Evaluation of animal logging in the mixed broadleaved mountain forest: Economic and environmental impacts

Abstract

This investigation assessed the economic and environmental impacts of small-scale wood logging by mules in the mixed broadleaved mountain forest. To develop a time prediction model, all measurements of time are replaced by their decadic logarithms. Unit cost was calculated by two methods: (i) as usual, division of the system cost by average productivity per hour, (ii) on the basis of the developed logarithmic models. To investigate the residual damage a 100% inventory method was employed in pre- and post-hauling, alongside the mule trail. A core sampling technique of bulk density was used for determining the degree of soil compaction, and soil disturbed widths were measured at a 5-m interval in the mule hauling direction. In this research, computed unit cost was 17.2 EUR·m^–3 and estimated unit cost by the logarithmic model was 16.2 EUR·m^–3. This result highlights the time consumption which estimated by the developed model was at a close ratio with real time (average at 95%). In terms of environmental impact, the results indicated that 5.7% of regenerations and 0% of trees were damaged. Also we found that the increased bulk density was not significant (P = 0.903) and only about 0.2% of the total area was disturbed.