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Short rotation forestry harvesting - systems and costs

Informally Refereed

Abstract

Single stem short rotation plantations in the United States are largely dedicated to pulp production, with fuel as a secondary product. There are very limited plantings for fuel production, and others where the primary purpose is treatment of various wastewater's. All production harvesting of single stem plantations is conducted with conventional forestry equipment. In the west, feller/bunchers, grapple skidders, chain fail delimber/debarker/chippers are used, and pulp furnish is transported in chip vans. Residues are cornminuted. and transported to energy facilities. In the Southeast. felled and bunched trees are deiimbed by skidders with irongate delimbers, and hauled to the pulp mill or a chipping plant in tree length form, where they are drum debarked and then chipped. Limbs and foliage are left on site.

Citation

Hartsough, Bruce R.; Stokes, Bryce J. 1997. Short rotation forestry harvesting - systems and costs. In: Proceedings of the IEA Bioenergy Task XII, Activity 2.1 Short Rotation Forestry Production Systems and activity 4.3 Systems Studies in Short Rotation Forestry Workshop: Developing Commercial Solutions to Overcome Non-Technical Barriers in Short Rotation Forestry; 1997 June 11-14, Melrose, Scotland: Border Biofuels Limited, Melrose Scotland UK. 8p.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/7314