GIS-AHP Approach in Forest Logging Planning to Apply Sustainable Forest Operations

Latterini, Francesco; Stefanoni, Walter; Venanzi, Rachele; Tocci, Damiano; Picchio, Rodolfo

doi:10.3390/f13030484

“…The results were only slightly lower than the findings of Spinelli et al 2011, i.e., 6.3 m 3 SMH −1 [24], and Tavankar et al 2020, i.e., 7.101 m 3 SMH −1 [25], notwithstanding the smaller dbh of the trees in the present study (average dbh 13 cm vs. 32-38 cm). Tree size is generally positively related to work productivity, i.e., the higher the average tree volume, the higher the productivity [16,26,27], but the application of entire tree harvesting system, therefore avoiding delimbing and bucking, allowed obtaining comparable values of productivity [28]. The share of working times (without considering delays) for the two different investigated extraction systems is provided in Figure 2.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Working Performance and Costs of Two Small-Scale Harvesting Systems for Medium Rotation Poplar Plantations

Latterini

¹

,

Stefanoni

²

,

Alfano

³

et al. 2022

Forests

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Considering the increasing need to produce energy from renewable sources, the interest towards Medium Rotation Coppices (MRC) plantations has increased. One of the main issues that require tackling for the comprehensive sustainability of these plantations is related to the development of sustainable harvesting systems. Indeed, as a consequence of the average tree diameters at a breast height (dbh) of about 15 cm, single-pass harvesting typical of short rotation coppice is not applicable. Therefore, these plantations are generally harvested with machinery specifically developed for forest operations, as for instance harvesters, feller-bunchers and forwarders. In the Mediterranean area, the availability of such machines is still limited to a few big forest enterprises. Indeed, the majority of forest contractors carry out their activities in the framework of small-scale forestry, without the financial possibility of purchasing expensive machineries. Thus, the present study had the objective to evaluate the performance of two small-scale harvesting systems in a 7-year-old poplar plantation in Central Italy. The difference between the two systems was the different machinery applied for wood extraction, i.e., a forestry-fitted farm tractor equipped with winch (WINCH) and a fork lift prototype, attached to a crawler tractor (CFL). Extraction via CFL system reached very high working performance with about 21.5 m3 SMH−1 (Scheduled Machine Hours, including delays), comparable to the productivities reported in the literature for forwarders working in similar plantations. Harvesting costs with CFL were 24.74 EUR m−3, of which 4.48 EUR m−3 was for felling with chainsaw, 4.61 EUR m−3 for extraction with CFL prototype and 15.64 EUR m−3 for wood chipping. WINCH showed unsatisfactory results instead, possessing a wood chip production cost of 41.95 EUR m−3, which is practically equivalent to the market price of wood chips.

show abstract

“…A three-step procedure was implemented with the GIS software, Quantum GIS 3.16, to answer the question behind the experimental design. Firstly, the selection of the most suitable extraction system for each cutting block of the FMP was implemented with a GIS-AHP procedure, as described by Latterini et al [29], by relying on a 10 m resolution Digital Elevation Model (available for free download for all national territory [30]) and the data retrieved from the FMP. The applied GIS-AHP procedure takes into consideration six variables that can influence the forest engineer in the selection of the extraction system.…”

Section: Methodological Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A detailed description of the methodology for the GIS-AHP procedure can be found in Latterini et al [29]. The applied AHP weights are the ones obtained by Latterini et al [29] after interviewing a wide pool of forest harvesting experts from all around the world (Table 1).…”

Section: Methodological Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A detailed description of the methodology for the GIS-AHP procedure can be found in Latterini et al [29]. The applied AHP weights are the ones obtained by Latterini et al [29] after interviewing a wide pool of forest harvesting experts from all around the world (Table 1). Secondly, ten cutting blocks were randomly selected (Figure 2), and in these cutting blocks, detailed surveys to retrieve data on the six above-mentioned variables were carried out.…”

