M. Chad Bolding

Characteristics of Virginia's Logging Businesses in a Changing Timber Market

The forest products industry is a vital component of Virginias economy, and logging businesses, as the suppliers of raw material, are an extremely important part of this industry. How they operate...

Characteristics of Logging Businesses that Harvest Biomass for Energy Production

Abstract Utilization of biomass from logging residues for renewable energy production depends on forest harvesting businesses. As biomass markets emerge, businesses will need to adapt to meet opera...

Best Management Practices for Low-Volume Forest Roads in the Piedmont Region: Summary and Implications of Research

Forest roads provide important access for forest management activities, yet those roads, skid trails, and stream crossings have repeatedly been reported as major sources of sediment. The passage of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972 focused considerable research on the development of forestry best management practices (BMPs) for reducing sediment input from forest roads. Recent litigation in the U.S. Supreme Court has reemphasized the importance of enhancing BMPs for forest roads. This paper synthesizes and interprets two decades of applied research on BMPs for low-volume forest roads, with emphasis on research conducted on forest operations in the Virginia Piedmont region. BMP interpretations include (a) current BMP status for forest roads, skid trails, and stream crossings; (b) advantages of preharvest planning; (c) forest road design; (d) forest road closure; (e) recommended BMPs for legacy roads; (f) guidelines for minimizing area of forest roads; (g) deck and skid trail rehabilitation; (h) closure of bladed and overland skid trails; (i) alternative harvest systems; (j) permanent and temporary closure of the stream crossing; (k) selection of stream crossing types; and (l) recommendations for streamside management zones. Major conclusions from this synthesis are that forest roads, skid trails, and stream crossings continue to be ranked as problem sources of sediment, but forestry BMPs can be used to reduce sediment inputs from such areas. Problems with road and skid trails can generally be attributed to poor planning and insufficient quantity or quality of BMPs.

Soil Compaction and Visual Disturbance Following an Integrated Mechanical Forest Fuel Reduction Operation in Southwest Oregon

Abstract Most mechanical forest fuel reduction treatments prescribed to extract biomass are performed with existing or modified conventional logging equipment. Treatments that commonly harvest small, non-merchantable trees are often combined with or integrated into commercial thinning operations. Only a limited amount of literature has quantified harvesting system feasibility or environmental effects from such operations. The extra stand travel required to fell and extract small trees may lead to additional soil disturbance. The objective of this study was to assess soil disturbance from an integrated forest harvesting/mechanical forest fuel reduction operation in southwest Oregon, USA. The study was conducted in a fuel reduction thinning of a densely stocked 8.1-hectare (20-acre) mixed conifer stand on gentle terrain. A tracked, swing-boom feller-buncher and two rubber-tired, grapple skidders were used for felling and extracting both non-merchantable and merchantable trees. Visually classified soil disturbance, along with penetration resistance estimates were recorded pre- and post harvesting. Results indicate that the operation did not contribute to either statistically or biologically significant soil disturbance effects, based on an a priori biological reference threshold of 3,000 kPa. A history of multiple harvest entries, low soil moisture, and high initial soil strength conditions contributed to the lack of significant effects. This investigation will aid forest managers in decision making concerning expected soil disturbance effects when prescribing integrated harvesting systems for forest fuel reduction treatments.

