Timber Storage Research Articles

Rapid survey of the herpetofauna in an area of forest management in eastern Acre, Brazil

Timber exploitation is the most profitable and popular use of forest. To evaluate how this activity affects biodiversity is of crucial importance for conservation. Therefore, we carried out a herpetofauna survey in a forest area under a reduced–impact management, in Sena Madureira municipality, state of Acre (Brazil). We used active searching, both day and night, and pitfall traps. In the pre-exploitation phase the search was conducted basically in forests and forest edges; in the post-exploitation phase we also searched in sites such as secondary roads, skid trails and timber storage yards. We recorded 38 amphibian species and 28 reptile species; 17 snakes, nine lizards and two crocodilians. It is expected that this survey can contribute to programs of environmental monitoring in forest management areas in Amazonia.

An entomoepidemiological investigation of Chagas disease in the state of Ceará, Northeast Region of Brazil.

The seroprevalence of Chagas disease in humans and the presence of triatomines were investigated in a rural locality in the State of Ceará, Brazil, an historically endemic region. Approximately 80% of the surveyed residents agreed to undergo serological tests. Intradomestic and peridomestic environments were searched for triatomines in both the dry and rainy seasons. The prevalence rate of Chagas disease was 1.2% and the majority of individuals confirmed with the disease over 50 years of age. A total of 761 specimens of triatomines were captured, most of which were from colonies composed of nymphs and adult bugs, and the majority of specimens were obtained in the dry season. Triatoma brasiliensis was the predominant species. Analysis using light microscopy revealed that 28.6% of the insects were Trypanosoma cruzi positive. Results suggest that peridomestic man-made structures, such as animal shelters, improper storage of timber and uninhabited dwellings contribute to the high rate of triatomine infestation in the area.

Breaking the Vicious Circle of Illegal Logging in Indonesia

The government of Indonesia, which presides over 10% of the world's tropical forests, has set ambitious targets to cut its high deforestation rates through an REDD+ scheme (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation). This will require strong law enforcement to succeed. Yet, strategies that have accomplished this are rare and, along with past failures, tend not to be documented. We evaluated a multistakeholder approach that seeks to tackle illegal logging in the carbon-rich province of Aceh, Sumatra. From 2008 to 2009, Fauna & Flora International established and supported a community-based informant network for the 738,000 ha Ulu Masen ecosystem. The network reported 190 forest offenses to local law enforcement agencies, which responded with 86 field operations that confiscated illicit vehicles, equipment, and timber, and arrested 138 illegal logging suspects. From 45 cases subsequently monitored, 64.4% proceeded to court, from which 90.0% of defendants received a prison sentence or a verbal warning for a first offense. Spatial analyses of illegal logging and timber storage incidents predicted that illegal activities would be more effectively deterred by law enforcement operations that targeted the storage sites. Although numerous clusters of incidents were identified, they were still widespread reflecting the ubiquity of illegal activities. The multistakeholder results were promising, but illegal logging still persisted at apparently similar levels at the project's end, indicating that efforts need to be further strengthened. Nevertheless, several actions contributed to the law enforcement achievements: strong political will; strong stakeholder support; and funding that could be promptly accessed. These factors are highlighted as prerequisites for achieving Indonesia's ambitious REDD+ goals.

Study on the Application of Internet of Things in the Logistics in Forest Industry

The origin, the composition, the function, the application and the developing trend of the Internet of Things (IOT) were reviewed. The application of internet of things would greatly improve the information technology in logistics. The internet of things supported by RFID and sensor technology has been applied in the area of logistics. A framework of three technical systems of sensing, communication and network, and intelligence has been established. The present technology of internet of things in logistics of forest industry was analyzed. The application cases of the internet of things in timber storage, wood transportation and logistics of forestry biomass materials were shown with their system composition, management function and development.

Timber management practices and timber species used by small scale furniture workshops in Uganda

A study was done in Kampala District, Central Uganda, to document the timber species and timber management practices used in furniture workshops. A check list was used to document the common timber species, their grades, moisture contents and related timber management practices in furniture workshops. Results showed that Albizia coriaria, Markhamia lutea and Chrysophyllum albidum were the most common species while Khaya spp, Milicia excelsa and Olea spp were the least used species in the furniture workshops. Sixty nine percent of the furniture workshops lacked timber storage sheds, whereas only 3% had the recommended timber stacks. Majority (95%) of the carpenters in the furniture workshops did not season timber and hence the moisture content of the timber ranged from 31% to 35%. Forty nine percent of the workshops exposed their finished products to environmental and weather deterioration. The commonest type of wood waste was planer shavings which were not utilised effectively. Since 97% of carpenters did not grade timber, the quality of their products was inherently poor. The study concluded that several lesser known timber species were used for making furniture amidst very poor timber management. The study recommends that the government of Uganda through its policyimplementing arms should create awareness programmes to carpenters on efficient timber management practices. Further research on physical, processing and strength properties of the documented species should be undertaken so as to improve their utilisation.

