FORMEC 2026

Estimating the availability of unused dead wood materials introducing Japanese forestry machinery in Mongolia

Not scheduled

20m

CZU Prague, Czechia

Poster presentation

Speaker

Kazuhiro Aruga (Utsunomiya University)

Description

Mongolian forests have accumulated large quantities of deadwood due to forest aging and limited utilization. While in Europe the retention of deadwood is often considered to enhance biodiversity, in Mongolia it is increasingly regarded as a driver of forest degradation, contributing to wildfire risk, insect outbreaks, and declining forest health. Consequently, active removal and utilization of deadwood is being promoted. Building on the assessment by Ikeda et al. (2022), which estimated the national stock of unutilized deadwood in Mongolia, this study evaluates the potential for deadwood utilization through the introduction of Japanese forestry machinery. Specifically, the accessible volume of deadwood under mechanized operations was compared with that obtainable using conventional Mongolian skidding methods (human-powered, horse-powered, tractor skidding).

The analysis covered 96,379 subgroups, representing an estimated 94,067,412 m³ of deadwood. Japanese forestry machinery showed feasibility in 37,048 subgroups, equaling 1,131,751 ha with a total estimated volume of 35.7 million m³. The estimated logging cost using Japanese machinery, which included stumpage, layout, felling, primary and secondary transportation, was 113,126 MNT/m³. In contrast, traditional skidding methods yielded lower costs of 68,590 MNT/m³. As a result, 38% of the analyzed area could be profitably harvested using Japanese equipment, compared to 68% using traditional methods. Transport efficiency was constrained by an assumed truck speed of 5 km/h due to off-road conditions. However, road improvements could substantially increase transport efficiency, enhancing the economic feasibility of mechanized utilization.

This study highlights the trade-offs between modern machinery and traditional methods in Mongolia. While mechanized harvesting enables the recovery of large volumes of deadwood, traditional methods currently provide lower costs and wider applicability. Both approaches may play complementary roles in deadwood utilization, contributing to forest restoration and renewable biomass supply. Future research will integrate road attributes and vehicle specifications into transport cost modeling to refine utilization estimates and identify optimal strategies.