Regulation of the forest road network according to applicable tree logging techniques (A case study from Tutunculer Forest Enterprise, Artvin)

Logging is the most difficult part of the production of raw wood materials and that occurred cutting, logging, and transport processes. Therefore, it is important to plan the appropriate route for the vehicles to be used in the logging processes in terms of economy and sustainability, while road planning. The purpose of this study is planning an efficient path for maximum benefits from harvesting by using of Mb Trac 900 forest tractor, Koller K300 and Urus MIII craned airline in Tutunculer Forest Enterprise, Artvin. The usability of the machines is regulated by different land classes such as slope, distance to existing forest road and logging processes. The forest road ranges and average weighted land slopes were determined with Digital Elevation Model (DEM) created from Geographic İnformation Systems (GIS). According to results, there were a total of 53+782 km of forest roads in the study area before the road planning, and it has been reduced 45+898 km, after created land classes. On this count, 7+880 km of forest road has been saved. 23% (323,95 ha) of the total area, the forest road distance is determined as500 m which has 45% slope based on MB Trac 900. The forest road distance was determined for Koller K300 craned airline 700 m in 467, 15 ha (32%) and 1300 m in 541,02 ha (37%) for Urus MIII craned airline. As a result, the opening rate is determined economically, ergonomically and ecologically as 100% in the planning unit using of logging technique.