STANDARD COMPETENCIES

 

 1. Define appropriate terminology associated with timber harvesting

 2. Describe site impacts and ecological influences of various harvesting systems and how to minimize them

 3. Develop management goals which include wildlife and biodiversity, economic factors, and silvicultural prescriptions to

        design an appropriate timber harvesting plan

 4. Prepare timber appraisals, timber sale contracts, and assess logging costs.

 5. Demonstrate timber sale preparation, harvesting, and the safe operation of equipment in a field setting

 6. Evaluate the outcome of your post-harvest assessment in a well-written report.

 

 

 TOPICAL OUTLINE

 

 I. Overview of forest harvesting processes

     A. Historical logging porcessses

     B. Advantages and disadvantages of harvesting processes

     C. Relate past practices to present harvesting and markets

 II. Harvesting methods

     A. Felling

     B. Mechanized

     C. Cable yarding

     D. Helicopter yarding

 III. Reduced impact logging and best practices

     A. Roads

     B. Watershed

     C. Wildlife

     D. Soils

 IV. Harvest planning and timber sale contracts

     A.Timber harvest planning objectives

     B.Levels of harvest planning

     C.Summarize the harvest planning process

 V. Safe use and operation of logging equipment

     A.Safe use and demonstration of chain-saw and harvesting and loading equipment

     B. Characteristics of alternate logging equipment

     C. Emphasis on safety concerns

 VI. Post harvest assessment

     A. Assessement of logging costs

     B. Reporting the results