Two-stage trucking systems in New Zealand forest harvesting operations have become increasingly common, with their adoption rising from 8% to 24% since 2016. Despite this growth, productivity modelling research remains largely reliant on elemental time studies, which typically generate small datasets covering only several days of work. This study presents an automated, data-driven framework...
In Finland, the forest sector currently needs and will continue to need new workers. With demographic development, the age groups are becoming smaller and more urbanized, which means that young people may not have any contact with the forest sector before applying for education. Previous studies have emphasized that students’ perceptions of different educational paths and occupations can be...
The practice of poplar forest establishment, maintenance, and harvesting varies globally, potentially inducing significant effects on cost structures and environmental impacts. In Romania, for instance, a typical life cycle involves operations such as ground clearing, stump removal, soil milling, pit drilling, and manual planting, followed by several cultivation stages, thinning, and...
Forest harvesting operations increasingly require real-time, non-destructive tree-level information to support precision decision-making directly within machine workflows. Although harvester-mounted Mobile Laser Scanning (MLS) systems provide detailed three-dimensional representations of tree stems, most existing processing approaches depend on full point cloud reconstruction, frame alignment,...
Receiver-reported Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) accuracy metrics (e.g., horizontal accuracy estimates derived from solution covariance) are sometimes used as proxies for positional reliability in forestry applications. However, their predictive validity under canopy and obstruction remains insufficiently quantified. This study evaluates the relationship between receiver-reported...
The economic sustainability of energy-oriented forest supply chains depends on the ability to process low-value biomass using robust and cost-efficient technologies. In such contexts, reducing maintenance requirements, minimizing downtime, and maximizing operational productivity are essential to maintain profitability. Conventional grapple-saw systems, although widely adopted, are primarily...
Forest operations are a cornerstone of the forest-wood sector, mobilizing tens of millions of cubic meters of wood each year. These resources serve multiple societal needs: timber for construction and furniture, industrial wood for paper, cardboard, and panels, and energy wood for heating and biomass. Sustainable forest management ensures that forests continue to provide these resources while...
One of the key objectives of Estonia’s current National Energy and Climate Plan 2030 is to reduce national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80% compared with the 1990 level. In line with the European Green Deal, the Estonian government has also committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Meeting these ambitious targets requires a substantial increase in the use of renewable energy...
Modern Swedish forestry has contributed to a substantial decline in ground lichen, a key winter forage resource for semi-domesticated reindeer, while demand for timber and bioenergy continues to increase. This study develops and tests a generic, easily implemented GIS-based screening method to identify priority areas for lichen-adapted young stand management that can simultaneously support...
Reliable and up-to-date forest road information is essential for sustainable forest operations, affecting technical road classification, timber transport accessibility, and maintenance planning. However, conventional road inventories are often incomplete, outdated, and costly to maintain due to their reliance on manual surveys and expert assessments. Over the past four years, we have developed...
The aim of this contribution is to present the analysis of the professional interests and motivations of young people regarding forestry careers. An online survey (N = 162) was conducted in May 2025. The study identifies the profile of a typical forestry candidate as an individual from a rural area, men or women, who prioritizes job security and personal satisfaction over high financial...
Forest cable yarders are a highly effective timber extraction system, particularly in steep mountainous terrains. Operating these systems demands high expertise, as does the preliminary planning and ground layout of the lines. Accurate field tracing and post-installation verification are critical to ensure technical feasibility (e.g., maintaining ground clearance for suspended loads) and...
Forestry operations require the creation and maintenance of internal networks called extraction trails (cloisonnements), which are essential for machine movement and silvicultural work.
Currently, marking and updating these networks in the field remains costly, time-consuming, and sometimes imprecise.
The SCAN project aims to modernize and optimize the management of these infrastructures...
The energy utilisation of shrub biomass requires specialised machinery adapted to shrubland conditions, enabling efficient harvesting and collection in cost-effective formats suitable for energy production. Proper handling is essential to minimise soil contamination and ensure the production of high-quality biofuels. Current harvesting technologies integrate clearing and biomass collection...
Skogforsk has carried out reoccurring tests of harvesters with a focus on value recovery (including e.g. damages, measuring accuracy, optimization efficiency) and StanForD implementations since the mid 1990’s. A new test with seven different final felling harvesters was carried out in the autumn of 2025 in one single location north of Uppsala. The test was carried out in a Norway spruce stand...
AI models are becoming increasingly important in forestry operations, enabling robotic systems to automatically detect and classify forest features such as stems, logs, rocks, and roads from vehicle-mounted images. This automation enhances operational efficiency, reduces human error, and supports sustainable management through real-time monitoring and analysis. However, the development of such...
The need for safe, efficient and standardized training methods has promoted the use of virtual reality simulators as an alternative tool to conventional training, especially in high-risk operational industries. These simulators allow technical skills to be developed while reducing operating costs, physical and environmental risks, and machinery wear, and facilitate the controlled and safe...
Efficient bucking systems and careful timber handling are key factors in maximizing timber value. To evaluate the performance and long-term advancement of such systems, Skogforsk has conducted a series of large-scale wood value trials. The most recent study, conducted in 2025, compared seven leading harvester systems under operational conditions. Data were collected in a spruce-dominated final...
Short-rotation coppice is a modern industrial crop, and its profitability depends on the mechanisation of all management operations. Once the crop is mature, trees can be felled with a variety of machines, but shears represent the most effective solution. However, shears can cause some stump damage, raising concerns about stump mortality and re-sprouting vigor, both crucial to coppice...
The labor shortage is becoming a growing problem in the European forestry sector. As current data collection techniques rely on field labor, data collection for the purposes of forest road design is more difficult than in the past. For that reason, there is a need to identify more efficient field data collection method. The previous method of field data survey in forest road design process was...
This study analyzes and compares the productivity and economic efficiency of pull-through delimbers and processors in the processing of whole trees from partially mechanized timber harvesting in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.In forest-rich and topographically challenging regions such as the Black Forest, fully mechanized harvesting systems often reach operational limits. As a result, adapted...
Utilising biomass (tree branches and treetops) for energy purposes is a common practice in mechanised forest operations. Collecting biomass, however, may be time consuming if, for easy and effective forwarding, the harvester operator is focussed only on timber piling, but not paying attention to biomass piling. To make biomass forwarding more effective, placing it in piles is an alternative...
The forestry sector is undergoing a rapid digital transformation, driven by the demand for accurate, timely, and actionable data. Across public, private, and industrial operations, the challenge remains the same: bridging the gap between field data collection and the decision-making processes that guide sustainable forest management. This presentation highlights how G.A. Logix has developed...
New Zealand’s forest harvesting workforce faces persistent retention challenges. The lack of clear forestry career paths, poor employment conditions, and limited awareness of opportunities have contributed to retention rates of only 30% after three years in the forestry industry (MPI, 2019; Workforce Insights, 2022). In a highly mechanised sector where operator capability is central to...
The presence of standard-compliant forest road networks is essential for the sustainable management of forest ecosystems and the efficient execution of forestry operations. Enhancing the resilience of these roads to environmental impacts, preventing water erosion, and extending their service life depend on positioning engineering structures at the optimal topographic locations along the route....
