Comparison of productivity, cost and chip quality of four balanced harvest systems operating in a Eucalyptus globulus plantation in Western Australia

Abstract

There have been few comparative harvest system studies to provide a basis to understand the performance and chip quality of harvest systems used in eucalypt plantations. The study compared the CTL – cut-to-length method at the stump, WTM – whole tree method where trees were processed to logs at roadside, IFC-DDC – infield chipping using a debark/ delimb/chipper, IFC-F/C – infield chipping using a separate flail and chipper harvest systems on a single site in south-west Western Australia. The WTM and IFC-F/C harvest systems were the most productive. The productivity of the CTL and IFC-DDC harvest systems was about 25% less than that of the other harvest systems. The CTL harvest system produce..