Plantation thinning field day

Posted 01 June 2023

Managing trees

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As part of the Wood Supply Co-investment program supported by PFT, Forico facilitated a trial to investigate costs and silvicultural practices to transition from pulpwood to longer rotation solid wood, with an aim to improve domestic sawlog supply outcomes in Tasmania.

Transitioning from pulp to solid wood plantation regimes requires an understanding of the costs involved during thinning operations and the factors that explain the productivity and costs of mechanised equipment in these conditions.

The project used machine productivity data along with sensing technology including mobile LiDAR systems used to assess the remaining trees’ quality features such as DBH, height, branchiness, tree form and stem damage.

A combined and well supported PFT and Forico field day was conducted on Wednesday 31 March at Highclere on the north-west coast, where Researcher, Dr Mauricio Acuna of University of the Sunshine Coast’s progress report was presented on cost-effective mechanised thinning operations.

Final report and findings will be available soon.

VIEW PROGRESS REPORT HERE