A STOCKADED BASKETMAKER III VILLAGE AT YELLOW JACKET, COLORADO

Total excavation of a seventh century A.D. Basketmaker III village revealed an arrangement of semisubterranean earth and timber houses, storage pits and structures, and ramadas surrounded by a wooden stockade. In addition to several practical functions including defense, windbreak, and containing young children, the stockade demarcated the village boundary. The complete village plan further enhances our knowledge of Pueblo Indian culture history.

THE EFFECT OF DRYING AND STORAGE CONDITIONS ON CASE HARDENING OF SCOTS PINE AND NORWAY SPRUCE TIMBER

Case hardening is a feature of dried wood that causes the wood to deform (cup) after re-sawing and equalising the moisture content. VTT has analysed case hardening with the aid of the simulation model PEO and with experimental drying, conditioning and storage tests. Case hardening cannot be predicted by the moisture content gradient alone. However, the case hardening gap after drying to a high final moisture content of 18% is nearly identical to the calculated gap caused by cupping when the moisture gradients of the two halves of the test piece are equalised. 24 hours (proposed in ENV 14464) is too little time to show the total cupping when keeping the sliced specimens in a plastic bag. Thus the test according the standard doesn’t show the whole cupping tendency of, for example, panels when the moisture content is equalised after re-sawing the timber and planing the billets. Increasing the kiln drying rate increases the resulting case hardening tendency. With effective conditioning at the drying temperature, or with steaming after cooling, it is possible to reduce or remove the case hardening. But at normal temperatures in end-use or storage of timber the case hardening diminishes very slowly, despite the equalising of the moisture content in the cross-section.

Effects of soil type, irrigation volume and plant species on treatment of log yard run-off in lysimeters

Wet storage of timber and pulpwood produces large quantities of run-off water. A study was conducted to determine the purification efficiency of soil–plant systems for log yard run-off. Sixteen 1200-l lysimeters (1.2m deep soil columns) with clay or sand soil were planted with willow (Salix sp.) or alder (Alnus glutinosa), and irrigated with run-off from a Norway spruce (Picea abies) log yard. Drainage water was analysed for total organic carbon (TOC), phenols, total P and total N in order to determine concentrations and levels of retention. High retention of TOC, phenols and P occurred in the lysimeters, but no clear differences between willows and alder or clay and sand were identified. Lysimeters with high levels of irrigation showed greater retention than those with low levels. Soil–plant systems using willow and alder could provide an alternative for log yard run-off purification: the key requirement is to optimise irrigation rather than manipulate the plants or soils.

A DE-ROMANISED LANDSCAPE IN NORTHERN GAUL: THE SCARPE VALLEY FROM THE 4TH TO THE 9TH CENTURY A.D.

This paper illustrates the evolution of settlement types in a small territory between Antiquity and the Medieval period. During the Early and Mid Roman periods, the area was densely and uniformly covered by numerous modest rural estates, in a way that differs from the ‘classical’ villa pattern. Many of these remained active until the 4th c. During the 5th c., small villages of ‘Germanic’ type replaced scattered settlements. This clustering of rural population was accompanied by a change to a landscape consisting of clearings and uncultivated areas. In the new villages, Early Medieval properties, in which a quadrangular ditched enclosure contained scattered structures such as timber buildings, sunken huts, and storage pits, were not replaced by the type of dwelling associated with the ‘Medieval’ village until the 11th or 12th c.

A Problem of Forest Harvesting and Road Building Solved Through Model Strengthening and Lagrangean Relaxation

We consider a problem of forest planning on pine plantations over a two to five year horizon. Basic decisions concern the areas to harvest in each period, the amount of timber to produce to satisfy aggregate demands for log exports, sawmills and pulp plants, and the roads to build for access and storage of timber. A linear programming model with 0–1 variables describes the decision process. Solution strategies involve strengthening of the model, lifting some of the constraints, and applying Lagrangean relaxation. Results on real planning problems show that even as these problems become more complex, the proposed solution strategies lead to very good solutions, reducing the residual gap for the most difficult data set from 162% to 1.6%, and for all data sets to 2.6% or less.

A novel catabolic activity of Pseudomonas veronii in biotransformation of pentachlorophenol.

