Forest Service 

Nanheastern Forest i n A p pa Experiment Station 

Research a Truck ed Crane 

Paper N E-545 

Raymond L. Sar 

Kenneth R. Whitenack 
The Authors 

Raymond L. Sarles is research forest products technologist and Kenneth 

R, Whitenack is mathematical statistician at the Northeastern Forest Experiment Station, Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Princeton, West Virginia. 

Manuscript received for 

publication 1 February 1984 

Abstract 

Four timber cutting treatments-three levels of thinning and a clearcutting 

---were applied on 60-year-old mountain stands of Allegheny hardwoods. The 

stands were logged by a three-man crew using chain saws and a truck-mounted 

crane. bogging operations were studied, and production rates determined for 

tree-length logs decked at roadside. Work efficiency and productivity of the 

logging crew were somewhat higher on the thinning operations than on the 

clearcut. 

Labor, equipment, and road construction costs were determined and 

applied to production rates. Comparison of logging costs among the four 

cutting treatments showed that the cost of wood decked at roadside was less 

for thinnings than for clearcutting. Silvicuitural and environmental consideralions of truck-crane logging are discussed. 

Acknowledgment 

The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance rendered in conduct 

of this study by the timber management research staff and the Fernow Experimental Forest logging crew, USDA Forest Service, Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Parsons, West Virginia. 
Eastern hardwood forests abound 

with wood. However, most of the wood 

and growth occurs in poletimber and 

small sawtimber stands, many of 

which are overstocked. Silviculturists 

recommend that many of these stands 

be thinned to improve the quality and 

site of residual trees and to salvage 

trees that would die. The increased 

yield and growth would help meet the 

Nation's demand for fiber and wood 

energy, which is projected to more 

than double by the year 2000. 

Because of a lack of markets for 

small roundwood, thinning of eastern 

hardwood forests has not been a 

common management practice. Recent studies (Huyier 1982, Wartluft 

and Sarles 1982) of two conventional 

harvesting systems have shown that 

thinning operations for energy wood in 

mountain hardwoods are economically 

marginal. This paper reports logging 

production rates and costs for thinning and clearcutting operations conducted in the central Appalachians 

using a somewhat: unconventional 

system--the truck-mounted Figure 1.-Overstocked stand of Allegheny hardwoods on Middle Mountain 

(elevation 3,700 feet) in the Monongahela National Forest, Pocahontas crane. County, West Virginia. 

The Study 

The harvesting study was conducted on a 60-year-old stand (red oak 

site index 70) of Allegheny hardwoods 

located at 3,700 feet on Middle Mountain in the Greenbrier District of the 

Monongahela National Forest, Pocahontas County, West Virginia. The 

timber, mainly black cherry and maple, was even aged and overstocked 

('Fig. 1) with an average of 759 stems 

(2 1 inch) per acre, averaging 6.2 

inches dbh (diameter at breast height) 

(Table I). 

Table 1.-Stand data for thinned and clearcut blocks 

of Allegheny hardwoods, Pocahontas County, West Virginia, before cutting 

Treatment Block Average number of t reeslacre Basal Mean 

size 2 1.0 inch dbh arealacre dbha 

Acres 

Thinning 

75-percent-levelb 4.0 609 

60-percent-levelb 4.0 732 

45-percent-levelb 4.0 788 

Clearcut 

Overa I l 

ft2 Inches 

aDiameter at breast height of tree of average basat area. 

bstocking level of residual stand. 
Three blocks of four acres each, 

laid out side by side on a mid-slope 

loca"tion, were thinned to residua! 

stocking levels of 45, 60, and 75 percent in accordance with Roach's 

(1977) prescriptions for Allegheny 

hardwoods. A Fourth block of 2 acres, 

located on a flattened ridgetop, was 

clearcut. Although the stands of timber on the harvested blocks were 

fairly comparable and suitable for our 

harvesting study, there were differences. For example, the number of 

trees per acre ranged from 609 on the 

75-percent block to 908 on the clearcut block. Basal area per acre and 

size of the average tree, however, 

were highest on the 75-percent block 

and lowest on the clearcuUTable 1). 

