Tree 4-18 "d. b. h. 



Feller- Buncher 



Sheared Trees 

 in bunches 



Tree 18" d. b. h. + 



Sawyer 



Tops (with or 

 without top logsl 



Grapple Skidders 



i 



Hahn Treelength Harvester 



Butt Logs 



Grapple Skidders 



Tops, limbs, cull trees, 

 undersized trees 



Trelan Chipper 

 (Model DL- 181 



Logs 



i 



Hydraulic Log Loader 



Log Truck 



Chip Stockpile 



i 



Auger & 

 Bulldozer 



Chip Truck 



Figure 1. — Flow diagram of a harvesting system for 

 logs and whole-tree chips (hog fuel), using a Hahn 

 Treelength Harvester in conjunction with a Trelan 

 Model DL-18 whole-tree chipper. 



d. Eliminating slash disposal costs through 100 percent 

 tree utilization. 



e. Maintaining air quality by eliminating slash burning. 



f. Improving stand access and recovering greater 

 volume. 



g. Improving esthetics of harvested areas. 



STUDY METHODS 

 Study Area Description 



Figure 2 shows the location of the four cutting blocks near 

 Missoula, Mont. The blocks varied with respect to timber type, 

 terrain, and cutting method, reflecting the diversity of condi- 

 tions on which the logging system might be applied. 



Marking, Cruising, and Block Layout 



The Gold Creek lodgepole pine block was clearcut. 

 Therefore, only the boundaries were marked. Leave trees on 

 the remaining blocks were marked with blue paint. Rings were 

 painted around the tree at about breast height and also just 

 above the groundline so tree shear operators could identify the 

 leave trees from all directions (conventional leave marking for 

 Champion Timberlands consists of vertical blue stripes). Blocks 

 were cruised to ensure that the stands were carefully charac- 

 terized, especially with regard to stem size distribution. 



Arkansas Creek block. — This 20-acre (8.1 -ha) logging block 

 was established in a young-growth stand of approximately 

 80 percent ponderosa pine, 15 percent Douglas-fir {Pseudotsuga 

 menziesii\ai. glauca [Beissn.] Franco), and 5 percent western 

 larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.). The cutting was designated a 



shelterwood cut. Leave trees were identified. The terrain was a 

 flat bench with about a 5 percent slope. This stand was chosen 

 to represent a relativdy light harvest volume shelterwood cut. 

 The cruise summary for the block was: 





Per 



Per 



Item^ 



MVl C 



block 



Basal area (ft^) 



99 



1,980 



Number -chippable stems <9" d.b.h.^ 



278 



5,560 



-saw log stems >9"d.b.h. 



85 



1,700 



Total trees 



363 



7,260 



Volume - chippable trees (ft^) 



579 



11,580 



- saw log trees (ft^) 



1,418 



28,360 



-total (ft^) 



1,997 



39,940 



- tops of saw log trees^ (ft^) 



112 



2,240 



-Scribner-6" top d.b.h. (bd.ft.) 



4,280 



85,600 



-per tree (bd.ft.) 



50 





Area (acres) 





20 



'See whole-tree chipping section for discussion of utilization. 

 Except for occasional cull trees > 9" d.b.h. 



^Does not include limbs and needles harvested for hog fuel, not quantified due 

 to losses during harvesting. 



Gold Creek block. — This 12.7-acre (5.1-ha) logging block 

 was established in a 70-year-old lodgepole pine stand. The 

 species mix was approximately 98 percent lodgepole pine and 

 2 percent ponderosa pine. The stand was clearcut with the ex- 

 ception of scattered, large old-growth ponderosa pine, larch, 

 and a few young-growth ponderosa pine of good form. The 

 terrain was relatively flat, ranging from 5 to 25 percent on 

 small areas of steeper ground. This block is representative of 

 stagnant lodgepole pine stands in the Northern Rockies. 



The cruise summary for the block was: 





Per 



Per 



Item^ 



acre 



block 



Basal area (ft^) 



137 



1,740 



Number - chippable stems < 9" d.b.h. 



265 



3,365 



-saw log stems >9"d.b.h. 



187 



2,375 



Total trees 



452 



5,740 



Volume - chippable trees (ft^) 



1,531 



19,444 



- saw log trees (ft^) 



3,583 



45,504 



-total (ft^) 



5,114 



64,948 



- tops of saw log trees (ft^) 



945 



12,001 



-Scribner-6" top d.b.h. (bd.ft.) 



11,504 



146,101 



-per tree (bd.ft.) 



62 





Area (acres) 





12.7 



Sunflower Road block. — This 4.5-acre (1.8-ha) logging block 

 was established in a young western larch stand. The species mix 

 was estimated to be 80 percent western larch, 10 percent lodge- 

 pole pine, and 10 percent Douglas-fir. The terrain consisted of a 

 smooth slope of about 25 percent grade throughout. The block 

 represented a commercial thinning of fairly light log volume on 

 slopes near the maximum capability for conventional tree shears 

 and rubber-tired skidders. The area also had a restricted landing 

 area and provided an opportunity to gain experience and data 

 on the processing of western larch. 



2 



