Analysis of a feller-buncher productivity: a case study of whole-tree harvesting from Marmara region, Turkey

Abstract

Due to increasing global demands on woody biomass throughout the whole year, private forest industry aims to produce large amount of wood products by the means of mechanized harvesting systems while considering the best productivity options. However, mechanized harvesting can result in additional costs if they are not efficiently planned or effectively implemented in the field. In the present study, productivity of whole-tree harvesting using a feller-buncher was investigated based on time measurements of specified work elements including moving to tree to be cut, cutting the tree, and bunching the tree at the skid trail. The relationships between various factors (tree height, diameter of breast height, and volume) and productivity were examined by statistical analysis. The results indicated that the average productivity of the feller-buncher, which was closely related with tree attribute, was estimated as 74.96 m 3 /h. To estimating productivity of feller-buncher in harvesting operation, multiple linear and polynomial regression have also performed and discussed after the interpretation of diagnostic plots. It was revealed that polynomial regression increased the success of the model according to the commonly preferred measure indicators. It was also found that there was an adverse correlation and curvilinearity between productivity and the work elements of the feller-buncher.