Fuelbreak management with a multipurpose light tracked harvester

Rogai, Martino; Nati, Carla; Pellegrini, David; Picchi, Gianni

doi:10.5281/zenodo.17338385

Fuelbreak management with a multipurpose light tracked harvester

Rogai, Martino; Nati, Carla; Pellegrini, David; Picchi, Gianni

Publisher: Zenodo
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17338385
Repository: zenodo.org
Language: en

Abstract

The increasing risk of wildfires in Mediterranean regions requires innovative solutions to apply forest management and fire prevention. This study focuses on the performance of a multifunctional forestry machine - developed for timber harvesting in steep terrain - in the context of firebreak maintenance. The selected equipment is a KDH self-levelling tracked harvester designed for thinning. It installed a quick coupler allowing to rapidly switch the tool deployed. A processor head with grapple function (Woody 40) was used to fell and process trees as well as haul timber by shovel logging. Following, a mulcher was installed to comminute slash and shrubs, eliminating above-ground fuels. Parameters such as timber value recovery, fuel biomass reduction and operational efficiency were recorded. Felling, processing and hauling trees required 29 machine-hours per hectare while mulching was accomplished in 13 machine-hours per hectare. These preliminary results suggest that the proposed solution can significantly reduce the costs of firebreak maintenance in Mediterranean forests compared to the current system based on chainsaw felling/processing supported by excavator. The high off-road mobility of the harvester together with the simplified logistics in relocating a small-sized multipurpose machine offer a scalable solution for management of high-risk regions.

Full text

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101037419. It does not necessarily reflect the view of the European Union and in no way anticipates the Commission’s future policy in this area. Fuelbreak management with a multipurpose light tracked harvester Martino Rogai, Carla Nati, David Pellegrini, Gianni Picchi Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche –Istituto per la BioEconomia Wildfires in Europe 2 Factors influencing the occurrence of wildfires: •A combination of drought, low humidity, and record temperatures; •Lack of land management leading to the accumulation of biomass. Wildfires until the end of 2023 August. Source: EFFIS Wildfire risk prevention systems: •Infrastructures (fuelbreaks, firebreaks, roads, water supplies); •Fuel removal ➢controlled grazing ➢prescribed burning ➢preventive silviculture Credits: Ascoli et al. (2020) INTRODUCTION 3 Why mechanization for wildfire prevention? To reduce fuel removal costs through the introduction of innovative mechanized systems: •The same investment budget allows for the treatment of a larger area; •Site-specific “tailored” solutions with broad application potential; •Recovery of combustible biomass to offset part of the operational costs. Semi-mechanized work Mechanized work Manual work INTRODUCTION 4 Study site Silvicultural goal: opening of a Fuelbreak in Monticiano (Tuscany, Italy) with a highly mechanized work system. A single multifunctional machine can perform the following tasks: •Felling •Processing •Extraction •Shredding of branches and shrubs Monticiano (Tuscany) Species Pinus pinaster Aiton Density (trees·ha-1) 1974 Mean DBH (cm) 17 Basal Area (m2·ha-1)44.80 Mean height (m) 12.3 MATERIALS & METHODS 5 Lightweight Mechanization KDH Konrad Specification Weight (kg) 11600 Lenght (m) 6.9 Width (m) 2.25 Maximum inclination (°) 22 Engine (cv) 75 + Hydraulic accumulator to handle peak workloads Hydraulic Flow Rate (l/min) 175 Working Pressure (bar) 300 Crane capacity (m) 9.3 KDH self-levelling harvester, equipped with a felling head and mulcher, easily interchangeable via the quick coupler. MATERIALS & METHODS 6 Multifunctional processor head FELLING - PROCESSING EXTRACTION - MOVING TIMBERS MATERIALS & METHODS Woody WH40 Processor Head 7 Extraction of timbers MATERIALS & METHODS 8 Mulching branches and shrubs Possibility of shredding fuels 1. Reduces Vertical and Horizontal Fuel Continuity 2. Lowers Fuel Load and Bulk Density 3. Reduces Fire Spread Rate and Intensity 4. Modifies Fuel Bed Structure MATERIALS & METHODS Mini-BMS Seppi Mulcher 9 Time elements analysis RESULTS HARVESTING MULCHING