Section: Methodological Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…AHP pairwise comparison matrix and weights[29]. S: slope; ED: extraction distance; SBC: soil-bearing capacity; ETA: extracted timber amount; RD: road density; RG: terrain roughness; CR: consistency ratio (must be < 0.1 for the AHP weights to be considered reliable).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

A Preliminary Validation and Assessment of a GIS Approach Related to Precision Forest Harvesting in Central Italy

Stefanoni

¹

,

Tocci

²

,

Latterini

³

et al. 2023

Forests

0

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

There has been a growing awareness of the need for sustainable forest management among forest engineers during the last decades. The selection of the best harvesting system for logging operations plays a fundamental role in this effort. Nowadays, in the decision-making process, forest engineers rely on their own experience, and it is to be expected that their evaluation of the level of appropriateness may be biased. There may be a potential solution to this problem in the implementation of AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) in the GIS (Geographic Information System) environment. The application of AHP gives objective information and thus reduces the level of bias in deciding which logging harvest system is best to use. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of a GIS-AHP approach applied to the development of the harvesting plan of a public forest estate in Central Italy. Three extraction methods were considered: forwarder, cable skidder, and all-terrain cable yarder. Thus, the GIS-AHP model was run by relying on the basic data attainable from the local forest management plan and then on detailed information provided by field data collected from 10 harvested blocks. Among these, in three blocks, the logging harvest method was changed from forwarder to cable skidder. Statistically significant differences were found between the suitability values obtained from the forest management plan and those retrieved from the field surveys for the forwarder and cable skidders but not for all-terrain cable yarders.

show abstract

High-resolution harvester data for estimating rolling resistance and forest trafficability

Salmivaara,

Holmström,

Kulju

et al. 2024

Eur J Forest Res

0

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Information on terrain conditions is a prerequisite for planning environmentally and economically sustainable forest harvesting operations that avoid negative impact on soils. Current soil data are coarse, and collecting such data with traditional methods is expensive. Forest harvesters can be harnessed to estimate the rolling resistance coefficient ($$\mu _{RR}$$ μ RR ), which is a proxy for forest trafficability. Using spatio-temporal data on engine power used, speed travelled, and machine inclination, $$\mu _{RR}$$ μ RR can be computed for harvest areas. This study describes an extensive, high-resolution data on $$\mu _{RR}$$ μ RR collected in a boreal forest landscape in Southern Finland during the non-frost period of 2021, covering roughly 50 km of harvester routes. We report improvements in removing some of the previous restrictions on calculating $$\mu _{RR}$$ μ RR on steeper slopes, enabling the calculation within a $$-10^{\circ }$$ - 10 ∘ to $$+10^{\circ }$$ + 10 ∘ slope range with a speed range of 0.6–1.2 ms$$^{-1}$$ - 1 . We characterise the variation in $$\mu _{RR}$$ μ RR both between and within 11 test sites harvested during the April-August period. The site mean $$\mu _{RR}$$ μ RR varies from $$\sim$$ ∼ 0.14 to 0.19 and shows significant differences between the sites. Using simulations of the hydrological state of the soil and open spatial data on forest and topography, we identify features that best explain the extremes of $$\mu _{RR}$$ μ RR within the sites. Several wetness-related indices, such as the depth-to-water index with varying thresholds, explain the $$\mu _{RR}$$ μ RR extremes, while biomass-related stand attributes indirectly explain these through their linkage to site and soil characteristics. Obtaining $$\mu _{RR}$$ μ RR from actual operational data extends the capabilities of large-scale harvester-based data collection and paves the way for building data-driven models for trafficability prediction.

show abstract

GIS-AHP Approach in Forest Logging Planning to Apply Sustainable Forest Operations

Cited by 12 publications

References 59 publications

Assessment of Working Performance and Costs of Two Small-Scale Harvesting Systems for Medium Rotation Poplar Plantations

Assessment of Working Performance and Costs of Two Small-Scale Harvesting Systems for Medium Rotation Poplar Plantations

A Preliminary Validation and Assessment of a GIS Approach Related to Precision Forest Harvesting in Central Italy

High-resolution harvester data for estimating rolling resistance and forest trafficability

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About