Tree Felling and Processing

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Tree Felling and Processing
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Importance of the Felling and Processing
Component An Example

• For a 50 acre harvest unit in the Oregon Coast
  Range
• Clearcut of a 70 year old stand

What is the total harvest volume? How many total
logs?
_at_ 50 MBF/Acre --- 2.5 MMBF _at_ 300 BF/Log ---
8,333 logs
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Importance of the Felling and Processing
Component An Example

• For a 50 acre harvest unit in the Oregon Coast
  Range
• Clearcut of a 70 year old stand
• What is the total gross timber value?

_at_ 600/MBF --- 1,500,000
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Importance of the Felling and Processing
Component An Example

• For a 50 acre harvest unit in the Oregon Coast
  Range
• Clearcut of a 70 year old stand
• With a 5 gain in wood value in the felling and
  bucking process
• 75,000 value increase in one 50 acre harvest
  unit
• For one years harvesting (assume 25 similar
  units)
• approx. 2,000,000 value increase

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Importance of the Felling and Processing
Component

• Other Reasons Why Felling and Processing is
  Important
• Logging productivity
• Social aspects worker safety
• Environmental damage - e.g. water quality
  residual stand damage

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Tree Felling and Processing Topics

• Chainsaw felling and bucking
• Mechanical directional felling
• Log manufacturing quality control
• Required Reading
• Course notes
• BC Harvesting Systems Text

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Chainsaw Felling and BuckingProject Level
Planning and MonitoringorOperational
Planning/Layout Contract Administration

• Interactions between loggers and
• forest engineers

What are some of the important factors/ variables
that should be considered?
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Chainsaw Felling and Bucking Planning and
Operational Factors/Variables
Contour

• Felling Pattern

Herringbone
Perpendicular
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Chainsaw Felling and Bucking Planning and
Operational Factors/Variables

• Terrain

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Chainsaw Felling and Bucking Planning and
Operational Factors/Variables

• Tree Lean and Weight Distribution

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Chainsaw Felling and Bucking Planning and
Operational Factors/Variables

• Snags and Wildlife Trees
• Oregon Forest Practice Rules require minimum of
  2 per acre
• (gt11 dbh gt30)
• OR OSHA require that danger trees be felled.
• .consider the degree direction of the tree
  lean

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Chainsaw Felling and Bucking Planning and
Operational Factors/Variables

• Wind throw / Blow down

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Chainsaw Felling and Bucking Planning and
Operational Factors/Variables

• Stage Felling and Skidding

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Chainsaw Felling and Bucking Planning and
Operational Factors/Variables

• Time scheduling cutting crew organization
• Considerations
• Lead time before skidding or yarding
• Crew access to unit
• Spacing of cutters in unit
• (OR-OSHA strips at least 2 tree lengths apart)

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Chainsaw Felling The Process

• Choose the lay of the tree
• Clear brush and identify an escape route from the
  tree
• (OR-OSHA 20-25 _at_ 45 angle)
• Undercut or Face cut
• Backcut
• Wedging Holding Wood (hinge)

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Tree Processing Limbing, Bucking (or
Crosscutting) and Topping

• Where are these activities completed?
• At the stump, landing or sort yard!
• Whole tree system trees felled limbs tops
  attached
• Tree length system trees felled, limbed topped
  (bucking completed separately)
• Log length system trees felled, limbed, bucked
  topped
• Long log or Short log system (CTL)
• Variation Top attached to last log for yarding

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Tree Processing Chainsaw Considerations

• Measure the whole tree before starting the bucking

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Tree Processing Chainsaw Considerations

• Tree lay creates compression and tension wood
• Top, bottom and side binds

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