Steep-slope logging is not for the faint of heart. Here is a recount of some of my recent visits to some of the more severe sites where operators, machines and equipment are tested to the limit
Steep slope logging-Driving around the UK, you look at some of the forests planted on steep hillsides and wonder who on earth thought that would be a good idea.
When some of these steep sites were planted, it was horses, County’s and Fordson Major’s that roamed the forests, and none were capable of working on this type of ground.
It does make you wonder if the people who were responsible for the planning and planting programs had a crystal ball that foresaw the evolution of equipment for steep slope logging or if it was more likely to be that it wouldn’t be their problem when the forest reached maturity 😊.
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That’s a remarkable amount of work hours for a single machine, the Norcar 600 owned by Erkki Rinne is taken well care of, it even has the original Diesel engine.
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Kieran Anders is a forestry contractor working in the lake district. His work involves hand cutting and extracting timber using a skidder and tractor-trailer forwarder.
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It is not possible to eliminate chain shot, but there are simple steps that can be taken to reduce the risk.
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Arwel takes great pride in the fact that the mill has no waste whatsoever, “the peelings are used for children’s playgrounds, gardens and for farm animals in barns in the winter and the sawdust has multiple uses in gardens and farms as well.
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Timber hauliers need to encourage young blood in, and also look after the hauliers we have, we need make the sector a safe and positive place to work.
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Britain’s forests had been depleted after the First World War, with our tree cover down to just 5%. Action was taken to restore our forest area, so in 1919, the Forestry Act was passed by the government, and the Forestry Commission (FC) was established.
A large recruitment drive was launched for tree planters, and the first FC forest was established in Eggesford Forest, Devon.
It wasn’t long before the FC had established over 900,000 acres of forests throughout the UK, and by 1939, the FC had a workforce of over 4,300. The Second World War saw another huge demand for timber, and by 1949, 11% of our forests had been utilized in the war effort.
Another massive planting program was initiated, resulting in the type of forests we currently work in today. Planting was carried out in single species blocks of conifers and some of our largest forests were created. The Galloway Forest Park in Scotland, Kielder Forest in Northumberland, England and Clocaenog Forest in Clwyd, Wales, are perfect examples of this.
Privately owned forests were also instrumental in increasing our tree cover with tree planting grants available for landowners and farmers. In return private owners were obliged to apply to the FC for felling licenses as they also regulated felling on private land.
Most of the land the FC were acquiring was on a 999-year lease and tended to be marginal upland grazing land, which was of relatively little importance for agriculture. In the lowlands, low-value areas with peaty soils, heathlands, or felled woodlands were used for planting.
In the mid-1950s, the FC had a peak workforce of 13,600; the staff were either involved in planting or felling trees using axes and hand saws.
As time progressed, the workforce dwindled with the introduction of labor-saving chainsaws and the eventual mechanization of harvesting.
Today, there aren’t that many easy sites left to harvest in some areas; many of the straightforward jobs have been logged and replanted, so it will be another 30 or 40 years before they reach maturity again. We appear to be left with the more challenging sites where a lot more care and attention is needed during harvesting and extraction.
Steep slope logging isn’t for everyone; some operators quite enjoy the challenge it brings, while others have to keep an endless supply of clean underwear in the cab 😊.
Skylines were the pioneering equipment for steep slope logging, with the first documented appearance dating back to 1886. Radio control in the 1960s, grapple carriages in the 1970s, and automated carriages in the 1980s and 1990s have all helped improve efficiency and increase production, but they are still labor-intensive and an expensive system for extracting timber.
The first Traction Assist Winch I saw in operation was at the Austrian Austrofoma show in 2015; this event focuses on steep logging conditions with regard to soil-conserving timber harvesting.
It was a wet and miserable September when it was held, and I remember being amazed at watching a John Deere 1110 forwarder on tires load while reversing up a wet, greasy, sloped field, attached to a T-Winch. There was barely a mark on the ground where it was travelling, and I know from experience that a forwarder would have needed two sets of band tracks; the whole area would have looked like a ploughed field.
The event was an eye-opener, as there was a host of Traction Assist Winches to view, including an integrated chassis one on an HSM 208F Forwarder and a selection of
machine-mounted and remotely controlled tractor-mounted winches from the steep logging specialist HAAS Maschinenbau.
I was still uneasy about the thought of being dangled off the edge of a very steep slope with only a winch cable saving me from setting a new forwarder land speed record.
Since 2019, I have visited a few harvesting sites in the UK where traction assist winches were being utilized, and my fears have been put to rest.
Winch-assist systems have seen rapid development, adoption, and implementation in many parts of the world in the past decade and can be considered one of the major recent innovations in steep terrain harvesting. Although a relatively young topic, the literature surrounding this area has grown considerably over the last decade.
Workers’ safety in steep terrain harvesting operations has improved through the use of winch-assist systems, which remove workers from the numerous hazards associated with manual and motor-manual work. The extent of rutting, subsequent erosion, and soil densification after working with winch-assist systems was found to be similar to operations on gentle terrain or cable logging. Winch-assisted harvesting is considered more productive than conventional harvesting on steep terrain.
I have recently come across two very different techniques that are both safe and highly effective methods for working on steep ground.
