Appalachia--Science in the Public Interest

SUSTAINABLE LOGGING AND LUMBER PRODUCTION

Gary Anderson

Few issues are more critical, or more hotly debated, than proper forest management and timber harvesting techniques. The long term health of forests, streams, and wildlife, as well as personal and community economies, is at stake. On a personal level, a landowner may fear excessive d e to wooded property by heavy equipment, sloppy log , over-harvesting or under-valuation of timber. These often id concerns, coupled with the fact that Kentucky has some of the most diverse, productive hardwood forests in the world my wife Beth and I to start Woodland Farms Modern Horselog . As both landowners and loggers, we developed a list of common interests to satisfy our concerns for the forest's health on the one hand, and the need to make a living on the other.

The list included the following:

make use of dead, damaged, or otherwise quality trees first;
fell timber with as little damage to surrounding g trees as possible;
use skidding technology that can reach trees scattered throughout the woods while doing as little damage as possible;
get as much value from the harvested timber as possible;
do all of the above as safely, ply, and flexibly as possible.

These goals can be achieved, profitably and sustainability, by combining several methods and small-scale technologies currently used successfully in different contexts all across the country.

These are:

management plans based on uneven d harvesting through single tree selection (see A-SPI Technical Paper 34)
direct felling of trees;
skidding saw logs out of the woods using draft horses and a logging arch;
sawing of logs on-site for grade (i.e. highest quality) using an efficient portable band saw;
kiln-drying the lumber in a solar kiln;
directly marketing green, air-dried d kiln-dried lumber;
and selling slab and trimwood for firewood.

Using these methods, a landowner can make up to twice the money per tree, and the logger/sawyer can make as much as five times the money per tree, as contrasted with simply hauling and selling logs. The value of the log is increased two to four times by milling and solar kiln-drying, the woods are minimally disturbed, and less than half of the non-renewable fossil fuels are consumed in the process. The two most exciting results of using these techniques are that the forest remains a forest instead of being reduced to a tree farm or a monoculture, and timber can be cut on a 15 to 20 year rotation, with each harvest improving the quality of the remaining tree These are two essential criteria for a truly sustainable logging operation.

The purpose of providing the details of this production system is to encourage others to duplicate e all or part of it. However, while this work is profoundly rewarding and can be profitable, it can also be ex ely dangerous. Anyone interested in horse logging, or logging general, yet untrained in using horses or working in the wood s strongly encouraged to enroll in the Kentucky Master logger's Program and/or apprentice with a certified logger.

Management Philosophy

Trees should not be cut unless the s a good reason to do so. A good reason for cutting a tree be that it is dead or dying, has a broken top or is crowding a high quality tree. A large tree which has reached its greatist potential is another excellent candidate for felling. Highgrade (clear or defect- free) trees of desirable species larger than 16 inches at breast height (dbh), but which have good potential, usually should be left standing for future harvest Some trees and snags should be left wildlife. This type of management takes the characteristics of each tree and its potential for growth, as as the size, species and quality of the surrounding tree to consideration. All trees which fit the above criteria or harvesting are cut regardless of species. There is no grading (cutting the best and leaving the rest). Rather, this method, as described by Jason Rutledge of Environmentally service Logging and Lumber Company, involves "cutting the worst t." Consistently applied, balanced harvesting using sing tree selection results in improved forest quality with each harvest This empirical fact contradicts the often heard criticism ism from professional foresters that single-tree select results in forests of shade-tolerant species like maple and holly Using this method, enough of the canopy is removed to allow r the germination and growth of species such as yellow-poplar r, oak and cherry. If necessary, several lower quality tree be removed from one area, resulting in a "group selection& ; type o management One obvious consequence of using uneven-aged management through single-tree selection is the in sed skill required by the timber feller. When clear-cutting, quality of the timber left standing is not an issue. However when the integrity of surrounding smaller, yet higher value s, is of concern, the feller needs skill in placing the select tree where he wants it to ensure that those smaller trees make it to the next harvest cycle. The method of choice, d developed by Soren Eriksen and taught in the Kentucky Master logger's Program, is the open-faced felling technique. Before t first tree comes down, however, a system of skid trails should cut so as to get the logs out in the most efficient and st destructive manner possible.

Skid Trails

Conventional logging operations g mechanical skidders require logging roads through the forest remove timber. Often bulldozers are needed to build these roads If the terrain is at all uneven, best management practices ( ) require these roads be bermed and re-seeded, when the job is completed, to lessen the chance of soil erosion. This is time consuming and costly. Thankfully, for horseloggers it is almost always unnecessary.

