Speakers
Description
Forest harvesting operations inevitably affect forest ecosystems, and in order to apply Sustainable Forest Operation a careful planning is essential mainly with high level of mechanization employed. This case study was developed within the framework of the AGRITECH project in one of the first living lab activated. The study area is located in Central Italy in a Turkey oak forest managed as coppice with standards. The area was divided into two plots: an experimental plot, where operations were planned using precision forestry techniques, and a control plot, harvested without preliminary planning, within each plot three replicates were identified. The same harvesting activities were carried out in both plots, CTL logging system, with felling and processing by chainsaw and extraction by forwarder. This research evaluates the feasibility of applying precision forestry to the planning and execution of logging operations in an area typically characterized by rugged terrain and limited permanent extraction roads or tracks. After field data collection, the two treatments were compared using soil surface impacted (percentage of soil affected by the passage of the machinery), working times and productivities and related GHGs emissions and costs. Overall, precision forestry applied during both the planning and operational phases reduced the total impacted surface area by more than 50%, while slightly decreasing working productivity, while there has been only a slight improvement in terms of reduced emissions and costs. These results highlight the good potential of precision forestry to balance productivity, safety, and environmental protection. At the same time, they point to current limitations that, if addressed in the near future, could significantly support the sustainable development of the Italian forestry sector.
| Keywords | Logging; SFO; Forwarding; Extraction |
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