Logging operations in pine stands in Belgium with additional harvest of woody biomass : yield, economics and energy balance
- Author
- Pieter Vangansbeke (UGent) , Jeroen Osselaere, Miet Van Dael, Pieter De Frenne (UGent) , Robert Gruwez (UGent) , Luc Pelkmans, Leen Gorissen and Kris Verheyen (UGent)
- Organization
- Abstract
- Due to the enhanced demands for woody biomass, it is increasingly relevant to assess possibilities to harvest forest harvest residues in addition to logs. Here, eight strategies for whole tree harvesting from clear-cuts and early thinnings of pine (Pinus nigra) stands in northern Belgium are evaluated. A detailed cost analysis using the machine rate method was conducted along with scenario and sensitivity analyses of the variables affecting the harvesting cost. On average, we found a much higher revenue for logs than for wood chips from forest harvest residues. In clear-cuts, a mobile chipper was more profitable than a road-side chipper. In early thinnings, on the other hand, the harvesting cost of logs was higher than for clear-cuts. However, the revenue remained higher than for chips, making the separate harvesting of logs and chips more cost-effective than chipping whole trees. In the latter case, an excavator, a forwarder and a road-side chipper were more cost-effective than a harvester, a tractor with trailer and a mobile chipper, respectively. Harvest of additional woody biomass required limited energy input compared to processing and intercontinental transport of wood pellets. However, at present we find very small profits from local additional biomass harvests. The low and fragmented forest cover and important sustainability issues further impede the development of a viable production sector in this region.
- Keywords
- Woody biomass, Whole tree harvesting, Harvest strategies, Economic analysis, Energy balance, CUT-TO-LENGTH, BIOENERGY PRODUCTION, CHIPPING OPERATIONS, FOREST BIOMASS, PRODUCTIVITY, PLANTATIONS, COSTS, CLIMATE, SYSTEMS, INPUT
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Citation
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication: http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-5919128
- MLA
- Vangansbeke, Pieter, et al. “Logging Operations in Pine Stands in Belgium with Additional Harvest of Woody Biomass : Yield, Economics and Energy Balance.” CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH, vol. 45, no. 8, 2015, pp. 987–97, doi:10.1139/cjfr-2014-0521.
- APA
- Vangansbeke, P., Osselaere, J., Van Dael, M., De Frenne, P., Gruwez, R., Pelkmans, L., … Verheyen, K. (2015). Logging operations in pine stands in Belgium with additional harvest of woody biomass : yield, economics and energy balance. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH, 45(8), 987–997. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfr-2014-0521
- Chicago author-date
- Vangansbeke, Pieter, Jeroen Osselaere, Miet Van Dael, Pieter De Frenne, Robert Gruwez, Luc Pelkmans, Leen Gorissen, and Kris Verheyen. 2015. “Logging Operations in Pine Stands in Belgium with Additional Harvest of Woody Biomass : Yield, Economics and Energy Balance.” CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH 45 (8): 987–97. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfr-2014-0521.
- Chicago author-date (all authors)
- Vangansbeke, Pieter, Jeroen Osselaere, Miet Van Dael, Pieter De Frenne, Robert Gruwez, Luc Pelkmans, Leen Gorissen, and Kris Verheyen. 2015. “Logging Operations in Pine Stands in Belgium with Additional Harvest of Woody Biomass : Yield, Economics and Energy Balance.” CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH 45 (8): 987–997. doi:10.1139/cjfr-2014-0521.
- Vancouver
- 1.Vangansbeke P, Osselaere J, Van Dael M, De Frenne P, Gruwez R, Pelkmans L, et al. Logging operations in pine stands in Belgium with additional harvest of woody biomass : yield, economics and energy balance. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH. 2015;45(8):987–97.
- IEEE
- [1]P. Vangansbeke et al., “Logging operations in pine stands in Belgium with additional harvest of woody biomass : yield, economics and energy balance,” CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH, vol. 45, no. 8, pp. 987–997, 2015.
@article{5919128, abstract = {{Due to the enhanced demands for woody biomass, it is increasingly relevant to assess possibilities to harvest forest harvest residues in addition to logs. Here, eight strategies for whole tree harvesting from clear-cuts and early thinnings of pine (Pinus nigra) stands in northern Belgium are evaluated. A detailed cost analysis using the machine rate method was conducted along with scenario and sensitivity analyses of the variables affecting the harvesting cost. On average, we found a much higher revenue for logs than for wood chips from forest harvest residues. In clear-cuts, a mobile chipper was more profitable than a road-side chipper. In early thinnings, on the other hand, the harvesting cost of logs was higher than for clear-cuts. However, the revenue remained higher than for chips, making the separate harvesting of logs and chips more cost-effective than chipping whole trees. In the latter case, an excavator, a forwarder and a road-side chipper were more cost-effective than a harvester, a tractor with trailer and a mobile chipper, respectively. Harvest of additional woody biomass required limited energy input compared to processing and intercontinental transport of wood pellets. However, at present we find very small profits from local additional biomass harvests. The low and fragmented forest cover and important sustainability issues further impede the development of a viable production sector in this region.}}, author = {{Vangansbeke, Pieter and Osselaere, Jeroen and Van Dael, Miet and De Frenne, Pieter and Gruwez, Robert and Pelkmans, Luc and Gorissen, Leen and Verheyen, Kris}}, issn = {{0045-5067}}, journal = {{CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH}}, keywords = {{Woody biomass,Whole tree harvesting,Harvest strategies,Economic analysis,Energy balance,CUT-TO-LENGTH,BIOENERGY PRODUCTION,CHIPPING OPERATIONS,FOREST BIOMASS,PRODUCTIVITY,PLANTATIONS,COSTS,CLIMATE,SYSTEMS,INPUT}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{8}}, pages = {{987--997}}, title = {{Logging operations in pine stands in Belgium with additional harvest of woody biomass : yield, economics and energy balance}}, url = {{http://doi.org/10.1139/cjfr-2014-0521}}, volume = {{45}}, year = {{2015}}, }
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