Assessing the cost of stump-site debarking in eucalypt plantations

Mechanised cut-to-length (CTL) harvesting is commonly deployed in eucalypt plantations and is based on the application of specialised machinery for felling, delimbing, debarking and crosscutting trees directly at the stump site. Debarked logs are then moved to the roadside with dedicated forwarders for loading onto transportation vehicles. This study determined the cost of stump-site debarking, which was calculated between 1.7 and 6.7 € m−3, depending mainly on tree size. Avoiding stump-site debarking would allow reducing the overall stump-to-road harvesting cost between 11 and 17%, while making bark biomass available for energy or biochemical conversion. The figures obtained from this study are specifically valid for European pulpwood plantations and winter harvest conditions, but the underlying principles may hold a general significance. Further studies should determine the cost of off-site debarking, and the effects of bark removal on soil fertility.

► Stump-site debarking costs vary between 1.7 and 6.7 € m−3, depending on tree size. ► Avoiding stump-site debarking can reduce overall harvesting cost between 11 and 17%. ► Bark left on logs could be removed at the plant and converted into energy or green chemicals. ► Cost of bark removal at the plant should be determined and compared to that of stump-site debarking. ► Attention must be paid to soil fertility, which is affected by logging residue management.