A gum tree being felled. Eucalyptus (From Greek ευκάλυπτος meaning "well covered" is a diverse Genus of Trees (and a few shrubs the members of which Dated to c. 1884-1917, Australia.

Logging is the process in which trees are cut down for forest management and timber. A tree is a perennial Woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or Forest management includes a range of human interventions that affect Forest Ecosystems. Lumber or timber is Wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural Material for Construction, or Logging is controversial due to its potential environmental and aesthetic impacts. See also Nature The natural environment, commonly referred to simply as the environment, is a terminology that is comprised of all living and Aesthetics or esthetics ( also spelled æsthetics) is commonly known as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values sometimes called

Use of the term logging in forestry

In forestry the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a mill. Forestry is the Art and Science of managing forests tree Plantations and related Natural resources. In common usage however the term may be used generally to mean a range of forestry or silviculture activities. For example the practice of the removal of a valuable trees from the forest has been called selective logging sometimes confused with selection cut. Selection cutting is the Silvicultural practice of harvesting a proportion of the trees in a stand Selection cutting is the Silvicultural practice of harvesting a proportion of the trees in a stand ^[1] Illegal logging refers to what in forestry might be called timber theft. Illegal logging is the harvest transportation purchase or sale of timber in violation of national Laws The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal including An example of illegal logging is cedar theft, which is most common in the American Pacific Northwest. Timber theft in all forms is quite rare in the United States. In common usage what is sometimes called clearcut logging is not is necessarily considered a type of logging but a harvest or silviculture method and is simply called clearcutting or block cutting. Clearcutting or clearfelling is a Forestry / Logging practice in which the clear majority of all trees in a forest sector are cut down In the forest products industry logging companies may be referred as logging contractors.

Logging usually refers to above-ground forestry logging. Submerged forests exist on land that has been flooded to create artificial dams and reservoirs, and trees have started to be felled there too (see underwater logging). A dam is a barrier that divides waters. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water while other structures such as Floodgates, Levees A reservoir is most broadly a place or hollow vessel where Fluid is kept in Reserve, for later use Underwater logging is the process of logging trees from underwater forests

Logging and forestry

Horse logging in Poland

The two main stakeholders in most logging operations are the landowner and the logging contractor. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Prior to a large harvest a landowner will often hire a consulting forester. A forester is a person who practices Forestry, the science and profession of managing forests Owners of large industrial tracts may employ their own foresters. During planning for the harvest the according to the volume of wood harvested. There are over 320,000 jobs that have to do with the logging industry in Canada.

Logging methods

The above operations can be carried out by different methods, of which the following three are considered industrial methods:

Tree-length logging

Trees are felled and then delimbed and topped at the stump. Limbing in Logging is the process of removing Branches from the stem of a felled Tree. The log is then transported to the landing, where it is bucked and loaded on a truck. Bucking is the process of cutting a felled and delimbed tree into logs This leaves the slash (and the nutrients it contains) in the cut area where it must be further treated if wildland fires are of concern. Slash, or slashings, is a forestry term that refers to coarse and fine woody debris generated during Logging operations or through wind snow or other natural

Full-tree logging

Trees are felled and transported to the roadside with top and limbs intact. The trees are then delimbed, topped, and bucked at the landing. This method requires that slash be treated at the landing. In areas with access to cogeneration facilities, the slash can be chipped and used for the production of clean electricity or heat. Full-tree harvesting also refers to utilization of the entire tree including branches and tops. ^[2] This technique removes both nutrients and soil cover from the site and so can be harmful to the long term health of the area if no further action is taken, however, depending on the species, many of the limbs are often broken off in handling so the end result may not be as different from tree-length logging as it might seem.

Cut-to-length logging

Big trees are felled, delimbed, bucked, and sorted (pulpwood, sawlog, etc. Cut-to-length Logging (CTL is a mechanized harvesting system in which trees are delimbed and cut to length directly at the stump. ) at the stump area, leaving limbs and tops in the forest. Harvesters fell the tree, delimb and buck it, and place the resulting logs in bunks to be brought to the landing by the forwarder. The harvester is a type of heavy vehicle employed in Cut-to-length logging operations for felling, Delimbing and bucking Trees Limbing in Logging is the process of removing Branches from the stem of a felled Tree. Bucking is the process of cutting a felled and delimbed tree into logs A forwarder is a vehicle that carries logs from the stump to a roadside landing

The Washington Iron Works Skidder in Nuniong is the only one of its kind in Australia, with engine, spars and cables still rigged for work

. The Washington Winch is a steam-powered Logging Skidder, or cable Winch. This method is usable for smaller timber on ground flat enough that forwarders can operate, but does not work well on steep slopes.

Logging and safety

Computerized heavy machinery log cutting increases capital costs, yield, productivity, and personnel safety

Logging is a dangerous occupation. In the United States, it has consistently been one of the most hazardous industries, having a fatality rate over 21 times higher than the rate for all workers in the US. ^[3] Loggers work with heavy, moving weights and the use of tools such as chainsaws and heavy equipment on uneven and sometimes unstable terrain. Loggers also deal with severe environmental conditions such as inclement weather and severe heat or cold. An injured logger is often far from professional emergency treatment.

