Fuelwood thinning--a marginal operation in West Virginia study
Production rates and costs were determined for chainsaw felling and log skidding using a small crawler and a small, wheeled tractor on a thinning job in mountainous terrain. Estimated harvesting costs ranged from $28 to $33 per cord at the woods landing. Energy wood prices in the central Appalachians allow little margin above these costs for operator profit. More efficient operators with lower labor and machine costs may be able to break even or turn a profit on similar cuttings in mountain hardwoods. In the central Appalachians, a common delivered price for small tree - length wood is $35 per cord. The $28 to $33 per cord cost of logging leaves only $7 to $2 for stumpage, loading, transport, and profit. The thinning of mountain hardwoods for fuelwood appears to be a losing proposition regardless of which tractor was used. However, a full-time crew might have higher production rates. Machine costs were based on 1981 purchase prices for new equipment. Operators with good used machines capable of the same work should have lower costs. Experienced loggers might harvest thinnings from similar stands and break even. (Refs. 8).
- Research Organization:
- Research Forest Prod.
- OSTI ID:
- 5873141
- Journal Information:
- North. Logger Timber Process.; (United States), Journal Name: North. Logger Timber Process.; (United States) Vol. 30:12; ISSN NLTPA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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