Skid trails for horses are de definitely not like logging roads. They more closely resemble king paths. A team of horses and the logging arch require a only six feet wide, compared to a 10 or 20 foot wide road required by skidders. Trails should be along the contour ills, not up and down them. This makes life much easier on t horses and lessens the chance for soil erosion. Mai ails should be placed strategically to avoid having to cut several smaller feeder trails. Cutting long feeder trails that go only to one or two logs is very inefficient. Finally, it i st to work the timber furthest from the logging yard, or in this stem the saw, first. This way trees which fall unpredictably won't block the main trails. Once a main trail is cut, felling can begin.

Directional Felling

Developed and promoted by Soren Ericson , directional felling using an open face notch and felling wedge is a technique essential for quality logging. Dire Directional felling using the open-face technique helps ensure both quality of the timber being harvested by reducing fiber pull nd the quality of the timber to be harvested in the future decreasing damage to those trees left standing. It also makes a very dangerous ob safer. Those unfamiliar with directional felling commonly drop trees by first cutting a notch, and the wing from the outside of the tree inward to the notch. However lf cut in this manner, the tree can start to fall before the is finished. This can result in accidents, and in fiber pull h decreases the value of the log. The proper technique is cut a notch as usual, optimally achieving a 90 degree angled "o "; face. A felling cut is then made directly behind an to 2 inches above the notch, leaving a hinge of wood 1 to 1.5 inches thick. This hinge ensures a controlled fall, snapping only en the tree is almost on the ground. This prevents the tree from twisting, sliding, or kicking off the stump as it falls. We are then driven into the felling cut to prevent the chain s ar from getting stuck and to help push the tree in the desired direction. With a 1 to 1.5 inch hinge and a latch in the back, tree won't fall even in a strong wind. When an escape route has been cleared, the security latch is cut, the saw i ut off and the feller retreats at a 45 degree angle along t escape route, watching for falling limbs.

Before felling any tree it is very important to look for and beware of dead branches, grapevine the canopy, or other hazards. Since it is easier to see potental felling hazards when there are no leaves on the trees since a tree without leaves usually causes much less damage it falls, autumn and winter are the best seasons to fell trees.

To make getting a chain around the easier and to reduce skidding time, wooden supports can be from the thick limbs or trees cut while making trails and placed d on the ground where the tree is expected to fall. Since dir directional felling, if done properly, is very accurate, the tree s d fall cleanly on the waiting supports. Once on the ground d supported, the tree should be bucked into sawlog-length se ns in preparation for skidding. In most cases, all of the sl or tops, from felled trees should be cut to within two to three feet from the ground. Trees damaged during felling, including ring poles (bent over trees or saplings) should also be cut . These measures take relatively little time, but improve the utility of the woods and make a job look much neater. Le g damaged trees hurts reputations and future profits.

Skidding with Horses

Horses and mules are central a indispensable to truly sustainable logging. Those unfamiliar with working horses or mules in the woods may find it diff t to understand their utility, efficiency and practicality. often, animal powered skidding is dismissed as old-fashioned impractical. For well organized operations, however, draft animal can be employed with great success.

One of the important tools which make work horses and mules a viable alternative to mechanize skidding is the logging arch. Using a logging arch wit horses can double their productivity. The arch holds the front of the log up off the ground, significantly reducing drag nce half of the log's weight is on wheels, the horse's job made much easier. The arch also reduces damage to the ground which would otherwise be continually gouged by the front of log. The teamster can walk next to, or ride on the arch, which is easier an much safer. Comparable productivity should not he only consideration in choosing draft animals over mechanized logging. The primary consideration is environment . It is illogical and irresponsible to continue cutting, ski g and hauling logs to distant mills as if fossil fuels were an un-exhaustible and benign resource. They are not. It is equally foolish to persist in mechanized logging in hopes that a er alternative energy resource will come along. Hors re here now, they are relatively inexpensive, and they can et the job done while causing very little damage to the environment.

