Spatial Modeling of a New Technological Typification in Forestry Based on Multicriteria Evaluation of Skidding Technologies

Abstract

The study describes a new system of technological typification in forestry based on multicriteria evaluation of environmentally friendly use of common skidding technologies. A farm tractor, skidder, cable system, forwarder, and forwarder in combination with harvester were selected as model skidding technologies. The proposed model determines one of the four categories in terms of their environmentally friendly use: 1) Fully suitable, 2) Suitable, 3) Unsuitable – not excluded and 4) Unsuitable for every forest stand and individual skidding technology. The Saaty matrix was used to define weights of input parameters for multicriteria evaluation. The selected input parameters included: slope inclination, ground bearing capacity, risk of logging-transportation erosion hazard, presence and size of obstacles, skidding distance, terrain shape and age of stands. Stocking and areal representation of selected tree species were added to the evaluation of forwarder-harvester combination. Different equipment (standard tires, low-pressure tires, wheel tracks) and climatic conditions (dry, wet) were also taken into account in the evaluation of the model. A multicriteria evaluation was carried out by means of GIS tools in SW ESRI ArcGIS Desktop. The model was applied to the selected experimental territory in the upper part of the basin of the Oskava river and it was verified in different forest stands and terrain conditions in the northern part of the Mendel University Training Forest Enterprise Křtiny. Verification of model results was carried out in randomly selected stands with the overall area representing more than 10% of the total forest area in the experimental territory and more than 8% of the total forest area in the verification territory.

Keywords

• multicriteria evaluation
• skidding technologies
• digital terrain model
• technological typification
• technological optimization