United States Department of Agriculture Review of Forest Service Forest Log Sort Yards Products Laboratory General Technical John Rusty Dramm Report Gerry L. Jackson FPLGTR132 Jenny Wong Abstract About the Authors This report provides a general overview of current log sort yard John Rusty Dramm is a Forest Products Utilization Specialist in operations in the United States, including an extensive literature the Technology Marketing Unit located at the USDA Forest review and information collected during on-site visits to several Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. operations throughout the nation. Log sort yards provide many Current focus of Mr. Dramm’s work is on potential applications services in marketing wood and fiber by concentrating, mer- of log sort yards to improve the viability of forestland restora- chandising, processing, sorting, and adding value to logs. Such tion and fuels reduction activities on public and private forests. operations supply forest products firms with desired raw materi- He is a recognized expert in sawmill efficiency and quality and als, which helps improve their bottom line by reducing the productivity improvement. In addition to his tenure with the number of marginal logs processed. Ultimately, sorting logs USDA Forest Service, he has a total of 20 years experience in leads to better use of the available timber resources. Successful lumber manufacturing quality control, hardwood forest man- log sort yards are self-sufficient and have well-established agement and harvest operations, and wood treating plant man- markets and a steady supply of wood. Log sort yard concepts agement. He holds a Master of Forestry Degree from Oregon and analyses described in this report have broad applications. State University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forest Management, from University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. Keywords: log sort yard, small diameter, underutilized species, value-added, sorting, log scaling, log grading, log Gerry Jackson is a Forest Products Marketing Specialist with merchandising the Technology Marketing Unit in Madison, Wisconsin. Mr. Jackson provides marketing assistance to state and commu- nity groups engaged in rural community assistance as well as Cover Photograph the forest products industry. His industrial experience includes Weyerhaeuser Company’s management trainee program in the Libby Log Sort Yard, Libby, Montana—Logs from small timber southeastern United States. He received his Master’s Degree in producers and private landowners are purchased and sorted for Forest Products Marketing from Virginia Tech and a Bachelor various log products and concentrated for more efficient ship- of Science Degree in Marketing from Alabama A&M ping to mills by truck. The essentials of the small log sort yard University. are shown: log decks, yard office, and utility hookups. Small log sort yards such as this may hold the key to effective forestland Jenny Wong is a summer student with the Forest Products restoration and fuels reduction treatment while providing rural Laboratory. She compiled the extensive literature review of log jobs and opportunities for value-added options for small- sort yards. She is working toward a pre-law undergraduate diameter and underutilized trees. degree at the University of Minnesota. Acknowledgments October 2002 Coordination of log sort yard site visits was made possible by efforts of Federal and state utilization and marketing specialists Dramm, John Rusty; Jackson, Gerry L.; Wong, Jenny. 2002. Review of log throughout the country. We especially recognize the efforts by sort yards. Gen. Tech. Rep. FPL-GTR-132. Madison, WI: U.S. Department Peter Lammert, Maine Department of Conservation; Dean of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. 39 p. Huber, USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Area; and Bill von A limited number of free copies of this publication are available to the Segen, USDA Forest Service, Region 6, State & Private For- public from the Forest Products Laboratory, One Gifford Pinchot Drive, estry. The authors also thank several individuals, companies, Madison, WI 53726–2398. This publication is also available online at and organizations who contributed their insights into log sort www.fpl.fs.fed.us. Laboratory publications are sent to hundreds of libraries in the United States and elsewhere. yard operations. We are most grateful for contributions from the following individuals and organizations: The Forest Products Laboratory is maintained in cooperation with the University of Wisconsin. Terry Larimer, Libby Log Yard; Roger Jaegel, Watershed Research and Training Center; Mark Stella, Rogue Institute; Terry Mace, Wisconsin The use of trade or firm names is for information only and does not imply Department of Natural Resources; Dr. Robert Govett, University of Wis- endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture of any product or consin–Stevens Point; Chris Edwards, Western Wood Products, Inc.; Bob service. McCarty, Weyerhaeuser Company; Carl Henderson, Huber Resources Corporation; Peter Honey, Champion International; Norm Steve, Prentiss The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimina- and Carlisle; Ed Kimball, Penley Corporation; George Parke, Northeast tion in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or Bio Recovery, Inc.; Ray Emery, Emery Forest Products; Earl Pelletier, marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Oak Brokers, Inc.; Dick Pierce, Timber Resources Group, LLC; Scott Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication Thomas, GT&S Logging, Inc.; Howard Miller, Jackman Lumber— of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact Somerset Log Yard; Bruce Edwards, E.D. Besse & Son; Peter Holman, the USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD). To file a Maxiwood; Reiny Krause, Algoma Lumber Company; Byron Hawkins, complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Webster Lumber Company; Jamie Barbour, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Wash- Northwest Research Station; Dean L. Parry, USDA Forest Service, Pacific ington, DC 20250–9410, or call (202) 720–5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is Northwest Research Station; Steve Schmieding, USDA Forest Service, an equal opportunity provider and employer. Forest Products Laboratory. Contents Page Page Introduction........................................................................... 1 Appendix: Selected Bibliography of Log Sort Yard and Related References.............................................................. 22 Log Sort Yard Project....................................................... 1 Categories ....................................................................... 22 Types of Log Yards .......................................................... 3 Log Sort Yards................................................................ 22 Origins of the Log Sort Yard ............................................ 3 Log Rules and Scaling .................................................... 23 Benefits of Sorting Logs ................................................... 4 Log Grading.................................................................... 23 Log Sorting Alternatives................................................... 5 Economics–Costs–Productivity ...................................... 24 Advantages of Log Sort Yards.......................................... 6 Marketing........................................................................ 25 Log Sort Yard Goals and Objectives ................................... 7 Exporting ........................................................................ 26 Log Sort Yard Operations..................................................... 7 Debris–Disposal and Use of Residues ............................ 27 Materials Handling............................................................ 8 Bucking and Merchandising—General........................... 28 Log Processing.................................................................. 9 Optimal Softwood Bucking ............................................ 29 Sorting............................................................................. 11 Hardwood Bucking ......................................................... 30 Log Storage and Inventory.............................................. 11 Log Manufacture............................................................. 31 Log Sort Yard Equipment and Sorting Systems ................ 11 Harvesting–Logging–Timber Sales ................................ 31 Front-End Loaders .......................................................... 12 Transportation—Loading and Unloading ....................... 32 Log Stackers ................................................................... 12 Log Allocation ................................................................ 33 Log Loaders .................................................................... 13 Log Procurement............................................................. 34 Sorting Systems and Log Merchandisers........................ 13 Inventory Control and Storage........................................ 35 Timber Processors and Cut-To-Length Systems............ 14 Protection and Insect Control.......................................... 35 Sorting Bunks ................................................................