Implementation, methods and time-table of the studies

Some promising technologies for silvicultural and logging operations will be tested and demonstrated in the model area. The work sites will be used to survey also ecological factors and alterations in the area as well as multiple-use and by-product data. The timber and by-product data, productivity and cost figures will be a basis for the regional calculations of economical and social sustainability.

In accordance with the objectives of the study, tasks of the subproject are:

analysis and comparisons of the concept economical sustainability in forestry;
testing and demonstration of appropriate silvicultural methods and systems;
testing and demonstration of appropriate technology for logging especially in thin-nigs.
influences of different forest operations on the economy of the area.

The methods and technologies to be tested:

Regeneration:

natural regeneration
sowing
bareroot seedling planting
containerized seedling (manual methods), etc. (strip cuttings etc.)

Thinnings:

motorsaw + Russian forwarder
harvester + A
harvester + Finnish forwarder

Study methods in this stage of studies are:

Time studies and collection of productivity and cost data as a function of condi-tions.
Survey of regeneration results.
Survey of impacts on forest sites:
- Space for strip roads
- Damages on remaining trees
- Soil disturbances
- Wood volume of the stand
Collection of timber and by-product data
(Influences to supply of woody and by-products for local population will be studied by the subproject "Social sustainability)
(Ecological factors will be studied by the subproject "Ecological sustainability").

The timber amounts produced, revenues and costs of operations, labour inputs and impacts on the future growth and yield of forest sites will be calculated. Results will be enlarged to cover the Prjaza District.

Time-table of the studies:

The theoretical investigations will be carried out during the whole period of the project adjusted with the other tasks of the project personnel.
Field works will be conducted in the most favourable periods. Total field work period will be about three months per year.

The participants have the right to widen the initiative themes of studies within the limits of the estimated expenditures of the subproject. Besides the expenditures con-firmed for the subproject, the par-ticipants may provide software, equipment and materials to carry out the investiga-tions

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