Rutting and soil displacement caused by 450C Timber Jack wheeled skidder (Asalem forest northern Iran)

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The use of skidding machinery in logging operations causes destructive effects especially on soil but has many advantages such as extracting long and heavy logs, optimum use of useful logging time and absence of defect in wood production quality and thus an increase in the added value of wood. In this research compartment 40 of the second district of Nav-Asalem in northern Iran at an altitude of 1,050-1,450 m above sea level was chosen in order to assess the amount of displaced soil volume and depth of ruts due to the traffic of Timber Jack 450C rubber wheeled skidder along the skid trail. Therefore, the correlations between two independent variables, longitudinal slope and soil texture, with two dependent variables, displaced soil volume and average depth of rut, along the skid trail were examined after 20 passes of skidder machinery. The results of this research showed a significant difference between the longitudinal slope increase of skid trail and the amount of soil volume displaced (P < 0.001). However, there was no significant correlation between the mean rut depth and different classification of longitudinal slope along the skid trail. The highest measured rut depth was 22 cm and occurred in the slope class of more than 25%. There was no significant correlation between the amount of displaced soil volume and rut depth with changes in soil texture along the skid trail.

Assessing the relationship of slope and runoff volume on skid trails (Case study: Nav 3 district)

“…Two skid trails with two slope classes were selected for this study: more than 20% (Parcel 26) and less than 20% (Parcel 14) (Naghdi et al 2009). Skid trail width was 3 m. Runoff was measured using the runoff plots (Hartano et al 2003).…”

Considering the soil compaction status on logging areas in a Hyrcanian forest

“…Timber harvesting is considered as a soil disturbing activity because it disturbs forest floor, exposes soils and may lead to sedimentation (Ballard 2000;Najafi et al 2009;Lotfalian, Bahmani 2011;Alexander 2012). The compaction of forest soil is a source of soil disturbance during ground-based timber harvesting operations (Naghdi et al 2007;Naghdi et al 2009). Compaction has been shown to have a long-term negative impact on soil properties and tree growth rates particularly on the primary snig tracks, log landings and general areas where the subsoil has been disturbed (Rab 2004).…”

Considering the relationship of slope and soil loss on skid trails in the north of Iran (a case study)

“…Soil surface disturbance, changes in chemical and physical properties of soil and damage to natural regeneration and tree stands are the main effects of logging operations (Tan et al 2005;Agherkakli et al 2010;Ampoorter et al 2010). Effective indices in designing skid trails such as longitudinal slope, soil moisture content, depth and texture, as well as effective factors of wood extraction such load volume, weight and shape and number of skidder passes are the most important effective factors of soil disturbance in skid trails (Naghdi et al 2009). Ground-based skidding may result in compaction and other soil structural changes; compaction associated with harvesting traffic often results in localized surface runoff, which may be channelled by wheel ruts, causing some loss of erodible surface materials (Ballard 2000;Defossez, Richard 2002;Rab 2004;Ampoorter et al 2007;Najafi et al 2009;SaffihHdadi et al 2009;Ampoorter et al 2010;Ampoorter et al 2011).…”