United States Department of Agriculture • Forest Service Technology & Development Program 2400 Timber • November 1999 • 9924-2820-MTDC Small-Area Forestry Equipment Contents Introduction _______________________________ 2 Small-Area Forestry ________________________ 3 Bob Beckley, Project Assistant Biomass Utilization _________________________ 4 The Ideal Prime Mover ______________________ 5 Keith Windell, Project Leader Equipment Identified _______________________ 5 Equipment for Closely Spaced Trees (12 to 15 feet) ___________________________ 5 USDA Forest Service Equipment for Widely Spaced Trees (15 Feet Technology and Development Program or More), Including Small Clearcuts __________ 6 Missoula, MT Equipment for Steep Slopes _________________ 6 All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV’s) __________________ 7 5E52E60–Small-Area Forestry Equipment Safety ____________________________________ 8 Task-Based Equipment Recommendations _____ 9 November 1999 Conclusions ______________________________ 11 Appendix A—Useful Forestry Equipment Publications ____________________________ 12 Appendix B—Small Mechanized Equipment ___ 13 Appendix C—Attachments and Implements ___ 25 Appendix D—Setting Priorities for Tasks Identified by the Small-Area-Forestry Equipment Survey _______________________ 36 About the Authors _________________________ 39 The Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), has developed this information for the guidance of its employees, its contractors, and its cooperating Federal and State agencies, and is not responsible for the interpretation or use of this information by anyone except its own employees. The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this document is for the information and convenience of the reader, and does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable. The USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, and so forth) should phone USDA’s TARGET Center at 202–720–2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Ave. SW., Washington, D.C. 20250–9410, or call 202–720–5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 1 Introduction he changing nature of resource for today’s resource managers. Com- scale forest operations. The USDA management has led to a dramatic peting interests and limited resources Forest Service’s Washington Office Tdecrease in large-scale, high- have resulted in a broader interest in Timber Staff asked the Missoula Tech- volume commercial timber operations “small-area” forest operations. The nology and Development Center to on National Forest lands. With few equipment used in large-scale forest identify or develop equipment that exceptions, forest practices of prior operations many times cannot operate could be used in smaller forested decades are no longer viable options economically and efficiently in small- acreages. 2 Small-Area Forestry TDC was asked to determine harvesting systems are readily available the market every year. Previous models the equipment that works best on the commercial market, these tasks that are no longer in production can Mon small-area forestry operations. were not addressed in this project. frequently be found on the secondary To find out exactly what small-area Priorities were set for the remaining market and may provide excellent value forestry operations entailed, we inter- tasks (Appendix D). The highest-priority and service. The equipment presented viewed silviculturists from several Forest tasks were biomass reduction and in this report is intended to serve as a Service Regions to determine the types precommercial thinning. This report starting point for resource managers. of operations conducted in small areas focuses on mechanized equipment to You are encouraged to conduct your and identify possible special-equipment perform these tasks. The equipment own research once you have identified needs. For the purpose of this project, identified for use in these operations your operational needs. Equipment may small area will encompass a land area will be on the smaller side of the equip- be available through local distributors of 10 acres or less. These units may or ment that is commercially available. or dealers. Information on new and may not be adjacent to roads. Harvest existing equipment can be found on can be either a small clearcut or indi- Several types of equipment, attach- the Internet, in the Thomas Register, vidual/selective cut (uneven-age man- ments, and implements are listed in or in trade magazines (Appendix A— agement). The trees may be either this report. Desirable traits in the equip- Useful Forestry Equipment Publications) hardwood or softwood timber types. ment sought by MTDC include high that focus on forest operations. Besides timber harvest, other small- maneuverability, ability to work in tight area forestry operations include: spaces, ready availability, reliability, and This report lists some equipment capa- the ability to work lightly on the land. ble of removing trees up to 8 inches or • Brush/slash disposal more in diameter, but a more complete • Site preparation The equipment identified in this report source of general harvesting equipment • Planting represents only a small percentage of is the San Dimas Technology and Devel- • Thinning the equipment available on today’s opment Center’s report, Smallwood • Biomass extraction/utilization. market. Common items, such as chain Equipment Catalog (9224-1501-SDTDC). saws, are mentioned but not included Another San Dimas report, Field Equip- MTDC distributed a questionnaire in Appendix B—Small Mechanized ment for Precommercial Thinning and Servicewide to determine tasks that Equipment, and Appendix C—Attach- Slash Treatment—Update (9124-1201- could benefit the most from equipment- ments and Implements. Inclusion in the SDTDC) lists larger slash-reduction development efforts. Commercial thin- report does not constitute an endorse- equipment for use in larger units. ning and final harvest are usually done ment. The growth of small-area forestry Several Canadian publications listed by private contractors. Since numerous operations brings new equipment to in Appendix A should be helpful. 3 Biomass Utilization iomass utilization provides an The need for many of these materials with timber harvesting so that equip- option to maintain the economic can be seasonal. If a market exists, the ment already onsite can be used, and Bviability of a small-area forestry product can be skidded or yarded to a the cost of transporting equipment is operation such as thinning trees for road or landing for loading and removal. reduced. timber stand improvement or to reduce fire hazard. Whenever possible, com- When biomass is utilized, larger saw If there is no commercial market, mercial utilization of excess biomass logs may have to be added to the con- alternative methods to deal with the material should be considered. Possible tract to offset the cost of the biomass- accumulation of biomass on the site biomass markets include: reduction treatment. While new road should be considered. If the material • Small saw logs • Hog fuel construction may be too costly for these presents a fire hazard, it can be piled • House logs • Christmas trees projects, some existing road recon- onsite, piled and burned, prescribed • Posts and poles • Bows for wreaths struction may be necessary. It is best burned, killed with herbicides, crushed, • Pulp • Firewood. to schedule biomass reduction activities masticated, or chipped. 4 The Ideal Prime Mover he basic criteria for the ideal prime largest piece of mechanized equipment Smaller equipment for skidding wood mover for small-area forestry oper- suitable for the tree spacing if it will products on tractor ground includes Tations were developed from inter- perform the work without causing unac- small dozers, skid steers, the Sweco views and a Servicewide survey that ceptable site damage, such as damage 480 (with logging arch), the TF-42C was conducted by MTDC. The ideal to leave trees, excessive soil compac- mini-skidder, and the ASV Posi-Track prime mover would meet or exceed tion, or any other undesirable ground (with the ImpleMax tractor grapple). these following specifications: disturbance. The equipment should Although excavators can be used for minimize the need for laborers and not skidding, they are slow (about 3 miles ❐ Minimal ground disturbance (rutting, fatigue the operator. Specifications for per hour). By comparison, the ASV compaction, and so forth). the specialty equipment are located Posi-Track can skid at about 7 miles ❐ Minimal damage to leave trees. in Appendix B and C. per hour. The other machines typically ❐ Work in tree spacing of 12 to 15 feet. can skid between 3 and 7 miles per ❐ Work in different canopy levels. Since the majority of persons respond- hour. A skid-steer machine with attach- ❐ Ideal equipment height would not ing to the questionnaire were interested ments can work in tight spaces, but is exceed 10 to 12 feet. in methods and equipment for use in limited to a 20-percent