Small-Scale Logging: Sugarbush and Woodlot Management

Issue:  

Many woodlot owners and maple syrup producers want to be more active in gathering logs or firewood from their property.  Often there are too few acres or too few trees to attract a commercial-scale operation. In other cases, the owner just wants to be more closely involved in the selection, felling and moving of wood.

Objectives

1.  Develop the skills, knowledge, and resources to safely conduct small-scale logging activities in private woodlots and sugarbushes.
2. Develop a network of woodlot owners and maple producers who can share ideas and strategies related to safe and productive small-scale activities.
3. Create educational resources that inform owners and producers who will practice small-scale logging.
4. Identify and create research-based information related to safe and productive practicies

Activities

•  Almost two dozen workshops for maple producers and woodlot owners in counties throughout NY in 2010 and 2011.  Additional workshops being planned in NY, check the "Events" tab above.
• Presentations at conferences and training sessions
• Presentation via the Penn State Forestry Extesnion webinar series.  See link to webinar archive in the "documents" section below.  178 participants in the live presentation.
• Field trials of equipment, mostly ATV and arch, with research collaborators.

Outcomes

Documents (Cornell, Partners, and Other)

 Workshop series in NY, assorted handouts include the following

• • Small scale logging: overview and safety points
  • Field tally sheets_woodlot_&_sugarbush
  • Field tally sheet_example_completed
  • Small-scale logging (select) internet resources
  • Firewood volume chart and BTU ratings
  • Woodlot Management: How It Grows (WVU, W. Kidd)
  • Woodlot Management: Helping It Grow (WVU, W. Kidd)
  • Firewood_measurement_chart_BTUs.pdf

Penn State University Webinar (12/13/2011)

• • Link to webinar archive
  • PDF December 2011 small-scale logging webinar presentation
  • Penn State Farm Woodlot Tractor Webinar (link to archive)

Penn State woodland tractor safety fact sheet

Tax considerations for selling timber

Cornell ForestConnect publications (available from www.ForestConnect.info)

• • Forest stewardship bulletin (several chapters)
  • Forest regeneration(USFS)
  • Silvopasture manual

Productivity and Cost Analysis of Three Small-Scale Harvest Systems...

Other materials and links

Assorted Video Links (please add other links as comments.  Search youtube for logging, mini skidder, etc.)

Equipment

• Cornell University small scale logging
• Gosta mini-skidder
• Woodland tractor safety
• Oxtrac mini dozer/skidder
• Alstor 8 x 8 forwarder
• Alstor, extreme testing
• Woodtiger mini forwarder
• Kranman Bison 6 WD
• Iron Horse
• Iron Horse (more about woods working)
• Horse logging (need to lift the front end of the log more)
• More horse logging (judge for yourself)

Production strategies

• Long split your firewood
• Directional Felling (you still need to take Game of Logging)
• Bucking logs safely

Assorted pictures

Arches

Cornell University's custom made arch

Commercial arch

Home-made arch #1

Home-made arch #2

Wagons / Carts

Tractor accessories  (see safety fact sheet)