Bruce Manley

Acoustic measurements on standing trees, logs and green lumber

Acoustics provide opportunities for non-destructive evaluation of the mechanical properties of wood, especially stiffness. In this work, Fakopp 2D a time of flight (TOF) tool and WoodSpec a resonance-based system were used. In a scoping study on young Pinus radiata trees (aged 8–11) no systematic differences were found between the Fakopp acoustic velocity on opposite sides of young trees. These Fakopp values were then averaged and correlated with that from the equivalent log using WoodSpec. Finally stem and log values were correlated with acoustic velocity in outerwood and in corewood lumber. External measurements on the log (standing tree) correlated well with those for lumber cut adjacent to the bark and modestly for the corewood (R2 of 0.89 and 0.74, respectively). In a separate study, the acoustic velocities were measured on standing trees in three adjacent stands aged 8, 16 and 26 and the data were used to construct a “Russian Doll” model to demonstrate the enormous range in wood stiffness within and between trees. The stiffest 20% of the population was estimated to be 146, 87 and 76% stiffer than the poorest 20% in the corewood (age 8), intermediate (age 16) and outerwood zone (age 26) respectively.

The impact of environmental constraints on short term harvesting: Use of planning tools and mathematical models

Both in New Zealand and Chile there exist important forest industries based mostly on pine plantations. The management of harvesting requires a series of activities such as building access roads, harvesting with skidders on flat terrain and cable logging for steep terrain, transportation from forest origins to destinations, such as a port, pulp plant and sawmills.These harvesting activities imply some potentially harmful environmental impacts such as water sedimentation, erosion and loss of scenic beauty. This has led to the proposal of several mitigating actions, such as creating riparian strips along rivers, avoiding the use of heavy machinery on fragile soils and minimizing road building.The degree of implementation of these mitigating actions differs in Chile and New Zealand. In New Zealand, the 1991 Resource Management Act regulated the implementation of environmental protection measures. In Chile a series of such measures have been implemented, but a set of definite regulations has not been defined yet and there is a need to develop an economic evaluation of the implementation of environmental measures in terms of reduced timber production and high harvesting costs, together with the benefits to the environment. To support decisions at tactical and operational levels, mathematical models have been developed both in Chile and New Zealand and are being used successfully by the timber industries. These models can be modified to consider diverse environmental protection measures. We analyze the implementation of these modifications and how the new models can help evaluate the economic impact of the protection measures. We show some preliminary results.

Computing maximum willingness to pay with Faustmann's formula: some special situations from New Zealand

Abstract Faustmanns theory of discounted cash flow analysis, developed using perpetually recurring before-tax cash flows facilitates the determination of the maximum willingness to pay (WTP) (i.e. economic) value of bare forestland and immature timber. He describes three valuation approaches: (1) compounding costs; (2) compounding/discounting annuities; and (3) discounting future cash flows. If non-recurring costs (or benefits) are incurred in any rotation or if the current stand is non-optimal with respect to future rotations, the discounting of future cash flows is the preferred approach. When after-tax cash flows are considered, four categories of tax treatment must be addressed: (1) immediately deductible expenditures; (2) capitalized expenditures which are deducted against future harvest revenue; (3) capitalized expenditures which are depreciated or amortized; and (4) non-deductible expenditures. Apart from the second case, either compounding costs or discounting future cash flows can be used to value a stand. However, discounting cash flows is the preferred approach when expenditures are capitalized and deducted against future harvest revenues. Illustrations of the consequences of the four categories of tax treatment are shown with respect to New Zealand pine plantations. Extension to the tax policies of other countries is straightforward.

Evaluation of modelling approaches in predicting forest volume and stand age for small-scale plantation forests in New Zealand with RapidEye and LiDAR

Abstract In New Zealand, 30% of plantation forests are small-scale ( 2  ha −1 , stand volume with an RMSE of 94.93 m 3  ha −1 and age with an RMSE of 2.17 years.

Carbon Sequestration and Industrial Plantations

Since 2000, carbon has emerged as a product of industrial plantations that complements wood production. The scale and scope of this market is expected to continue to expand. It provides opportunities for growers of industrial plantations. Forest growers with the ability to receive units for carbon sequestration and trade these units in a carbon market need to recognize the complementary cash flow generated by carbon. In order to do so they must be able to measure and predict carbon sequestration by industrial plantations. In conjunction with inputs on carbon prices and additional costs, this information can be used to evaluate the implications of carbon trading opportunities on forest profitability and forest management. This chapter provides an overview on the international framework that provides the background for carbon trading, the scope of the international carbon market and different approaches to carbon accounting, how carbon stocks are measured and modelled, the potential impact of carbon trading on forest management, including profitability, silviculture and optimum rotation age, and the risk associated with carbon trading and strategies for managing risk. The chapter refers to a CDM case funded by the World Bank’s prototype carbon fund in Brazil.