Simulating Cable Logging in the Allegheny Region of Pennsylvania: A Case Study

摘要

The eight-county Allegheny Region of Pennsylvania is 84% forested and comprises one of the state's most valuable timbersheds. Much of this area is inaccessible to convential logging equipment due to steep slopes, poor drainage, and high erodability. For this reason, there has been a recently growing interest in using cable yarders to harvest these areas. A computer simulation model was developed to aid in investigating the feasibility of cable logging on a particular site in the region. Data used were those collected from a cable logging operation that was conducted on the Allegheny National Forest in October of 1986. The simulation model utilizes the SIMAN simulation language and simulates the functional elements of a cable yarding operation. The utility of the model was highlighted by comparing two plausable harvest unit configurations for a given site. The alternative with the shortest total harvesting time was then chosen. Several design features will aid in the expansion of the model as more detailed data are collected. In particular, the model is modularized by harvesting function, contains complete line-by-line documentation of the SIMAN source code, and contains a thorough discussion of the statistical methodologies used. Recommendations were made for further data acquisition and model refinement. (Author)