Estimation of yarding cost of thinnings based on accessibility analysis by using GIS

Abstract

The information of actual working time on harvesting operation is indispensable to estimate yarding cost, because personnel expenses affect profitability of timber production. In this paper, we made relational models of access time when using vehicle and on foot, and estimated actual working time on harvesting operation. Actual access times of sample courses were measured by GPS and analyzed by GIS. In addition, we estimated yarding cost of fixed amount of thinnings by using relational models of access time.