Harvesting was done by a threeman crew of experienced loggers 

using chain saws for felling and a 

truck-mounted crane for yarding treelength logs "c cold decks at the woods 

road (Fig. 2). The crane, mounted on a 

20-ton, rkibber-lired crane carrier, required a 12-Fool-wide, graded %ruck 

road on which to operate, 

From the thinned blocks, the 

loggers removed trees (merchantable 

in local markets) 6.0 inches dbh and 

laager (Fig. 3). The average dbh of "re 

cut trees ranged from 9.2 to 10.5 

inches; the average cubic volume of 

woad and bark ranged from 13-2 to 

17.3 cubic feet per stem, The average 

number of trees and tonnages cutpeer 

acre ranged from 71 trees (24 tons) for 

the lightest thinning to "117 trees (52 

"ins) for the heaviest (Table 2), 

On the cdearcu-l block, 258 merchantable trees averaging 9-1 inches 

dbh and 13.4 cubic feetin voiurne 

were harvested. Total tonnage of logs 

removed per acre was 89 tans (Table 2)- Hn addition Is cutting the merchantable trees, the feller, in the 

course of his work, felled and lopped 

nonmerchanlabbe saplings and ~s!es 

r l.0 inch dbh, 

Figure 2.--Truck-mounted crane used to yard tree-length Isgs from thinned 

and clearcut blocks. Maximum yarding distance on slopes was 450 feet. 

Figure 3.--Typical assortment of tree-leng"i hogs removed in ihinnings on 

Middle Mountain. 
Table 2.-Harvest data for merchantable trees cut from thinned and clearcut blocks 

of Allegheny hardwoods, Pocahontas County, West Virginia 

Average Average Average 

Treatment number Of Average merchantable merchantable treeslacre basal area dbha Harvest lacre 

lengthb volumeC 26.0 in. dbh 

ft2/acre Inches Feet ft3 ft3 Cordsd Tons8 

Thinning 

75-percent-levelf 71 33.1 9.2 36.0 13.2 937 10.2 24.1 

60-percent-levelf 102 57.0 10.1 37.1 15.7 1,601 17.4 41.2 

45-percent-levelf 117 70.2 10.5 37.9 17.4 2,039 22.2 52.5 

Clearcut 258 115.9 9.1 37.9 13.4 3,455 37.6 89.0 

aDiameter at breast height of tree of average basal area. 

bAverage length to a 4-inch top dob, or to the limit of merchantability. 

CVolume of tree-length logs, including bark, calculated using top and butt dob's and merchantable length in the formula for frustum 

of a cone. 

d92 cubic feet of wood plus bark per cord. 

eDetermined by applying Timson's (1975) weightlvolume ratios for Appalachian hardwoods. 

f Stocking level of residual stand. 

Work measurement studies were 

conducted to determine felling and 

yarding production rates and worker 

efficiency. Each discrete work activity 

in the tree-felling and yarding cycles 

was timed using snapback stopwatches. Work delays were also 

timed and causes noted. Tree and log 

measurements (Fig. 4) were taken and 

recorded. Merchantable volumes of 

trees and tree-length logs were calculated using the frustum-of-a-cone 

formula. Tree and log weights were 

computed by applying Timson's (1975) 

weightlvolume ratios for Appalachian 

hardwoods. 

Figure 4.-Measuring tree-length logs at the landing. 
Production Rates 

Felling 

Table 3.-Hourly and daily mean production rates for felling, limbing, and topping treelength fogs 

Mean felling production rates 

(based on productive time) were estimated for each of the four harvests 

from the tables developed by Sarles 

and others (in press). These rates 

were related directly to the average 

merchantable volume (Table 2) of the 

cut trees. 