Besides depleting fossil fuels generating pollution, mechanized logging also damages forest. For instance, as they are brought out of the woods, logs pull by mechanical skidders commonly bark standing trees. These ked trees continue to grow, but the base of the tree, where the greatist quality wood is usually found, often rots. Trees are ra barked when skidding logs with horses and an arch. Damage o the soil is another negative side effect of mechanized logging . Compaction of the soil along logging roads is an inevitable result of mechanical skidding. Compaction leads to rutting, erosion, and reduced soil fertility. This damage is almost tally eliminated when horses are used, especially if skid trails are rarely cut. Horses offer other advantages direct or indirectly related to their role in logging. They can harvest much of their food by grazing and can be used to cut, rake bale hay. They can be used to plow, disk, plant, cultivate a harvest the grain they will need while working. The grain ed for a team working hard for 200 days per year can be used on three acres of average land. Their manure and bedding typically the sawdust from the sawmill (but not walnut sawdust which is toxic), can be used to fertilize the hay fields an op land. Horses, like engines, do eventually run down and die, thankfully they also reproduce. These are all factors which greatly reduce costs, increase profits and allow for sustainable forestry (and culture). Of course, some will raise the question ?;Aren't horses too slow to be economically practical?" answer is a definite "no". Even when selling logs instead umber, it is possible for horseloggers to make $30,000 or more in less than a year. However, selling logs may not be the b option. Stop thinking about quantity, and start thinking about quality and adding value to logs. Why invest in technology that requires volumes of 5000 board feet or more per day to pay for it when more profit can be made off of less volume h lower cost and more environmentally friendly methods? Ulti ly, a high net income is more important than a high gross me. The use of horses allows for sustainable management pr ces on small or large acreage while doing minimal damage allowing for a decent wage. To get the most economic benefit from the horse's labor, however, it is essential to get as much as possible from the logs by milling them on-site with a portable band saw.

Band Saw Milling

Modern portable band saws with hydraulic arms, log turners and clamps, like those sold by Wo zer, can produce from 1,000-3,500 board feet of high quality lumber per day. Coincidentally, this is the same volume of wood that a team of horses can skid in one day. In t, portable band saws routinely average 150% of Doyle Rule, or every 1,000 board- feet skid to the saw (estimated using le Rule), 1,500 board feet of lumber are produced. Instead of ding logs on a truck, hauling them to the mill, and poss getting underpaid or underscaled, logs are skidded to the mil -site, often reducing the lengths of skids by half. The log sawyer, and therefore the landowner, has 50 percent more of higher value product to sell. Unlike logs, lumber can be s ed and stored without deterioration and sold when markets ar highest In fact, since lumber dried for at least three mo often gets up to 10% premiums, its value actually increases. Lumber should be painted with end-coating (to prevent check nd stacked soon after sawing to prevent warp and mold. Stacks should be built on level ground, with stickers on 16 to 24 inch ac centers between each level of wood. It is important that t ends of each board are supported on stickers also. Cover s s with shade cloth or metal, and weight them down. Logs should be sa or "grade", which means that the clearest (free of knot , holes etc.) side of the log is chosen with each pass o e saw. This decreases production somewhat, but increases value of the lumber. (Please refer to chart for an example of increased yield and value). Low grade logs should be sawn cross-ties, timbers, or other large dimension cants. Slabwood nd trimwood should be cut and stacked for firewood.

Lumber is graded using an o tive set of standards established by the National Hardwood L r Association (anyone interested in obtaining a rule book, o lumber grading training manual, can write to NHLA, P.O x 34518, Memphis, TN 38184-5018 for prices and availability ). For both the logger/sawyer and the landowner, knowing e volume and grade of the lumber reduces the risk of being underpaid and increases value. Many wholesalers pay premiums straight shipments of one grade. Boards wider than ten inc can also bring higher prices.

Sawing logs does require a higher initial investment and a broader range of skills from the lo . Sawing one thousand board feet of one inch lumber with a horsepower diesel band saw takes 6-8 hours and requires about our gallons of fuel. Maintenance of the saw and blades require an additional $30 per day. However, the low cost of operating higher lumber yield, and lower hauling bills, should more compensate for these initial costs.

A considerable amount of slab and trimwood is generated in any sawing operation. As conserve e estimate, a tightly stacked cord of slabs and kindling is produced per 2000 board foot of sawn lumber. Sold as firewood for $50 cord, this represents a potential annual income of $4500, assuming 180,000 Bdft of lumber are produced each year. I ban areas, prices for firewood are often two to three times a high, providing an even more lucrative marketing option.

Solar Kiln Drying

Green lumber or cants can be m ted more flexibly and profitably than logs and there is s ambiguity regarding quantity and quality being sold. T is little difficulty selling wood to mills or other buyers with established markets. However, to get the highest possible val or rough lumber, kiln drying is required. Kiln-dried lumber be directly marketed to crafts people, custom cabinet makers, furniture builders, etc. at a considerable profit. Even at wholesale e prices, kiln-drying lumber of FAS, #1 common, and # grades of most species increases the value from 50 to 100 percent Kiln-dried lumber is also significantly lighter than green lumber , making hauling more efficient.

