engleski

Damages during harvester felling in thinning natural hardwood broadleaved stand

This paper shows the results of research of damages caused to standing trees in thinning mixed natural stand consisting of Sessile oak, European beech and European hornbeam by harvester Timberjack 1270B. The stand was 80 years old, with the growing stock of 323.m3/ha and the basal area of 24.4.m2/ha with 449 trees per ha. Felling density of thinning was 36.2 m3/ha (50 trees per ha). In the subcompartment no parallel skid trails were provided for a typical harvester operation and instead the driver chose the possible way according to marked trees. Performed tree marking was not adapted to harvester operation. The research established total stand damage through the analysis of structural features of sustained damages. Operations and routines causing damage were identified and the assessment was made of the harvester performance in mechanized felling and processing of wood in the said stand considering the volume and structure of caused damage. In felling and processing operations performed by harvester, a total of 29.5 trees/ha were damaged, which is 6.4 % in relation to the number of the remaining trees after felling. 18.6 standing trees per ha were damaged and 10.9 non-marked trees per ha were felled due to breakage, overturning or harvester passing.

thinning; natural stand; mechanized felling and processing; tree damage; harvester

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