Cited by 12 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Winching is a labor-intensive task, because the winch cable must be pulled manually to the loading site for every single winching cycle [44]. As a result, winching imposes a heavy strain on the respiratory and circulatory systems of workers, and it is considered heavy physical work [45]. Therefore, winching productivity is relatively low (<2 m 3 •h −1 •worker −1 ), which limits the level of compensation available for the operators and makes this job particularly unattractive [46,47].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ground-Based Extraction on Salvage Logging in Two High Forests: A Productivity and Cost Analysis

Bodaghi

Nikooy

Naghdi

et al. 2018

Forests

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Working time studies, work productivity, and cost assessments of forest logging are of interest to forest managers and planners. These aspects are particularly important in salvage logging, because of difficulties due to irregularly positioned fallen trees in forest areas, and due to particular aspects related to the absence of work planning. In this research, system productivity and the cost of salvage logging are analyzed for two mountain forests managed with close-to nature-silviculture: the Hyrcanian forest, using extraction by a skidder, and the Camaldoli forest, using extraction by tractors. The system productivity of salvage logging by skidders and tractors was calculated as 1.54 and 0.81 m3·h−1, respectively. In contrast to common logging, system productivity was about 6- to 15-fold lower in salvage logging. The effective cost consumptions for the skidder and tractor were calculated as $72.57 and $118.62 USD·m−3, respectively. For both yards, winching time increased due to increasing winching distance and winching load volume. The same result was determined for skidding time in relation to load volume and distance. The possible cost decreases for the skidder and tractor were calculated as 2.6% and 4.3%, respectively. The results revealed that operational costs for extracting wind-fallen trees are higher than for traditional standing-trees extraction for both situations studied. In both cases, the harvesting costs were higher than the timber price by 10% to 30%. Therefore, extraction of wind-fallen trees has no economic justification in these forests.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ground-Based Extraction on Salvage Logging in Two High Forests: A Productivity and Cost Analysis

Bodaghi

Nikooy

Naghdi

et al. 2018

Forests

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“…A typical use is that of monitoring the productivity of all the elements in a fleet and matching that of each against benchmarks extracted from the fleet as a whole. Once this data is available, moving benchmarks can be estimated with suitable statistical techniques, such as the Data Envelopment analysis or Stochastic Frontier Analysis [71,72]. On-line platforms are already available for the purpose, which have been developed by the individual companies, contractors' associations and public agencies [73,74].…”

Section: It Technology and The Internet Of Thingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Decade of Forest Engineering: Achievements and Future Directions

Spinelli

Visser

Han

2019

Forests

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Research highlights: Through a broad review of literature and practices, this paper has helped confirm Forest Engineering as a unique discipline by providing definition, highlighting achievements of the last decade and suggesting future directions. Background and Objectives: Forest Engineering is a study program offered by many universities worldwide. It is also the main subject of three international scientific journals, three important scientific conferences and a division of the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations. That points at a strong interest, a general common understanding and a strong local diversification. The paper aims to suggest generally valid definitions, while offering a description of the main achievements and a hypothesis about future directions. Results: The review identified examples that include higher-level mechanization, commencement of automation and system optimization, and specifically the emerging field of biomass and bioenergy integration as examples of major forest engineering achievements of the last decade. Higher levels of automation including autonomous machine operation, and integration of intelligent and linked technology are examples of future directions. Conclusions: As with other disciplines, most Forest Engineering teaching, research or applications are multi-disciplinary. However, the review has highlighted specific achievements and future directions that helps define Forest Engineering as a unique discipline and one that can make a major contribution to the broader field of forest management practices.

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“…DEA and SFA have generally been used to assess the efficiency of forestry organizations or wood and paper industries as a whole (Lebel and Stuart 1998;Baardsen et al 2009). Only a few studies have applied DEA to assess the efficiency of harvest operations (Aalmo and Baardsen 2015;Visser 2017a, 2017b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Efficiency drivers in harvesting operations in mixed Boreal stands: a Norwegian case study

Aalmo

Kerstens

Belbo

et al. 2020

International Journal of Forest Engineering

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This paper uses Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to evaluate how the technical efficiency of forest harvesting operations is influenced by terrain conditions and forest attributes, in addition to exploring the existence of other influencing factors. To this end, 643 shift-level observations of harvesting operations on 253 distinct harvested sites were used. The aim of this study is to highlight the harvester's ability to maximize the outputs, represented by the number of assortments for various tree species, given inputs such as harvest volume, harvest time for various tree species, and distance traveled by the harvester. Operational environment variables such as harvest, or decision-making unit (DMU) size, shape, and terrain characteristics were included. We found large variations in efficiency scores, and that inefficient harvest operations could theoretically be improved by reducing input by up to ca. 80%. A second stage regression estimation was applied to identify which factors significantly affected inefficiency. It was found that the inefficiency decreases with increasing stem-volume for pine and broadleaves, increasing stand density, and increasing share of pulpwood and non-marketable timber, while it increases with the number of logs produced per tree (in broadleaves). Inefficiency increases also with an increasing ratio of actual travel distance to minimal travel distance. The study shows how adopting DEA methods in forest operations might be used in combining efficiency analysis and environmental factors, by identifying and measuring inefficiency due to, for example, difficult terrain.

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Environmental factors affecting technical efficiency in Norwegian steep terrain logging crews: a stochastic frontier analysis

Cited by 12 publications

References 6 publications

Ground-Based Extraction on Salvage Logging in Two High Forests: A Productivity and Cost Analysis

Ground-Based Extraction on Salvage Logging in Two High Forests: A Productivity and Cost Analysis

A Decade of Forest Engineering: Achievements and Future Directions

Efficiency drivers in harvesting operations in mixed Boreal stands: a Norwegian case study

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