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FORMEC/FEC 2023—Improving Access to Sustainable Forest Materials in a Resource-Constrained...
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FORMEC/FEC 2023—Improving Access to Sustainable Forest Materials in a Resource-Constrained World

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2024) | Viewed by 3882

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Raffaele Spinelli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la Valorizzazione del Legno e delle Specie Arboree (CNR IVALSA), Via Madonna del Piano 10, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
Interests: forest operations; forest engineering; mechanization; logging; harvesting; system analysis; safety and health in forest operations; human factors studies; productivity; logging contractors; harvesting cost
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Omar Mologni

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Forest Resources Management, The University of British Columbia, 2045 - 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Interests: steep terrain harvesting; mechanization; winch-assist; yarder
Dr. Benno Richard Eberhard

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto per la Valorizzazione del Legno e delle Specie Arboree (CNR IVALSA), Via Madonna del Piano 10, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
Interests: sustainable forest operations; reduced impact logging; silviculture; regeneration
Dr. Toshio Nitami

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Interests: forest operations; logging; engineering; biomass; harvesting
Dr. Richard Cristan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, Auburn University, 3425 Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Building, Auburn, AL 36849-5418, USA
Interests: forest operations; forestry best management practices; timber harvesting; sustainability
Dr. Ebru Bilici

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho Experimental Forest, Moscow, ID 83844-3322, USA
2. Dereli Vocational School, Giresun University, Prof. Ahmet Taner Kışlalı Cd, 28200 Giresun, Turkey
Interests: forest operations; forest road; harvesting; mechanization
Dr. Carola Häggström

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Forest Biomaterials and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Skogsmarksgränd 17, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
Interests: human factors; ergonomics; logging contractors; enterprise; logging business
Prof. Dr. Enrico Marchi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Via S. Bonaventura 13, 50145 Firenze, Italy
Interests: forest operations; forest engineering; mechanization; logging; harvesting; system analysis; safety and health in forest operations; productivity; logging contractors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Kalle Kärhä

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland
Interests: forest operations; logistics; industrial roundwood; energy wood; greenhouse gas emissions; carbon footprint; energy efficiency; sustainability; digitalization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue gathers a selection of the best research works presented at the International Conference on Forest Mechanization (FORMEC) and Forest Engineering (FEC), held in Florence in September 2023. The Conference and the Special Issue gather notable figures in Forest Engineering, covering the largest range of related subjects, including (but not limited to): precision forest operations; digitalization in forest engineering; electrification of forest equipment; steep terrain harvesting; site impacts; safety and ergonomics; equipment selection and management; product quality, grading and tracking; enterprise and labor issues; silviculture and operations management. All the most relevant subjects are featured in this Special Issue, with works presented by scientists as well as industry experts, so that multiple perspectives are included to the benefit of a comprehensive coverage. The selection of papers presented in this Special Issue offers an ideal opportunity for readers to be updated about the latest developments in forest engineering, now available to all interested parties: scientists, consultants, industry experts, practitioners, government officials, and students. Submission is also open to additional studies not presented at the FORMEC/FEC 2023 Conference, provided that their subject matter is germane to the specific interests of the event, as described above. The Special Issue is guest edited by a strong team of reputable scientists in the discipline, led by Dr. Raffaele Spinelli as the Guest Editor-in-Chief.

Dr. Raffaele Spinelli
Dr. Omar Mologni
Dr. Benno Richard Eberhard
Dr. Toshio Nitami
Dr. Richard Cristan
Dr. Ebru Bilici
Dr. Carola Häggström
Prof. Dr. Enrico Marchi
Prof. Dr. Kalle Kärhä
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • harvesting
  • logging
  • operations
  • biomass
  • environment
  • enterprise

