Speaker
Description
Accurate estimation of harvested wood volume is one of the most crucial processes for billing. It makes the roundwood trade a key task in forest management. Globally, in many countries, measurements are conducted using the traditional volumetric sectional method with analog tools. Currently, many digital alternatives, such as photo-optical methods supported by smartphones or ad hoc-designed devices, or data collected by harvesters, are available.
The main aim of this study was to analyze and compare the results of roundwood measurements obtained using the traditional sectional method and digital methods such as the Timbeter app, the LogStackLIDAR app, and harvester data from the John Deere TimberMatic™ system for measuring stacked wood in forest conditions. In total, the gross volume of 75 stacks of pinewood was estimated. The total estimated volume was over 4100 m3. Subsequently, each stack was classified according to volume ranges: I − smaller than 30m3 (st), II − from 31 to 60m3 (st), III − from 61 to 90 m3 (st), and IV – larger than 90m3. For each analysis, the traditional measurement was considered the reference value to evaluate the accuracy of the digital methods.
The accuracy was then determined as the deviation between the average volumes estimated with the apps and the average volume obtained by applying the traditional method (55.93 m3). Thus, the highest accuracy was obtained with the LogStackLidar app (56.79 m3, +1.5%), followed by the harvester measurement (59.30 m3, +6%) and the Timbeter app (65.00 m3, +9%). Given the classified stack sizes, LogStackLIDAR demonstrated stable results and high accuracy across all stack size classes. Timbeter showed systematic overestimation across all classes. Harvester measurements revealed variable performance characteristics: significant errors in small stacks, excellent agreement in Class III, and higher overestimation in Class IV.
To summarize, a detailed analysis shows that both LogStackLIDAR and harvester measurements are highly accurate relative to manual measurements. Overall, the findings indicate that measurement accuracy is method-dependent and, in some cases, influenced by stack volume. The results highlight the importance of method selection in roundwood trade and billing processes, particularly when systematic errors may significantly affect financial settlements.
| Keywords | LogStackLIDAR; Timbeter; LiDAR; roundwood_measurement |
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