Integrating Detailed Timber Assortments into Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS)-Based Assessments of Logging Recoveries

The methodology presented here can assist in making timber markets more efficient when assessing the value of harvestable timber stands and the amounts of timber assortments during the planning of harvesting operations. Information on wood quality and timber assortments is essential for wood valuati...

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Main Authors: Blanca Sanz, Jukka Malinen, Sanna Sirparanta, Jussi Peuhkurinen, Vesa Leppänen, Timo Melkas, Kirsi Riekki, Tuomo Kauranne, Mikko Vastaranta, Timo Tokola
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-09-01
Series:Forests
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/12/9/1221
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spelling doaj-f52584aadaf44c1895a47609f3fefd602021-09-26T00:10:41ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072021-09-01121221122110.3390/f12091221Integrating Detailed Timber Assortments into Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS)-Based Assessments of Logging RecoveriesBlanca Sanz0Jukka Malinen1Sanna Sirparanta2Jussi Peuhkurinen3Vesa Leppänen4Timo Melkas5Kirsi Riekki6Tuomo Kauranne7Mikko Vastaranta8Timo Tokola9School of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistokatu 7, FI-80101 Joensuu, FinlandMetsäteho Ltd., Vernissakatu 1, FI-01300 Vantaa, FinlandSuomen Metsäkeskus, Aleksanterinkatu 18 A, FI-15140 Lahti, FinlandArbonaut Ltd., Kaislakatu 2, FI-80130 Joensuu, FinlandArbonaut Ltd., Kaislakatu 2, FI-80130 Joensuu, FinlandMetsäteho Ltd., Vernissakatu 1, FI-01300 Vantaa, FinlandMetsäteho Ltd., Vernissakatu 1, FI-01300 Vantaa, FinlandArbonaut Ltd., Kaislakatu 2, FI-80130 Joensuu, FinlandSchool of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistokatu 7, FI-80101 Joensuu, FinlandSchool of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistokatu 7, FI-80101 Joensuu, FinlandThe methodology presented here can assist in making timber markets more efficient when assessing the value of harvestable timber stands and the amounts of timber assortments during the planning of harvesting operations. Information on wood quality and timber assortments is essential for wood valuation and procurement planning as varying wood dimensions and qualities may be utilized and refined in different places, including sawmills, plywood mills, pulp mills, heating plants or combined heat and power plants. We investigate here alternative approaches for generating detailed timber assortments for Norway spruce (<i>Picea abies</i> (L.) H.Karst.), Scots pine (<i>Pinus sylvestris</i> L.) and birch (<i>Betula</i> spp.) from airborne laser scanning (ALS) data, aerial images, harvester data and field data. For this purpose, we used 665 circular plots, and logging recovery information recorded from 249 clear-cut stands using cut-to-length harvesters. We estimated timber assortment volumes, economic values and wood paying capabilities (WPC) for each stand in different bucking scenarios, and used the resulting timber assortment estimates to assess logging recoveries. The bucking scenarios were (1) bucking-to-value using maximum sawlog and pulpwood volumes excluding quality (theoretical maximum), and (2) bucking-to-value using sawlog lengths at 30 cm intervals for Norway spruce and Scots pine and veneer logs of lengths 4.7 m, 5.0 m, 6.0 m and 6.7 m for birch, either excluding quality (the usual business practice) or including quality (a novel business practice). The results showed that our procedure can assist in locating stands that are likely to be more valuable and have the desired timber assortment distributions. We conclude that the method can estimate WPC with root mean square errors of 28.7%, 66.0% and 45.7% in Norway spruce, Scots pine and birch, respectively, for sawlogs and 19.3%, 63.7% and 29.5% for pulpwood.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/12/9/1221timber stand valuationtimber assortment recoverycut-to-length (CTL) harvesterharvesting operationsforest planningwood procurement
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Blanca Sanz
Jukka Malinen
Sanna Sirparanta
Jussi Peuhkurinen
Vesa Leppänen
Timo Melkas
Kirsi Riekki
Tuomo Kauranne
Mikko Vastaranta
Timo Tokola
spellingShingle Blanca Sanz
Jukka Malinen
Sanna Sirparanta
Jussi Peuhkurinen
Vesa Leppänen
Timo Melkas
Kirsi Riekki
Tuomo Kauranne
Mikko Vastaranta
Timo Tokola
Integrating Detailed Timber Assortments into Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS)-Based Assessments of Logging Recoveries
Forests
timber stand valuation
timber assortment recovery
cut-to-length (CTL) harvester
harvesting operations
forest planning
wood procurement
author_facet Blanca Sanz
Jukka Malinen
Sanna Sirparanta
Jussi Peuhkurinen
Vesa Leppänen
Timo Melkas
Kirsi Riekki
Tuomo Kauranne
Mikko Vastaranta
Timo Tokola
author_sort Blanca Sanz
title Integrating Detailed Timber Assortments into Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS)-Based Assessments of Logging Recoveries
title_short Integrating Detailed Timber Assortments into Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS)-Based Assessments of Logging Recoveries
title_full Integrating Detailed Timber Assortments into Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS)-Based Assessments of Logging Recoveries
title_fullStr Integrating Detailed Timber Assortments into Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS)-Based Assessments of Logging Recoveries
title_full_unstemmed Integrating Detailed Timber Assortments into Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS)-Based Assessments of Logging Recoveries
title_sort integrating detailed timber assortments into airborne laser scanning (als)-based assessments of logging recoveries
publisher MDPI AG
series Forests
issn 1999-4907
publishDate 2021-09-01
description The methodology presented here can assist in making timber markets more efficient when assessing the value of harvestable timber stands and the amounts of timber assortments during the planning of harvesting operations. Information on wood quality and timber assortments is essential for wood valuation and procurement planning as varying wood dimensions and qualities may be utilized and refined in different places, including sawmills, plywood mills, pulp mills, heating plants or combined heat and power plants. We investigate here alternative approaches for generating detailed timber assortments for Norway spruce (<i>Picea abies</i> (L.) H.Karst.), Scots pine (<i>Pinus sylvestris</i> L.) and birch (<i>Betula</i> spp.) from airborne laser scanning (ALS) data, aerial images, harvester data and field data. For this purpose, we used 665 circular plots, and logging recovery information recorded from 249 clear-cut stands using cut-to-length harvesters. We estimated timber assortment volumes, economic values and wood paying capabilities (WPC) for each stand in different bucking scenarios, and used the resulting timber assortment estimates to assess logging recoveries. The bucking scenarios were (1) bucking-to-value using maximum sawlog and pulpwood volumes excluding quality (theoretical maximum), and (2) bucking-to-value using sawlog lengths at 30 cm intervals for Norway spruce and Scots pine and veneer logs of lengths 4.7 m, 5.0 m, 6.0 m and 6.7 m for birch, either excluding quality (the usual business practice) or including quality (a novel business practice). The results showed that our procedure can assist in locating stands that are likely to be more valuable and have the desired timber assortment distributions. We conclude that the method can estimate WPC with root mean square errors of 28.7%, 66.0% and 45.7% in Norway spruce, Scots pine and birch, respectively, for sawlogs and 19.3%, 63.7% and 29.5% for pulpwood.
topic timber stand valuation
timber assortment recovery
cut-to-length (CTL) harvester
harvesting operations
forest planning
wood procurement
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/12/9/1221
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