Productivity and cost of CTL harvesting of Eucalyptus globulus stands using excavator-based harvesters

Time-motion studies were conducted to evaluate the productivity and cost of harvesting Eucalyptus globulus stands on flat and steep terrain, using excavator-based cut-to-length timber harvesters. The recorded data was comprised of 11 time elements of the harvester functions, including the following: machine movement and positioning of the harvesting head; cleaning or clearing of undergrowth and obstacles to tree felling or log processing; tree felling, handling, and bucking to 2 and 4 m logs; and the bunching of merchantable logs. It was found that the duration of the time elements is influenced by terrain conditions, operational layout, tree volume and form, lengths of the trees, and the resulting log assortments. Harvester productivity ranged between 5 to 14 m3 per machine-hour (42 to 84 trees per man-hour)