Residue Adapted Harvesting Trial
The South West Timber Hub engaged the Forest Industries Research Centre of the University of Sunshine Cost to undertake a Residue Adapted Harvesting Trial with the aim to:
“Develop a commercially viable method of residue harvesting which improves utilisation of harvested wood fibre and reduces site preparation costs for subsequent rotations.”
The project objectives were:
1.
Improve total recoverable volume of fibre through adapted residue harvesting techniques.
2.
Conduct time and motion studies on the proposed alternative methods for collecting and processing harvest residue.
3.
Determine the best economic option for site management (from harvest to replant phase) for the site types investigated.
4.
Quantify remaining site debris as a percentage of the Total Standing Volume (TSV).
5.
Determine a harvesting method that reliably delivers product to highest of export biomass or domestic biomass specifications.
6.
Document the preferred harvest methodology to inform harvest contractors.
Previous studies have suggested that extraction of logging residue from a harvest site can reduce site preparation costs through removal of obstructions to equipment, though these cost savings need to be balanced against potential nutrient losses and additional costs to extract, chip and transport the logging residue.
There have been few studies worldwide covering the full breadth of this topic and none conducted in Australia.
This report (linked below) provides an analysis of integrated harvesting methods in a mature Pinus radiata plantation near Margaret River, Western Australia where logs and logging residue were harvested and extracted in a single operation.
Industry Presentation
An information session was held on July 2, 2021, to:
inform the forestry industry of the trial outcomes
review the operational impacts of the findings
develop a pathway to integrate the findings.
Key Documents
Final Report on SW Timber Hub Residue Adapted Harvest Trial
Dr Rick Mitchel, University of the Sunshine Coast
Wendy Perdon, South West Timber Hub
Brad Barr, Wespine