Download the Workshop Proceedings document Summary A wide variety of innovative, efficient restoration practices being utilized on individual National Forests of central and eastern Oregon. The purpose of the Forest Restoration Implementation Efficiencies Workshop was to address the need for peer-to-peer learning opportunities between forest industry, contractors, collaborative groups, and Forest Service staff to utilize these new, innovative, efficient approaches,...

Planning and implementing forest restoration projects on steep slopes in Central and Eastern Oregon is typically challenging due to the appropriate harvesting technology and the economics for these operating conditions. This presentation reviewed solutions to these challenges that include (1) planning and silviculture strategies, (2) use of appropriate skyline harvesting technology or new concepts with tethered-assist ground-based technology on steep...

The Sisters Ranger District has seen both Cut-to-Length and Whole Trees Skidding on our restoration projects over the years. Steven will provide the pros/cons of each system including production efficiencies as well as environmental considerations. Real-time results and pictures of cutting units that have been harvested from each type will also be shown. Download the Cut-to-Length vs Whole Tree Logging...

Emerging biomass conversion technologies, such as mobile biochar or pyrolysis/torrefaction machines, aim to use forest residues left after extracting merchantable timber or fuel reduction thinning operations. The residues generated from these operations typically produce low quality feedstock which may not be suitable for new biomass conversion technologies. In an effort to increase feedstock quality, we separated sub-merchantable trees and tops...

As a Base Manager for Grayback Forestry Inc., one of the largest private prescribed fire and firefighting firms in the nation, Dave oversees 75-100 Wildland firefighters on national and regional contracts as well as their associated service contract workloads from bases in John Day and Seneca Oregon. An active firefighter in many wildland roles in the first half of his...

Safe and acceptable operation of heavy equipment on steep slopes requires consideration of equipment operative configuration and soil conditions. Operative factors that affect safety are machine orientation and soil disturbance are cable, or “tether” assistance, site soil and moisture conditions, and slope. This presentation took two basic, technical perspectives to evaluate the operation of tethered equipment on steep slopes: a...

The advancement of steep slope harvesting equipment open up new possibility’s in fuel treatments on steeper terrain. Download the Steep Slope Harvesting with Ground Based Techniques presentation Read the Presentation Notes...

Conserving soil characteristics such as integrity, function, and productivity are always important in logging operations, but soil management is particularly challenging during harvest activities on steeper slopes (>35%). Soil conservation is important for future forest productivity, conservation of hydrologic function, and prevention of erosion, especially on steep slopes and above fish-bearing streams. Specific examples of equipment operations damaging soil include...

Historically soil scientists mapped soil resources and prepared interpretations for resource managers. They were viewed as “the resource specialists” who could describe landscape capability and response to management. As the focus changed to assessments of soil disturbances resulting from forest management, the role of soil scientist became one of assessing past and predicting future impacts to soil quality at specific...