Productivity and energy consumption in logging operation in a Cameroonian tropical forest

- Logging activities with selective cutting in a tropical forest were analyzed.
- Analysis focused on logging systems, productivities and energy consumption.
- The extraction operation by wheeled skidder and by crawler were compared.
- For the extraction operation, skidder use is preferable to the crawler.
- In the energy consumption, the main role was played by direct input (fossil fuels).

The logging activities influences the forests conservation and their management in the Congo Basin, for these raisons must be supported by an energetic assessment, and must be compatible with a sustainable forest management. This study aims to provide experimental data on working time, productivities, energy input of logging in tropical forests. The forestry company is aligned with the FSC forest certification scheme. The sites showed a good level of internal organization, but require more planning framework that allows higher interaction between management plans and harvesting. The mechanization level was high and valid for most of the contexts and the skidder use was preferable in order to maximize productivity and to reduce environmental impacts. The staff had already a good level of training. Ergonomics reached a good level even if the staff was stressed out by the environmental conditions. Energy inputs was mainly direct (felling and first processing operations, 57.37 MJ m−3; processing 62.10 MJ m−3; Logs loading 72.26 MJ m−3). Bunching and extraction performed by skidder was the best logging yard in terms of direct energy input (90.7 MJ m−3), productivity (10.187 m3 h−1 worker−1) and significant environmental protection.