Impact of mechanized harvesting machines on forest ecosystem: Residual stand damage

Abstract

Mechanized harvesting systems are commonly applied in current forest operations in many parts of the world including Europe, North America and East Asia. These systems satisfy public demand by providing the necessary organic material to the forest, working on smaller operation area, working on selective cuttings and increasing labor efficiency. However, using harvesting machinery can cause damage to the residual vegetation in the forest. This study introduces specific logging machines widely used in mechanized harvesting systems and then presents the environmental impacts of these machines, focusing on the stand damage, based on previously conducted studies. Then, the possible ways of reducing the environmental impacts during the operations are presented to assist logging managers in developing and implementing environmentally friendly harvesting plans. © 2006 Asian Network for Scientific Information.