Forest Operations

The methods, materials, and systems used to transform the forest are the technology of forest operations.  Forest operations include Site Preparation, Thinning, Vegetation Release, Improvement Cutting, Timber Harvesting, and establishing and maintaining Roads.

Forest operations are designed to meet management needs. For example, ecological requirements for natural regeneration in a particular forest type may include certain light levels, soil conditions, and seed-source spacing. These ecological requirements translate into the prescription for the forest operation. For example, the stand must be opened up to a certain density; stems must be selectively removed based on size, species, and spacing; and the soil litter layer should be disturbed for seed catch, but not compacted. These requirements define the technology that is needed to meet management objectives.  Available technology defines the possibilities of forest management and forest products by the limiting the feasibility of operations. Generally, forest operations are limited by terrain, piece size, productivity, or costs. Increased effort (longer distances, handling more pieces, steep slopes, wetter ground) translates into greater cost per unit of production or per acre. The fundamental question facing the forest manager is whether the prescribed operation is both technically and economically feasible.

The current condition of southern forests in part reflects forest operations technology of the past. The mosaic of managed and unmanaged forested areas is partially a result of the technical and economical limits of previous forest operations. The network of roads and skidtrails on the forested landscape resulted in part from limitations on extraction distance and terrain. Stand composition of regenerated acres reflects the past site preparation and stand establishment techniques. Similarly, future landscapes of southern forests will be an expression of the capabilities and limitations of today’s technology. Understanding the role of forest operations technology in shaping forest conditions will help predict the future of the southern forest resource.

Forest operations technology is changing in the South. Tree-length logging and hauling have largely replaced shortwood operations. Labor-intensive bobtail crews, once the mainstay of pulpwood logging, are becoming harder to find.  The primary driver of change is economic viability. Labor costs have gone up and the pool of able employees has been shrinking. The result has been a shift towards more mechanized operations with higher productivity per person. Site preparation and establishment costs have increased sharply. While new technology such as fertilization can increase yields, its costs must be closely examined to make sure the net financial return is positive. Rosenberg and others (1990) discuss the development and adoption of new technology in the forest products industry. They note that the adoption of new panel products in the 1970’s and 1980’s was not due to breakthrough technology (the basic technology had been developed 20 years previously), but rather to significant shifts in the price of veneer logs which were the raw materials for conventional plywood. Relatively suddenly, the economic environment had changed.

A secondary driver of change has been the development of ecological issues. Water-quality concerns led to the development and promulgation of BMP’s and logger training initiatives. Esthetic values have become better defined and guidelines for minimizing visual impacts have been developed. Our growing understanding of nutrient cycling and global carbon sequestration is leading to new technologies and opportunities in southern forests.

Neither economics nor ecology are optional. Southern forest management is not feasible if it can’t offer positive economic returns. Similarly, forest management is not tenable if it cannot maintain or enhance ecological functions.

• Site Preparation:
• Thinning:
• Vegetation Release:
• Improvement Cutting: 
• Timber Harvesting:
• Roads:
• Environmental Impacts: Forest operations alter the environment. Some of these effects are intended; others are undesirable consequences. Most impacts are associated with driving equipment and moving material in the forest. Soil, water, and residual vegetation can be affected.