Pseudomonas veronii PH-05, a bacterial strain capable of transforming pentachlorophenol (PCP) to a metabolic intermediate, was isolated by selective enrichment of soil samples from a timber storage yard. Strain PH-05 was shown to be able to grow using PCP as the sole source of carbon and energy. GC-MS analysis showed that the metabolic intermediate was tetrachlorocatechol, which inhibited the growth of this strain. The formation of tetrachlorocatechol during biotransformation was monitored, and its inhibitory effect on growth of strain PH-05 was analyzed at a range of concentrations. The catabolic activity of the isolated strain differs from that of other PCP-degrading bacteria, which metabolize PCP through a chlorinated hydroquinone intermediate.

Selectivity of synthetic aggregation pheromones Linoprax® and Pheroprax® in the control of the bark beetles (Coleoptera, Scolytidae) in a timber storage yard

Abstract: The selectivity of the synthetic aggregation pheromones Linoprax® and Pheroprax® in black flight barrier traps of the Theysohn type was determined by the response of the lineate bark beetle Trypodendron lineatum (Ol.), the eight‐toothed spruce bark beetle Ips typographus (L.), and other insects at the timber storage yard of a woodprocessing industry in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The information obtained can be used in establishing a pheromone‐based mass‐trapping program for bark beetles in the timber storage yard.A total of 24 349 insects were captured in Linoprax baited traps, 78.5% of them belonged to T. lineatum, 19.9% to I. typographus while 1.6% of them were other insects.A total of 22815 insects were caught on traps baited with Pheroprax, 92.8% of them were I. typographus, 5.8% of them belonged to T. lineatum and 1.4% were represented by other insects.On the control unbaited traps, 3429 beetles were caught, 52.5% of them belonged to I. typographus, 38.4% were T. lineatum and 10.1% were other insects.Spatial and temporal distribution patterns for T. lineatum and I. typographus were identified. The air temperature and the locations of the Theysohn traps affected the catch. The ecological meaning of selectivity of synthetic pheromones is discussed.

Storage of Timber under Permanent Irrigation

SYNOPSIS The storage of 9 624 m3 pine sawtimber under permanent sprinkler irrigation is described. After the plantation fire at Entabeni on 3 October 1989 the immediate utilisation of all badly burnt sawtimber was not possible. Sawlogs were prepared in uniform length of 6,3 m and stacked in rows. Sprinkler irrigation, normally used for agricultural purposes, was installed on top of the stacks and water was applied at 75 mm/day, over the 24-hour period, for nearly a year. The relatively high storage cost of R11,93/m3 stored was mainly caused by a lack of suitable stacking equipment. The recovery of the logs in the form of sawn planks indicated that the wet storage operation was a success and that no blue-stain developed during the storage period. Blue-stain, which had infected some of the logs before wet storage, was effectively halted. The first ever application of wet storage of pine saw logs in South Africa by means of permanent irrigation was a technical and economical success and comprehensive suggest...

The Royal Dockyards 1690–1850 by Jonathan G. Coad

156 Book Reviews TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE United States. However, increasing competition from Soviet space exploration and the Japanese electronics industry soon paved the way for worldwide cooperation. At the same time, new options for describing and shaping complex technical systems grew up against the background of expanding automation coupled with more intense interdisciplinary research. This first synopsis of the development of engineering sciences con­ centrates on the cognitive aspect, linked to the interactions with ma­ terial production. Unfortunately the concept of linear progress dom­ inates, as reflected in the stereotypical expressions “not yet” and “already.” Incidentally, that applies equally to the authors’ more de­ tailed work (much ofit postdoctoral dissertations that are sadly missing from the bibliography). The reproduction aspect of engineering sci­ ences is only occasionally mentioned, yet it represents an important component of methodological approach, as can be seen in Buchheim’s other writings. It remains to be seen whether this research topic, well represented in the past at the Dresden University of Technology, will be maintained under the new political conditions. If so, this book could help to fertilize the historical discourse in North America and Western Europe on the relationship between science and technology and also to stimulate international discourse, specifically on the genesis of the engineering sciences, thus closing the remaining gaps. Oskar Blumtritt Dr. Blumtritt is curator of telecommunications at the Deutsches Museum. The Royal Dockyards 1690-1850. By Jonathan G. Coad. Brookfield, Vt.: Gower Publishing Company, 1989. Pp. xxvi + 399; illustrations, maps. $89.95. Jonathan Coad has tackled an immense subject and wins wide stripes for writing this book. (In the United States the subject will probably be claimed by industrial archaeologists; it will keep them busy for years!) The men who sail and fight on the deep blue leave the shore establishment in the hands of others. But valor afloat depends ultimately on the skills of those who design, build, and maintain naval bases—landlubbers, if you please. Coad states at the outset that “the Royal Navy was probably the greatest industrial organization in the world.” Is it possible to refute that? In 1711 there were 6,488 employees, in 1730 over 10,000, and by 1814 over 17,000. Finding that no British dockyard buildings older than the year 1690 still exist, he starts the narrative at that time and runs on to about 1850, when steam power and iron warships heralded a new technological age. The original British concern was defense against the French and Dutch. But as offensives moved into the Mediterranean and across TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE Book Reviews 157 the Atlantic, bases at Portsmouth and Plymouth in the west soon rivaled the earlier yards with their shallow waters and frustrating winds. By 1814 the navy had over 900 ships to be serviced by bases as far away as Antigua, Bermuda, Gibraltar, and Bombay. Facing an immensely large and complicated subject, Coad carved it up to allow for several approaches. He devotes part one to the home bases, mainly the big ones at Chatham, Portsmouth, and Plymouth. He covers planning and organization under the Navy Board, with a picture of rival bureaucrats muscling each other along a way marked by poor bookkeeping. The need for reform was slowly acknowledged: by 1806, “a regular Surveyor of Civil Architecture is absolutely necessary, and ... he ought to have a salary of £300 a year.” The Royal Engineers enter the picture by the 1850s. There is a chapter on office buildings and houses, including Somerset House and capital structures in Whitehall. Another chapter examines the technical problems presented in building the drydocks—huge and expensive structures. The first crude one at Plymouth was lined with timber and closed by a crosswall of wood filled in with clay and stones. By 1700 all the yards had better ones. In the 19th century the slips in building yards were sometimes covered to protect wooden ships and increase the productivity of workers. Whether built of timber or of iron, they were quite remarkable and their structural design is of interest beyond dockyards. The wooden navy required much space for the storage and seasoning of timber, and a certain amount of attention was paid to fireproof floors...