To account for nonproductive 

time, which was caused by various 

deiays, we calculated the worker 

efficiency factor for each cutting 

operation. The product of the efficiency factor times production rate 

per productive hour (PPH) was the 

production rate per scheduled hour 

(PSH) (Table 3). The lower efficiency 

factor for clearcutting was mainly 

due to nonproductive time used to cut 

saplings. Even with more than usual 

assistance from the chokersetter, the 

feller's daily output was about 24 percent less than his performance in the 

heaviest thinning. 

Yarding 

The truck-mounted crane yarded 

logs using two different techniques 

and sets of hardware. For distances 

greater than I00 to 150 feet, logs were 

yarded using three or four wire-rope 

chokers. Anywhere from two to four 

logs per turn were yarded to the log 

deck at roadside. Logs within 100 

to 125 feet or less of the deck were 

yarded singly using log tongs (Fig. 2). 

For each setting of the truck crane, 

part of the logs on the strip being harvested were yarded using chokers, 

and part were yarded using log tongs. 

(Of 315 yarding turns that we timed 

on the four treatment blocks, 48 percent were yarded using chokers, and 

52 percent were yarded using tongs.) 

Tong yarding was fast-mean 

turn times averaged less than onethird of mean turn times for chokers 

(Table 4). This was understandable 

because yarding distances and load 

weights were considerably less for 

tong yarding than for choker yarding. 

Production Production Production 

Treatment rates per rates per ratesfday 

productive hour factor scheduled hour (8 hours) 

Tons Percen f bns Tons 

Thinning 

75-percent-levela 10.9 63 6.9 55 

60-percent-levela 11.7 60 7.0 56 

45-percent-levela 12.8 60 7.7 62 

Clearcut 11 .2 53 5.9 47 -- 

aStocking level of residual stand. 

Table 4.--Adjusted mean productive times 

per turn for truck-crane yarding 

in thinning and clearcutting operations 

Treatment 

Mean turn limes 

Chokersa Tongsb CombinedC 

--------------------------m---- M jnufes ........................................ Thinning 

75-percent-leveld 4.89 1.44 3.09 

60-percent-leveld 5.09 1.40 3.17 

45-percent-leveld 5.72 1.50 3.53 

Clearcut 6.05 1.62 3.74 

aAdjusted to yarding distance of 225 feet, load weight of 1,962.5 pounds, and 2.5 logs 

per turn. 

bAdjusted to yarding distance of 80 feet, load weight of 785 pounds, and 1.0 log per 

turn. 

CAdjusted using weighting factor of 0.48 for chokers and 0.52 for tongs. 

dstocking of residual stand. 

Combining the dissimilar turn 

times for choker and tong yarding to 

arrive at an overall production rate 

representative of the truck-mounted 

crane presented a challenge. So, we 

modeled productive time per turn for 

(I) chokers and (2) tongs as functions 

of one or more independent variables 

from a variable pool that included 

yarding distance, sbpe, load volume 

and weight per turn, number of logs 

per turn, mean weight per log, and a 

number of other functions and interactions. For choker and tong yarding, 

an analysis of covariance indicated 

that individual models were required 

for each of the four cutting treatments-eight regression models in all. 

The variables-in various combinations-that gave the best fit for choker 

yarding models were yarding distance, load weight per turn, number 

of logs per turn, mean weight per log, 

and the interaction of yarding distance and mean weight per log. The 

variables that gave the best fit for 

tong yarding models were yarding 

distance and the interaction of yarding distance and load weight per turn. 
To compare yarding production Table 5,-Hourly and daily mean production rates 

rates among the four cutting treat- for yarding tree.iength togs 

ments, mean productive times per 

turn for choker and tong yarding were Production Efficiency Production Production 

adjusted (using the appropriate re- Treat men t rates per rates per rateslday 

gression model) to selected values: productive hour factor scheduled hour (8 hours) 

