This study investigates how key planning variables—the number of wood assortments, the geometric shape of clear-cut areas, and the extraction (forwarding) distance—influence greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Twelve plots formed a heterogeneous sample with similar site type and soil moisture conditions. A Komatsu 931 harvester and a 855 forwarder, driven by the experienced operators, were used to ensure consistency in operator skill. For each plot, the isoperimetric quotient was computed to quantify how plot shape correlated with labor hours, fuel consumption, and the resulting volume of GHG emitted. The number of assortments extracted per plot ranged from three to fourteen product groups. The results show that plots with more complex shapes require significantly more operator time and fuel. Increasing the number of assortments amplifies handling time and fuel use. Longer extraction distances further exacerbate the emissions. These findings underscore the importance of integrating spatial geometry and wood assortment planning into harvest scheduling to enhance productivity and reduce the carbon footprint of forest operations. Recommendations for practitioners include prioritizing more compact treatment units, optimizing assortment grouping, and minimizing extraction distances as key strategies for precision forestry.
Pszenny et al. (Fri,) studied this question.