Investigating the Controlled Wood Harvesting Efficiency of Logging Operation in Akure Forest Reserve

Abstract

This study attempts to investigate the controlled wood harvesting efficiency in Akure Forest Reserve in Ondo State. Specifically, the study determined the efficiency of the harvesting method being adopted in the study area. A reconnaissance survey and measurement were carried out in the study area, where data on fifty (50) trees felled were randomly selected. Tree growth variables such as the height and diameter at the base, middle, and top of both the standing trees and the extracted logs were obtained using a Spiegel relaskop and measuring tape, as well as the effective working time using a stopwatch. The diameter of the standing trees to be harvested was grouped into classes of <30cm, 30-40cm, 41-50cm, 51-60cm, 61-70cm, and >70cm. The volume, efficiency, and productivity were estimated along the different diameter classes. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Our results showed that the efficiency of the harvesting method adopted at Akure Forest Reserve was about 52%, with an average volume of 0.68m3 per log, an average effective working time per log of 0.029 hours, and a productivity of 27.43 m3/hour. The harvesting efficiency recorded was reasonably high compared to other values obtained from the previous studies for other forest reserves in Nigeria. This result can be attributed to some factors that include the experience of the operator, the equipment condition, and the environmental condition during the operation. The study, therefore, concludes and recommends that efficiency can be improved by investing in human capacity building and institutional strengthening in order to increase output, which will in turn help to meet the demand for wood products from forests.