Yarding distance, 

feet 

Load weight per 

turn. rsounds 

Tongs Chokers Tons Percent Tons Tons 

Thinning 

80 225 75-percent-levela 13.1 52 6.8 54 

60-percent-levela 12.8 50 6.4 51 

785 1,962.5 45-percent-levela 11.5 55 6.3 50 

~umbe; of logs Clearcut 10.8 43 4.6 37 

per turn 1 .0 2.5 -- 

Mean weight per astocking of residual stand. 

log, pounds 785 785 

Proportion of total 

turn, percent 52 48 

Mean production rates in tons 

PPH were calculated for each cutting 

treatment using the combined adjusted mean turn time (Table 4) and 

mean load weight per turn as follows: 

mean load 

60 minutes weight, pounds Production rate = x in tons PPH combined adjusted 2,000 pounds 

mean turn time, 

minutes 

For example, the mean production rate for the medium 

thinning was calculated as follows: 

Production rate = 60 minutes 1?350.2 pounds X in tons PPH 3.17 minutes 2,000 pounds 

= 18.93 turns per hour x 0.675 tons per turn 

= 12.8 tons per hour 

Mean production rates PPH for 

each cutting treatment are given in 

Table 5. (Tables of mean production 

rates PPH for a range of yarding 

distances, turn weights, and numbers 

of logs are available for each operation from the authors,) Efficiency 

factors for yarding on each cutting 

treatment are also given. Mean production rates PSH were calculated 

as the product of production rate 

PPH times the efficiency factor. Yarding output per 8-hour day is the product of mean production rate PSH 

times 8 (Table 5). 
Investment and Costs 

Equipment for the logging system used in this study included two 

new chain saws, a used truck-mounted 

crane, and a new pickup truck. The 

capital invested in these machines 

totaled $25,646 in 1982 (Table 6). 

Compared to other combinations of 

new felling and skidding equipmentsome costing as much as $200,000- 

the investment in this system can be 

considered very moderate. 

The cost to own and operate the 

machines, plus wages and fringe 

benefits for the three crew members, 

was $31.58 an hour (Tables 7 and 8). 

This system operating cost was converted to cost per ton harvested by 

dividing $31 -58 by the tonnage yarded 

to the road per scheduled hour (Table 5). For the lightest to the heaviest 

thinnings, the respective costs per 

ton were $4.64, $4.93! and $5.01. And 

for the clearcut, the cost was $6.87 

per ton (Table 9). 

Road building costs are highly 

variable depending on the terrain, 

soil and rock conditions, construction standards, and so on. For this 

study we estimated road costs using 

Kochenderfer and Wendei's (1 980) 

data for an operation similar to ours. 

Based on their tractor time of 57 

hours per mile to bulldoze and construct drainage dips and 1982 machine and labor rates ($45 per hour for 

a D-ti), we figured that a newly constructed woods road, 12 feet wide 

with most grades 10 percent or less, 

would cost approximately $3,000 per 

mile. This amount includes an allowance for three 20-foot culverts, but 

no gravel. 

With roads spaced at 350-foot intervals, the truck-mounted crane can 

log, uphill, approximately 42.4 acres 

per mile of road. Thus, cost of the 

woods road at $3,000 per mile converts to $70,"7 per acre. Dividing 

$70.75 by tons harvested per acre on 

each cutting (T'able 2), road costs per 

ton were $0.79 for the clearcut and 

$2.94, $1.72, and $1.35, respectively, 

for the lightest to the heaviest thinnings (Table 9). 

Table 6.- Equipment prices and other assumptions used 

to compute hourly machine costs 

Price Economic Scheduled Utilization 

(1 982) life hourslyear factor 

Dollars Years Number Percent 

Chain saw 646 2 1,800 53 to 63a 

Chain saw (spare) 646 2 1,800 20 

Truck-mounted crane 

(used) 15,240 5 1,800 43 to 55a 

Pickup truck (for crew, 

tools, parts, and fuel) 9,114 3 2,000 25 

aVaried among the four operations studied. 