A solar kiln sufficient for drying -75 thousand Bdft per year need not be very large or ex expensive A 8 X 24 ft kiln (inside dimensions) costs about $2500 to ld and can handle 3-4 thousand board feet per load, with 12 ds, on average, being dried per year. A even better idea is se air-dried lumber. Wood with a moisture content of 20 per or less can be dried in three or four days in the kiln with little e risk of degradation (surface checking, casehardening, etc.) increasing the amount of lumber that ca process annua Wood is quite heavy; three thousand board feet of green oak weighs eight or nine tons. The kiln should be built so wood can be pushed in on wheels or rollers. will require a large door on at least one end of the kiln (minimum 6x6 feet) to accommodate the stack. Detailed construction ruction and operating instructions for owner built so wood drying kilns are available from: Dept. of Forest Product rooks Forest Products Center, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 61-0299. Consultation is also available. Write to: Woodland F Modern Horselogging, HCR 84 Box 10B, Constantine, KY 40114.

Summary

The methods described in this lement for harvesting timber and producing green, air or kiln dried lumber add 2.5 - 4.0 times the value to each tree harvested . Using these methods a landowner can make as much as twice t money for their trees, or cut half as hard and leave more volume for subsequent harvests. The logger/sawyer can make o six times the money per tree without increasing the total unit of work. Only the variety of jobs, and the skills required to perform them, increases. Logging is hard and potentially dangerous work requiring skill and experience. If interested ted in working in the woods, get training from those with experience first.

Horses are a versatile and efficient power source. They are relatively inexpensive ($2000 - 0 per team) and their production rate matches, or slightly ex s, that of a portable sawmill and small solar kiln. Horses are also economically practical even when working small stacks of timber. Of the estimated 400,000 woodland owners Kentucky, the average woodlot size is 26 acres. This is a potentially large clientele.

Starting this operation does money. The essential components are:

- 3 4 horses $3000 - 5000 - harness, collar d miscellaneous $2000 portable fencing $ 180 - logging arch $ 500 - portable nd saw $6000 - 18,000 - chain saws $1000< - truck $2000 - horse trailer $1600 - solar kiln and accessories $2250 - training courses $ 100

$18,630 - 32,630

To work most efficiently, one person an work the horses in the woods while another works the . This is also a more economical way to get started since each son assumes only half of the initial investment. There are more teamsters around, and over 550 Woodmizer sawmills have been d in Kentucky alone. Experience has shown that there is a v large demand for this type of operation. People are tired of having their land damaged unnecessarily, and of not getting full id for their timber. This means job security for horses Because timber is harvested sustainably, allowing for 1 year cutting cycles, job security extends to the horseloggers' children.

Potential income depends on ma actors. Organization, work ethic, timber quality, horseman terrain and marketing skills all play major roles. A very conservative estimate is that two hardworking people could g $30,000 each. A good teamster skidding logs for $40 per 00 Bdft can make over $30,000 a year (about $120/day) with o ting costs of $15/day or less. Hourly wages for custom sawing oh a portable band saw are $18 and up (based on $0.15/fo Selling wood is more lucrative than just sawing as a service, $18/hour should serve as a conservative base salary. Most c m sawyers are several months behind demand.

For anyone who feels that a bad d n the woods is better than a good day inside, here is a opportunity. And for anyone truly interested in the long-t health of the forests and forest economies, here is example of sustainable techniques that have proven their utility and profitability.

ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES OF SE G LUMBER VERSUS LOGS: INCREASED VOLUME FOR TWO RED OAK LOGS

Red Oak Volume* Vo by Grade(board feet) log # board f FAS/1F 1C 2A 3A Total 1 59.6 22.4 16.5 - 98.5 2 6 .5 35.4 21.2 - 106.1 13 9.1 57.8 7 - 204.6 *volume measured by the Doyle Log Rule - of lumb s FAS/1F - lumber yield: 156% of Doyle rule - 46% AS/1F is 10&qu or wider (25% premiu aid for boards) ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES OF SE G LUMBER VERSUS LOGS: FLEXIBLE DOLLAR VALUES FOR TWO RED OAK LOGS

gr kiln dried kiln dried log graded wholesale retail

Land owner 59 (50%)* 82 %) 98 (35%) 113 (25%) Logger 59 (50%) 123 ) 180 (65%) 339 (75%) TOTAL 11 5 278 452 Lan ner 1.0** 1.4 1.7 1.9 ogger 1.0 2.1 3.0 5.7 TOTAL 1. 7 2.3 3.8 * = Dolla percentage of sales) ** = Ratio of lumber value: log value