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- Info
Understory biomass reduction methods and equipment
| Author: |
Windell, Keith; Bradshaw, Sunni |
| Date: |
2000 |
| Periodical: |
Missoula, MT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Technology and Development Program. 0051-2828-MTDC |
| Abstract: |
This project began at the request of the Washington Office Fire and Aviation Management staff. They asked the Missoula Technology and Development Center (MTDC) to identify or develop equipment and techniques to help managers reduce extremely hazardous fuelloading (biomass) conditions in ponderosa pine ecosystems where managers wanted to apply prescribed fire (wildland fire for resource benefit) on a landscape basis. The biomass reduction would facilitate the safe use of prescribed fire to maintain the health and vigor of these stands, and make it easier to defend them from wildfire. One project constraint given to MTDC requires that the biomass be considered unmarketable. This means that the sale of products such as wood chips or poles can't offset the cost of reducing the biomass. The methods and equipment identified in this project should apply in other fire-dependent ecosystems. When MTDC began gathering information about equipment suitable to treat landscape areas before prescribed burns, it quickly became apparent that a comprehensive catalog would not be feasible due to the volume of information, as, well as the time and budget allotted to the project. To keep the size of the catalog manageable, the equipment that is commonly available and well known is not included (equipment such as chain saws, winches, skidders, excavators, loaders, nonleveling-cab feller-bunchers, and so forth). The catalog includes a variety of small and large pieces of equipment suitable for many different management objectives and budgets. Because landscapes needing treatment may cover thousands of acres, machines with high production potential are highly desirable. Stand biomass that has no commercial value necessitates low treatment costs per acre. Some machines were included because they were inexpensive. Others were included because of their ability to operate on extremely steep slopes or rugged terrain (equipment such as selfleveling-cab feller-bunchers, extreme machines, monocable yarders, and so forth). Specialty equipment and systems of many types (low ground pressure machines) were added to the catalog, and so were attachments to commonly available equipment (such as excavator and skid-steer attachments that are particularly effective and efficient in reducing fuel loading). The Catalog of Machines and Specialized Attachments section of this report is not a comprehensive source, but is a general overview of equipment available for manipulating fuel profiles before prescribed burns (or, in some cases, instead of prescribed burns). A reasonable effort was made to include most available types of equipment. The equipment and specifications come from data supplied by the manufacturers. This report is published only for the information of Forest Service employees, and does not constitute an endorsement by the Forest Service of a product or service to the exclusion of others that might be suitable. |
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