Table 7.-Hourly machine rates for equipment 

Item Fixeda Variableb Total 

Chain saw 0.195 l.OOIC 1.196 

Chain saw (spare) .I95 .339 ,534 

Truck-mounted crane (used) 2.360 2.84OC 5.200 

Pickup truck 1.740 1.290 3.030 

Totals 4.490 5.470 9.960 

aFixed cost based on scheduled hours per year includes 

depreciation, 13percent cost of capital, insurance, and taxes. 

bVariable cost based on actual operating hours includes fuel, 

lubricants, filters, tires, chains and bars, maintenance, and 

repairs. 

CAverage variable cost for thinnings and clearcutting. 

Table 8.-Hourly labor costs 

Job Wage Fringe benefitsa Total 

Crane operator 6.50 2.02 8.52 

Feller 5.50 1.70 7.20 

Chokersetter 4.50 1 '40 5.90 - 

Totais 16.50 5.12 21 -62 

aln West Virginia, estimated at 31 percent for Social Security, 

Workmen's Compensation, and Unemployment Insurance. 
Table 9.--Logging costs per ton for tree-length logs decked at roadside using a truck-mounted 

crane hamesting system 

Treatment System Road Total logging 

operating cost cost cost 

----------------------*- D~//ars per ton ....................... Thinning 

75-percent-levela 4.64 2.94 7.58 

60-percent-levela 4.93 1.72 6.65 

45-percent-levela 5.01 1.35 6.36 

Clearcut 6.87 .79 7.66 

&Stocking of residual stand. 

After the operating and road 

costs for the truck-mounted crane system were determined and converted 

to dollars per ton, the cutting treatments were compared on a cost basis. 

Total logging cost for tree-length logs 

decked at roadside was lowest ($6.36 

per ton) for the 45-percent-level thinning and highest ($7.66 per ton) for 

the clearcut. The cost per ton for the 

45-percent-level thinning was $0.29 

less than the 60-percent-level thinning, $1.22 less than the 75-percentlevel thinning, and $1.30 less than the 

cost of the clearcutting (Table 9). 

Discussion 

Most loggers and foresters would 

not expect the cost of logging the 

clearcutting to be more than the cost 

of logging the thinnings. Is there an 

explanation? If so, it must be either 

in costs or productivity of the harvesting system. 

Costs 

Two principal costs were involved in logging the four cuttings: 

hourly operating costs and road construction costs. As has been shown 

in tables 7 and 8, hourly operating 

costs for equipment and labor were 

the same for the truck-mounted crane 

system regardless of cutting operation. 

When comparing the equipment 

machine rates of this system to other 

systems that might have been used, 

the hourly rate ($5.20) for the used 

truck-mounted crane is an important 

factor. This reasonable cost for a 

cable yarder contributed significantly 

to the low-cost performance of all 

cutting treatments. By comparison, 

the hourly rate for a used rubber-tired 

cable skidder might be 2 or 3 times as 

much. For example, if a used rubbertired cable skidder (90-hp class) at 

$10.56 per hour had been used, operating costs per ton (assuming the 

same crew size and production rates) 

would have increased 15 percent, and 

more roads would have been required. 

Productivity 

For the purposes of this study, 

productivity was equated with the 

amount of wood in tree-length logs 

yarded and decked at roadside landings per scheduled hour. Two components in this determination were: 

production rate per productive hour 

and the efficiency factor. Each component was affected to some degree 

by characteristics of the sites, the 

stands, and the cutting treatments. 

