On the Issue of Thinning Schedule Using Gasoline Saws and Mini Skidders

Abstract

Improvement thinning of middle-aged and maturing forest stands, as well as selective thinning of low intensity assumes a decrease in a part of trails, which can be achieved during cutting of broad swathes. One of the technological methods for developing a part of a swath remote from skidding trail and inaccessible for harvester grapple is the use of gasoline saw and mini skidder in technological process. Hauling-in to the skidding trails (reach area of harvester grapple) wood logged with a gasoline saw is carried out using a mini skidder. There are two possible thinning schedules for providing the whole complex of works using gasoline saw and mini skidder. The first one is performed by a worker who uses mechanisms one at a time as and when necessary, which leads to downtime of one of the mechanisms. The second is performed by two workers. Each of them uses one of the mechanisms and, therefore, mechanisms are used throughout the working day. Prime cost is proposed as the main criterion for selecting the thinning schedule on sites inaccessible for the harvester grapples. Prime cost calculation of logging and hauling-in of assortments by one or two workers in the remote from skidding trail parts of half-swathes was done for the following conditions: the average volumes of felling trees are 0.13–0.22 and 0.23–0.36 m3, respectively; the average distance of wood hauling-in is 58 m. The workеr’s hourly rate ranged from 100 to 3000 rub. It has been revealed that the limit of preference of one or another schedule is determined, all else equal, by the average volume of felling trees and hourly rate of worker. It was determined that at low levels of payment for work thinning schedule with two workers is preferable, while with the increase of hourly rate preference is changing in favor of one worker using both mechanisms as necessary.
For citation: Gerts E.F., Terinov N.N. On the Issue of Thinning Schedule Using Gasoline Saws and Mini Skidders. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Forestry Journal], 2019, no. 2, pp. 86–94. DOI: 10.17238/issn0536-1036.2019.2.86