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Description
The aim of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of timber harvesting in mountainous fir stands undergoing thinning, where trees were either pre-designated for removal by forestry services or selected independently by the machine operator. We hypothesized that differences in stand perception, particularly in terms of areas of visual focus and variability of eye activity, might influence cognitive load and work efficiency. Timber harvesting was conducted using John Deere 1170E harvester. Chronometric analyses were performed, and the operator’s visual scene was examined using the Tobii Pro Glasses 2 eye tracker.
The time required for harvesting in stands with undesignated thinning was, on average, 12% greater than in stands with designated thinning. The primary factor contributing to the increased time in the undesignated variant was extended machine passage during stand classification and the operator’s careful planning of cuts. Under undesignated thinning conditions, trees with lower volume were harvested. The operator’s mental workload was comparable between the two variants. The absence of significant differences in fixation time suggests that the operator maintained a similar level of concentration in both cases, adjusting visual strategies to the task context.
| Keywords | timber harvesting; effectiveness |
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