For example, we found that the flatness of the clearcut block had a 

detrimental effect. It took the chokersetter longer to pull out the cable over 

flat ground than on the downhill 

slopes where gravity provided assistance. This showed up as a 35 percent 

longer out-haul time per 100 feet of 

yarding distance. Log hookup times 

were also 35 percent longer on the 

clearcut block because of the increased amount of slash on the ground 

from cutting more trees per acre. The 

slowup in out-haul and hookup times 

accounted for much of the increase 

in yarding turn times for clearcutting 

and, hence, in the lower production 

rate per productive hour. 

The single biggest reason, however, for reduced productivity on the 

clearcut operation was the reduced 

efficiency of the crew as reflected in 

nonproductive delays. Delay time per 

turn for clearcutting averaged 4.7 

minutes-57 percent more than the 

average delay time of 3.0 minutes per 

turn for thinnings. The most significant reasons for delays in clearcutting were: work other than yarding 

(2.07 minutes per turn) and hangups 

(1.18 minutes per turn). Both of these 

related directly to the larger number 

of trees cut per acre and the increased 

amount of slash and number of stumps 

that hampered yarding (Fig. 5). Work 

other than yarding included time lost 

while the chokersetter assisted the 

feller with directional felling, hung-up 

trees, and cutting nonmerchantable 

saplings and poles. It also included 

time working on the landing to make 

room to deck the increased number 

of logs coming off the clearcut block. 

Silvicultural Considerations 

To comply with the clearcutting 

prescription, at I saplings (1 .O to 5.5 

inches dbh) had to be felled and 

lopped. This work, classed as a stand 

regeneration operation, usually is not 

considered as a part of logging. More 

and more, though, loggers are removing saplings on clearcuts as part of 

their harvesting contracts. Many 

saplings are destroyed by logging 

and do not have to be felled, and, with 

intensive utilization practices, larger 

saplings are often harvested for 

whole-tree chipping. 

Sometimes, however, loggers are 

compensated for slashing the nonmerchantable material. If so, two 

methods of payment seem to be practiced: an allowance applied against 

the cost of stumpage, or a direct 

payment on an acreage basis. The 

latter is used more when the operation is conducted after harvest. 
Figure 5.-Heavy slash on clearcutting block was one cause of reduced 

yarding production and efficiency. 

Miller (1984) determined costs 

for reducing sapling basal area in 

thinned cherry-maple stands. It cost 

almost $15.00 per acre to remove 20 

square feet of basal area. To remove 

25 square feet of saplings on a clearcut, the cost would be proportionately 

more, or about $19.00 per acre. Spread 

over the total 89 tons harvested from 

the clearcut, the cost of sapling reduction would be $0.21 per ton. Allowances of $0.40 to $0.80 per ton 

(depending on stand and terrain conditions) were used in the past by one 

firm for compensating logging contractors. If we select an allowance 

midrange of these three figures, $0.50 

per ton ($44.50 per acre), logging cost 

for clearcutting reduces to $7.16 per 

ton, a cost in line with those for the 

thinnings. 

bogging Damage 

Damage to trees in the residual 

stand is always a concern when logging, especially in thinnings where 

the residual stems are expected to 

increase in value for future harvests. 

Lamson and Miller (1982) determined 

logging damage of residual dominant 

and codominant trees in the same 

cherry-maple stands discussed in this 

report. Blocks logged with the truckmounted crane suffered less damage 

than stands logged with a rubber-tired 

cable skidder. Only 5 percent or less 

of the residual dominant and codominant trees on blocks logged with the 

truck crane were classed as high risk 

trees for the respective 75,60, and 45 

perce~~t thinning operations. With the 

rubber-tired skidder, 7, 13, and 22 

percent of the number of stems were 

classed as high risk trees for the 

respective 75, 60, and 45 percent 

thinning operations. On steep terrain, 

the truck-mounted crane reduces residual stand damage because of increased lift of the logs and greater 

operator control over yarding through 

use of ;he 25-foot swing boom. 
Literature Clited 

Environmental Concerns 

Visual in~pacts of logging-road 

scars on hillsides, damaged trees, 

and muddy streams-arouse public 

feelings against timber harvesting. 