Traditionally, the cry of "Timber!" developed as a warning alert fellow workers in an area that a tree is being felled, so they should be alert to avoid being struck. A tree is a perennial Woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or The term "widowmaker" for timber that is neither standing nor fallen to the ground demonstrates another emphasis on situational awareness as a safety principle. Situation awareness, or SA is the perception of environmental elements within a volume of time and space the comprehension of their meaning and the projection of their status in the

The risks experienced in logging operations can be somewhat reduced, where conditions permit, by the use of mechanical tree harvesters and forwarders. The harvester is a type of heavy vehicle employed in Cut-to-length logging operations for felling, Delimbing and bucking Trees A forwarder is a vehicle that carries logs from the stump to a roadside landing

Logging and the environment

Skidder in Oregon

The many impacts of logging on the environment can be divided into two broad categories, the timber harvest itself, that is, the removal of trees from the forest, and secondly the impact caused by logging operations such as falling or dragging trees and operation of machinery in the forest. A skidder is any type of heavy vehicle used in a Logging operation for pulling cut trees out of a forest in a process called "skidding" in which the logs

Impact of tree harvesting

Removal of trees alters species composition, the structure of the forest, and can cause nutrient depletion. Biodiversity is the variation of Life forms within a given Ecosystem, Biome or for the entire Earth. A nutrient is food or chemicals that an organism needs to live and grow or a substance used in an organism's metabolism which must be taken in from its environment This may provide opportunities for some species while creating a loss of opportunity for others. Trees providing midday shade to streams which may alter the stream's temperature either by preventing the sun from shining on the water by day, or by preventing the water from radiating the heat back at night.

In altering the balance of animal and plant species, logging, if not limited to sufficiently small areas, alters the ecological system of the forest. The effect on ecosystems and on biodiversity is the small-scale effect of unrestricted logging.

The large-scale effect of the removal of trees is obviously the impact on the level of carbon in the atmosphere, with its consequences on global climate. Besides the carbon release due to possible burning associated with logging, or possibly with wood processing, the removal of trees prevents carbon from being captured by the trees from the atmosphere. Deforestation, frequently associated with logging, has been assessed to be in fact responsible for 17 percent of annual global carbon a level higher than the one from emissions due to transportation.

Impact of logging operations

Modern ground based logging operations require the use of heavy machinery in the forest. In some areas roads must be built which often causes habitat fragmentation and increased edge effect. Habitat fragmentation is a process of environmental change important in Evolution and Conservation biology. An edge effect in Biology is the effect of the Juxtaposition of contrasting environments on an Ecosystem. The use of heavy machinery in a forest can cause soil compaction. Soil compaction occurs when weight of Livestock or heavy machinery compresses Soil, causing it to lose Pore space Harvesting on steep slopes can lead to soil erosion, landslides, and water turbidity. Erosion is the carrying away or displacement of solids ( Sediment, Soil, rock and other particles usually by the agents of currents such as wind A landslide is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement such as rock falls deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows which can occur Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by individual particles ( suspended solids) that are generally invisible to the Naked eye Logging on saturated soils can cause ruts and change drainage patterns. Harvest activity near wetlands or vernal pools can degrade the habitat. A wetland is an area of Land consisting of Soil that is Saturated with Moisture, such as a Swamp, Marsh, or Bog Vernal pools, also called ephemeral pools, are temporary pools of water Forest machines use oils which, if not handled carefully, can cause pollution. Roadbuilding for access to timber in frontier forests often opens up areas previously not accessible, which facilitates further development such as farming.

Mitigation

These problems can be mitigated by using low-impact logging and best management practices, which set standards for reducing erosion from roads. Best Practice is an idea that asserts that there is a technique, method process activity incentive or reward that is more effective at delivering a particular outcome than A gravel road is a type of unpaved Road surfaced with Gravel that has been brought to the site from a Quarry or Stream bed. Damage to streams and lakes can be reduced by not harvesting riparian strips. "Riparian" redirects here For the legal doctrine see " Riparian water rights. Mitigating the effect of logging can require the full restriction on logging on ecologically important lands, such as forests with a high level of biodiversity. Technological advances in logging equipment can reduce ruts and soil disturbance. Processors and forwarders with caterpillar tracks or other designs to lower ground pressure help to reduce machine impact ^[4]. The harvester is a type of heavy vehicle employed in Cut-to-length logging operations for felling, Delimbing and bucking Trees A forwarder is a vehicle that carries logs from the stump to a roadside landing Continuous tracks are large (modular tracks used on the so-called caterpillar Tanks construction equipment and certain other off-road vehicles

Benefits

Some say logging has positive effects on the environment:

1. removing damaged or diseased trees or both, and
2. opening up the canopy to promote growth of smaller, healthier trees. Branches, snags, and other non-marketable parts of the tree provide shelter for wildlife. In Forest Ecology, a snag refers to a standing partly or completely dead Tree, often missing a top or most of the smaller branches while in freshwater Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants animals and other organisms Underbrush that would not otherwise grow due to lack of sunlight thrives, and is an important food source for browsing mammals.
3. Select cutting can improve the forest and bring to market trees that would otherwise decompose.
4. In the 19th and early 20th century, logged over areas were sometimes sold or donated to the state, or forfeited for back taxes. Following the maturation of new growth, usually of different tree species, the reclaimed land became the basis of certain outstanding recreation areas, including the White Mountain National Forest. ^[5]

See also

• Sawmill
• Chain saw
• Log scaler
• Log bucking
• Cable logging
• Illegal logging
• Logging wheels
• Shovel logging
• Skyline logging
• Salvage logging
• Underwater logging
• Lumberjack World Championships In Canada

References

External links

• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - Logging Safety Page
• [2]