Barriers to logging production and efficiency in Wisconsin

ABSTRACT Approximately one-third of Wisconsin loggers left the industry in recent years, prompting concerns about logging capacity. In addition, research suggests seasonal barriers to timber harvesting in the state, which may result in seasonally low utilization of remaining capacity. A 1-year study of logging capacity utilization was conducted in Wisconsin beginning in late September 2014. Thirty participating loggers provided weekly reports describing number of loads delivered; hours worked; and number of loads lost due to weather, breakdowns, and other reasons. Logging capacity utilization was calculated by dividing loads delivered by the sum of loads delivered and loads lost. Logging efficiency was calculated using stochastic frontier analysis (SFA). For the SFA model, the output variable was delivered loads per week, input variables were man-hours worked and capital invested per week, and six environmental variables were included in the model. Logging capacity utilization averaged 72% when spring break-up shutdowns were excluded and 64% when these weeks were included. The primary causes of lost production were weather (11.5% reduction in delivered loads) and equipment breakdowns (3.8%). Logging efficiency averaged 64%, as measured by stochastic frontier analysis, with mechanized crews significantly more efficient than chainsaw crews (p < 0.01). Productivity was highest during winter (p < 0.01) and efficiency was higher during winter than summer (p < 0.01). This study suggests that adequate logging capacity exists to support current forest industry demand. Adequate capacity also exists to increase production outside the winter months; however, weather-related downtime and restrictions on timber sales make this difficult.

Evaluation of Bladed Skid Trail Closure Methods in the Ridge and Valley Region

Forest roads and skid trails with inadequate best management practices (BMPs) often contribute the majority of erosion produced from forest harvesting operations. We evaluated soil erosion rates from bladed skid trails in the mountains of Virginia after a timber harvest. The randomized complete block design included six blocks, each containing four skid trail closure BMP treatments (waterbar only [Control], slash-covered [Slash], seeded [Seed], and seeded with fertilizer and mulch [Mulch]). Control treatments resulted in an average erosion rate of 6.8 tons ac 1 yr 1 (15.1 tonnes ha 1 yr ) following installation. Seed treatments resulted in an average erosion rate of 2.6 tons ac 1 yr 1 (5.9 tonnes ha 1 yr ). Mulch treatments averaged 0.5 ton ac 1 yr 1 (1.1 tonnes ha 1 yr ), and Slash treatments averaged 0.4 ton ac 1 yr 1 (0.8 tonnes ha 1 yr ). Seed, Mulch, and Slash treatments significantly reduced soil erosion rates in comparison to Control treatments (P 0.0315), with Mulch and Slash treatments being most effective (P 0.0001). Results indicate that ground cover treatments are beneficial in addition to waterbars for effective erosion control. A cost analysis indicates that Seed treatments are the most cost-effective (

Characteristics, predicted erosion, and costs for different levels of forestry best management practices at skidder and truck stream crossings in the Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plains of Virginia, USA

2771.89/mi); however, on a basis of erosion prevented, Slash treatments were the most cost-effective (

Soil response to skidder trafficking and slash application

73.65/ton).

Forestry best management practices and modeled erosion on planned and logger-selected bladed skid trails in the Ridge and Valley region, Virginia, USA

ABSTRACT Operational stream crossings on forest roads and skid trails are potential sediment delivery areas from timber harvests that can negatively affect water quality if best management practices (BMPs) are not sufficiently implemented. Virginia has three major physiographic regions (Mountains, Piedmont, Coastal Plain), and the diverse topographies require some specificity of BMP guidelines for water quality protection. Furthermore, truck roads and skid trails utilize different drainage and erosion control BMPs to maintain sufficient working conditions and access to timber. As a result, differing BMP approaches and implementation levels for roads and trails inherently have different associated costs. We evaluated BMP implementation levels on 154 stream crossing approaches (3 regions × 2 road types × a minimum of 25 stream crossings). We categorized the crossings as BMP− (failed to meet recommended BMPs), BMP-standard (met recommended guidelines), or BMP+ (exceeded recommended guidelines). We estimated hypothetical costs for elevating BMP− stream crossings to BMP-standard and BMP+ and costs of elevating BMP-standard to BMP+. Average BMP implementation audit scores for stream crossings were 88% on skid trails and 82% on truck roads. To upgrade from a BMP− to BMP-standard, the cost-benefit ratio (

Characteristics of Virginia's Private Forest Landowners and Their Attitudes toward Harvesting

/Mg of sediment prevented) averaged