Kellogg, Loren D.; Milota, Ginger V.; Stringham, Ben. 1998. Logging planning and layout costs for thinning: experience from the Willamette Young Stand Project. Res. Contrib. 20. Corvallis, OR: Oregon State University, Forest Research Laboratory. 20 p.
Logging planning and layout costs were examined for commercial thinning of40- to 50-yr-old stands of Douglas-fir on the Willamette National Forest in theCascade Mountains of Oregon. The study consisted of four replications of threesilvicultural treatments. Thinning involved three types of logging systems: mecha-nized cut-to-length (a combination of single-grip harvester and forwarder), tractor,and skyline. Data for the study came from two sources: activities completed bythe Forest Service in preparing sales for bid, and the layout completed by thelogging contractor after a contract was awarded. Planning and layout costsshowed no consistent relationship to type of silvicultural treatment. Loggingcontractor layout costs showed a relationship to type of logging system: themechanized system had the lowest layout cost, followed by the tractor systems,with the skyline systems having the highest costs.