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 1462 KiB  
Article
Applying an Optimum Bucking Method to Comparing the Volume and Value Recovery of Cut-to-Length and Tree-Length Merchandizing Systems in Piedmont and the Coastal Plain
by Carlos Diniz, Mathew Smidt and John Sessions
Forests 2024, 15(3), 550; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15030550 - 18 Mar 2024
Viewed by 595
Abstract
Dynamic prices and markets create value for contractors who can readily evaluate the gross and net income differences for alternative merchandizing systems. The majority of the southern U.S.A. relies on tree-length merchandizing, with occasional identification and merchandizing of logs for a specific market [...] Read more.
Dynamic prices and markets create value for contractors who can readily evaluate the gross and net income differences for alternative merchandizing systems. The majority of the southern U.S.A. relies on tree-length merchandizing, with occasional identification and merchandizing of logs for a specific market or specific tree dimensions or qualities. Cut-to-length (CTL) merchandizing has generated more value when compared to tree-length (TL) marketing, but these comparisons have been limited to specific stands and markets (specifications and prices). The study objective was to demonstrate a process for evaluating cut-to-length and tree-length merchandizing systems in their production of gross value by applying a dynamic programming stem-level optimum bucking approach that maximizes the stem value given specific market conditions. TL merchandizing resulted in a better volume recovery for both regions, but the value recovery was better for CTL merchandizing. Observing the value recovery by diameter class, DSH classes of up to 100 mm had a similar value in both merchandizing systems, but CTL merchandizing yielded a greater or similar value per cubic meter across the range for larger tree sizes. Access to tree data and merchandizing tools needs to be addressed so wood suppliers and landowners may benefit from stem optimization and sensor technology being embedded into modern harvesters and processors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue FORMEC/FEC 2023—Improving Access to Sustainable Forest Materials in a Resource-Constrained World)
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15 pages, 2351 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Swedish Forestry Contractors’ Practices Regarding Occupational Safety and Health Management
by Thomas Kronholm, Rikard Olsson, Mikael Thyrel and Carola Häggström
Forests 2024, 15(3), 545; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15030545 - 16 Mar 2024
Viewed by 779
Abstract
Forestry has many dangers, and much effort has been put into supporting accident prevention by developing legislation and certification systems. In Sweden, forestry contractors have an important role in developing and maintaining a good working environment for the employed forestry workers. The objectives [...] Read more.
Forestry has many dangers, and much effort has been put into supporting accident prevention by developing legislation and certification systems. In Sweden, forestry contractors have an important role in developing and maintaining a good working environment for the employed forestry workers. The objectives of this study were to describe forestry contractors’ current practices regarding occupational safety and health (OSH) management and identify variations in relation to the contractors’ characteristics and finances, as well as to highlight areas that need improvement. In 2023, data were collected through a survey distributed to 1200 limited liability companies registered to perform logging or silvicultural services, with a response rate of 22%. Multi- and univariate analyses were performed to compare contractor groups, and the results show that larger companies had more well-developed and formalized routines and guidelines for their operations. Geographical differences were also identified; for example, employees in the north were more likely to have access to staff facilities when working in the forest. However, no clear connection between OSH management practices and the contractors’ finances could be demonstrated. The study concludes that there is a need for improvements in OSH work within the industry because many companies do not meet all of the formal requirements that exist today. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue FORMEC/FEC 2023—Improving Access to Sustainable Forest Materials in a Resource-Constrained World)
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25 pages, 10998 KiB  
Article
Autoplant—Autonomous Site Preparation and Tree Planting for a Sustainable Bioeconomy
by Linnea J. Hansson, Gustav Sten, Morgan Rossander, Håkan Lideskog, Jussi Manner, Ruben van Westendorp, Songyu Li, Anders Eriksson, Anna Wallner, Mikael Rönnqvist, Patrik Flisberg, Björn Edlund, Björn Möller and Magnus Karlberg
Forests 2024, 15(2), 263; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15020263 - 29 Jan 2024
Viewed by 908
Abstract
Sustainable forestry requires efficient regeneration methods to ensure that new forests are established quickly. In Sweden, 99% of the planting is manual, but finding labor for this arduous work is difficult. An autonomous scarifying and planting machine with high precision, low environmental impact, [...] Read more.
Sustainable forestry requires efficient regeneration methods to ensure that new forests are established quickly. In Sweden, 99% of the planting is manual, but finding labor for this arduous work is difficult. An autonomous scarifying and planting machine with high precision, low environmental impact, and a good work environment would meet the needs of the forest industry. For two years, a collaborative group of researchers, manufacturers, and users (forest companies) has worked together on developing and testing a new concept for autonomous forest regeneration (Autoplant). The concept comprises several subsystems, i.e., regeneration and route planning, autonomous driving (path planning), new technology for forest regeneration with minimal environmental impact, automatic plant management, crane motion planning, detection of planting spots, and follow-up. The subsystems were tested separately and integrated together during a field test at a clearcut. The concept shows great potential, especially from an environmental perspective, with significantly reduced soil disturbances, from approximately 50% (the area proportion of the area disturbed by disc trenching) to less than 3%. The Autoplant project highlights the challenges and opportunities related to future development, e.g., the relation between machine cost and operating speed, sensor robustness in response to vibrations and weather, and precision in detecting the size and type of obstacles during autonomous driving and planting. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue FORMEC/FEC 2023—Improving Access to Sustainable Forest Materials in a Resource-Constrained World)
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14 pages, 1370 KiB  
Article
Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Logging Contractors in Sweden: A Survey on Personnel Absenteeism, Safety Measures and Economic Impacts
by Thomas Kronholm
Forests 2023, 14(11), 2173; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14112173 - 31 Oct 2023
Viewed by 836
Abstract
Forestry contractors perform the majority of forestry work in Sweden. Many contractors have small financial margins and may therefore be sensitive to disturbances. Recent years have been extraordinary due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the objective of this study was to clarify how [...] Read more.
Forestry contractors perform the majority of forestry work in Sweden. Many contractors have small financial margins and may therefore be sensitive to disturbances. Recent years have been extraordinary due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the objective of this study was to clarify how Swedish logging contractors were affected by it. In 2022, a survey was sent to 1175 companies registered to perform logging, and finally, the responses of 205 contractors were analyzed. The results show that 32% of the contractors experienced a higher absence of personnel during the pandemic. A correlation between the number of employees and the degree to which the company suffered from personnel absenteeism was identified. The majority of contractors implemented safety measures to reduce the risk of infection, usually concerning personal hygiene and social contacts in the workplace. At the time of the study, 51% of the logging contractors perceived that their financial situation was worse than before the pandemic, with those primarily engaged in logging having been hit harder than those with a more varied range of services. The study concludes that, overall, the contractors seem to have handled the pandemic quite well, but high fuel prices and inflation pose major challenges to their finances. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue FORMEC/FEC 2023—Improving Access to Sustainable Forest Materials in a Resource-Constrained World)
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