Compared to wheeied-tractor logging, 

the truck-mounted crane 'Walks" refativeiy lightly on the land. Timber 

stand damage is lessened, and fewer 

roads and landings are required for 

truck-crane logging. Disturbance of 

soil and streams due to roads, landings, and stream crossings is reduced 

(Koc henderfer 1977). 

Soil erosion is minimized since 

truck-crane logging harvests 2 to 3 

times more acreage per mile of constructed road compared to wheeledtractor logging. Sediment production 

from a truck-crane logged watershed 

was similar to yields summarized for 

undisturbed forest plots and small 

watersheds in the Eastern United 

Sktes. Soil disturbance was minimized by taking necessary precautions with road building and critical 

stream channel areas (Kochenderfer 

and Wendel 1980). 

Muyler, Neif K. The cost sf thinning 

with a wha!e.tree chip harvesting 

system. Northern Logger. 31 (1 ):a-9, 

14, 28-29; 1982. 

Kochenderfer, J. N. Area in skidroads, 

truck roads, and iandlngs in the 

central Appalachians. Journa! of 

Forestry. 75(8):507-508; 1977. 

Kochenderfer, J. N.; Wendel, G. W. 

Costs and environmental impacts 

of hamesling timber in Appalachia 

with a truck-mounted crane. Res. 

Pap. ME-456. Broomall, PA: U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Forest 

Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station; 1986. 9 p. 

Lamson, Neil I.; Miller, Gary W. bog. 

ging damage to dominant and corn 

dominant residual stems in thinned 

West Virginia ckerry.meple stands. 

In: Muller, Robert, ed. Proceedings, 

Fourth Central Hardwood Forest 

Gonference, 1982 November 8-18; 

Lexington, KY. Lexington, KV: The 

University of Kentucky; 7982. p. 

32-38. 

Miller, Gary W. Costs of reducing sapling basal area in thinned cherry. 

mapie stands in West Virginia. Res. 

Pap. NE-540. Broomall, PA: U.S. 

Department sf Agriculture, Forest 

Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station; 1984. 

Roach, B. A. A stocking guide lot 

Allegheny hardwoods and its use in 

controrring intermediate cuttings. 

Res. Pap. ME-373. Broomail, PA: 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station; 1977. 30 p. 

Sarles, Raymond L.; Wartluft, Jeffrey L.; 

Whitenack, Kenneth R. Chain-saw 

felling in hardwssd thinnings. in: 

Harvesting the South" small timber; Proceedings, FPRS conference; 

1983 April 18-20 Biloxi, MS. Madison, WI: Forest Products Research 

Society; [in press]. 

Timson, Floyd 6. WeZghtlvolume 

ratios Par Appaiaekian hardwoods. 

Res. Note NE-202. Broomall, PA: 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station; 1975. 2 p, 

Wartluft, Jeffrey L.; Sarles, Raymond L. 

Fuelwood thinnierg-a marginal 

operation in West Virginia study. 

Northern Logger, 30(12):16-17,28-29; 

1982. 
Res, Pap. NE-545. Broomall, PA: U.S. Departture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest 

investigates the effects of thinning and clearcutting on the cost 

of logging using a truck-mounted crane for yarding and chain 

saws for Felling. Work measurement studies of the harvesting 

operations were conducted on three 4-acre blocks of' timber 

marked for thinning and on a 2-acre clearcut. Worker efficiency 

and productivity were higher for thinning than for clearcutting. 

Reasons for the difference are discussed. Comparisons OF 

logging costs among the Four cuttings showed that the cost of 

wood delivered to roadside was less for logs removed from the 

thinned blocks than from the clearcut. Silvicultural and environmental aspects of truck-crane logging are discussed. 

Ksy~lords: Logging costs; thinning; clearcutting; cable yarding; 

time study; production rates; Allegheny hardwoods 

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