Shoot damage and growth losses following three years of Tomicus-attacks in Scots pine stands close to a timber storage site.

Shoot damage and growth losses following three years of Tomicus-attacks in Scots pine stands close to a timber storage site.

OPERATIONAL ASPECTS OF THE RESPONSE TO THE ARCO ANCHORAGE OIL SPILL, PORT ANGELES, WASHINGTON1

ABSTRACT On December 21, 1985, at approximately 4:25 p.m. PST, the Arco Anchorage ran aground in Port Angeles Harbor. Two holes were torn in the ship's bottom, resulting in a spill of 5,690 barrels (239,000 gallons) of Alaska North Slope crude oil. This paper describes the Arco Marine response procedure during this spill, and the philosophies and methods used during the spill cleanup. The primary offshore cleanup method was recovery using booms and skimmers. Weather conditions permitted their effective operation. Removal of oiled debris was the primary onshore cleanup method. Port Angeles Harbor is a major timber storage area; log bundles are stored in the harbor awaiting pickup by ships. When log bundles were oiled during the spill, a method was devised to clean them. Oil percolated into coarse sediments on Ediz Hook, the most heavily oiled area. It was determined that large enough quantities of oil were trapped in the sediments to warrant removal. A cleanup method incorporating a combination of physical agitation to a depth of approximately 12 inches and high-pressure water jets effectively removed most of the entrained oil. The paper also describes the waste management plan that was developed.

Excavations at Portchester Castle, Hants, 1969–1971: Fourth Interim Report

SummaryThe three seasons of excavation 1969–71 have provided details of occupation lasting continuously from the third century until the nineteenth century. In the Roman period cobbled streets and timber buildings, pits and wells have been excavated but they show little sign of rigid planning. The streets continued to be used in the fifth and sixth century when huts of post-built and grubenhaus type were constructed. Some parts of the interior were now ploughed.In the eighth and ninth centuries timber buildings, storage pits, and cess pits were concentrated in one area close to the south wall of the Roman fort. Near by a well, constantly used from the Roman period and subsequently relined with timber, was abandoned and used as a rubbish tip. Some additional buildings and pits belonging to the ‘hall complex’ of late Saxon date were found. Medieval features included boundary ditches, a lime kiln and slaking pit, and a timber building. Some areas of the interior were cultivated throughout this time.In the early sixteenth century a large store building was erected in masonry: it was demolished late in the sixteenth century. Thereafter the fort was used as a prison camp until the early nineteenth century. Various features of this period were found.The Landgate was further excavated bringing to light structural details of Roman, Saxon, and medieval date. Limited excavation in the priory exposed details of the claustral buildings.

Building research in the school of architecture

The first anniversary of the construction of a temporary and very modest laboratory building, and the appointment of its first laboratory technician, recently passed unnoticed in the School of Architecture, but in fact, was being celebrated by construction of an even more modest extension to house a temperature and humidity controlled room for storage and possible longer term testing of timber and plywood components.