Modelling the forest harvesting tour problem

Abstract

In a globalized market, forest management plans play an important role in the sustainability of forest enterprises. Several optimization processes have therefore been developed to support decision-making in forestry operations. However, important issues remain to be addressed, such as planning the allocation of harvesting areas and scheduling the harvesting teams that are contracted for these purposes. Harvesting schedules include different time scales and natural constraints, so that finding optimal or even good quality ones constitutes a highly complex combinatorial optimization problem. Efficient planning of harvesting operations can significantly reduce the costs associated with logistics and improve the economic performance of companies in the sector. In Uruguay, almost 75% of total forest harvesting operations for pulp production are carried out by contractor companies, so they are an important player in the supply chain. This study aims to optimize the allocation and routing of the harvesting equipment of forest contractors, which must be located at the sites to be harvested during the year. Numerical experiments over a case study based on realistic data have shown that realistic-sized instances can be resolved by standard mathematical programming software in a reasonable time. The mathematical programming model can also be useful to evaluate potential gains in joint planning by several contractors with respect to the costs incurred by separate planning; as illustrated also with numerical examples over the same case study. This model can be used to support annual forest harvest scheduling and equipment allocation for corporate contractors, leading to better quality plans and improvement opportunities.