Productivity and cost of wheeled skidder in Hyrcanian Forest

Abstract

Wood transportation from harvesting unit to the roadside landing devotes the most expensive pertaining to logging operations. Heavy machines in wood transportation are imported tools; however they have very high hourly costs per hour and depreciation rates which oblige us to fi nd appropriate transportation methods (approaches) for reducing costs. This research aims at evaluation of the theory in which more production results in reduction in the cost. The research also attempts to offer an analysis of production and cost of a skidder (Timberjack 450C) thorough an application in Educational and Experimental Forests of Kheirood. In the application, the time elements and effective factors in turn time of skidding operation were investigated based on 44 turns. The results indicated that the total production with and without delays in skidding with Timberjack 450C skidder was 8.22 and 8.88 cubic meters per hour, respectively. The cost of skidding using with and without delays was $7.41 and $6.86 per cubic meter, respectively.