Timber Max Traction Assist Winch.
I have recently visited three separate sites where Timber Max winches have been used.
RJ Fukes Forestry Services are the UK and Ireland distributors for Timber Max products, and they also offer a hire service on the T10 winch at realistic prices, allowing steep areas to be factored into contracts without breaking the bank.
The T10 winch is excavator-mounted and can operate at distances of up to 480m; it features an 11-tonne constant pull with a speed of up to 5.5 feet per second. The hirer pays transport costs, and the minimum hire period is two weeks. The hire includes operator training on the safe use of the equipment, and it takes around 40 minutes to add displays and set up the slope machines for work. Swapping the winch from one machine to the other takes just 30 minutes.
Dick Brothers Harvesting
My first visit was to the A7 near the Moss Paul Hotel in the Scottish Borders. The harvesting had been completed, but a brash recovery operation was underway.
Garry Humphries was operating a Komatsu 875 Forwarder for Dick Brothers Forestry Ltd and going down the steep hill head first with a Timber Max T10 mounted on the rear frame and fed up over the boom of a Volvo excavator via a series of pulleys. This setup lends itself well as a multi-use system, as the slope machine can be easily detached and used as a normal excavator.
Garry was travelling on the bare ground between the brash mats, and the photo shows that the soil structure is completely undisturbed by the harvesting, extraction and brash recovery operations. Garry felt completely secure when loading and travelling, and the Timber Max certainly inspired confidence on the steep hillside.
This was the perfect site to show the advantages of the Timber Max traction assist winch as the whole hillside is clearly visible from the busy main road, and now the work is completed, there is barely a mark on the hillside where the machines have been working
Elliot Henderson Group.
Our next visit was to the Ettrick Valley to another steep slope logging site site that was being clear-felled by the Elliot Henderson Group.
It had been harvested with a Komatsu 931XC and was being extracted with a John Deere 1910G forwarder.
The Traction Assist Winch was a Timber Max T10 mounted on a Case 220 Excavator; the harvester had used another T10 winch, which was mounted on a DoosanT100. These winches were mounted on the dipper boom, where the digging bucket would normally be located.
Each drift exceeded 300m, and the winch was situated at the top of the hill, with the forwarder reversing up empty and loading on the way down.
It was a very steep descent off the road initially, followed by a constant pull of 30-35% to the top of the hill. The forwarder was extracting to the road at the bottom of each drift with a Ponsse Buffalo carrying out secondary extraction to a stacking point a few hundred meters down the road.
This system was functioning well, with no visible signs of soil disturbance on the hill.
The forwarder had two headboards; one was positioned between the bunks, allowing the load to be kept tidy and secure when loading two separate bunks. The mid-mounted headboard can be easily moved with the crane and is designed to be mounted behind the rear bunk for uphill extraction.
The John Deere, with its rotating levelling cabin, lends itself well to steep slope logging, as there is less stress on the operator due to the 9° forward/rear tilt angle.
I spent around five hours watching the forwarder on the hill and was mightily impressed with the speed of production and effectiveness of the winch. The slow, constant winch pull, which matched the forwarder’s transmission speed, prevented any wheelspin or slipping on the brash mat. This is much easier on the equipment as diff locks are rarely required, and you are not having to slew from side to side on the steering to get grip.
John Smith
My Next visit was to another steep slope logging site in Dumfries and Galloway to see a pair of T10 winches which were on hire to forestry contractor John Smith.
This was another steep uphill extraction, which had been harvested with a Komatsu 951 harvester and extracted to the top of each drift with a Komatsu 855 forwarder. A 1510G John Deere forwarder was secondary extracting from the top of the drift to the stacking area.
The Komatsu had an extra rear-mounted headboard to prevent the timber from sliding off the back. Personally, I think uphill extraction is much easier on the kingpost, as the crane slews uphill empty and downhill full.
The drifts were only about 100m in length but were around 35°, which would have been almost impossible to move forward without a winch. The only other option would have been to hand fell the timber and extract it with a skyline, which would have been very costly.
John was delighted with how the Timber Max winches had performed. My visit came after a prolonged spell of heavy rain, with the ground being sodden, but from what I could see, there were no water issues as the brash mats were relatively undisturbed.
The Timbermax is an excellent solution which not only protects the soil structure but keeps operators secure on steep ground and prolongs the life of equipment by reducing wear and tear.
For more information on the Timber Max or hiring costs, please contact John at admin@rjfukes.co.uk
My last visit visit took me to Northumberland to see a completely different approach to harvesting steep ground.
Metsa Ltd
I had heard about Metsa, who were established just over three years ago and has its head office in Edinburgh.
Metsa provide specialist plant services to the forestry and civil engineering sectors. Their primary focus is operations in challenging locations and sensitive environments. They have worked with a wide range of clients from private landowners, Community Forests Charities, and large national and multinational contractors.
Their senior leadership team comprises a mix of ex-military and civilian operatives, all of whom bring extensive experience in their field. Our teams need to be able to problem-solve and adapt quickly to meet operational, environmental and our clients’ changing needs when operating in challenging locations or conducting complex tasking.
It was a chance meeting at a forestry function with Alan Brown, the Operations Director at Metsa Ltd, that got the ball rolling.
I have known Alan for a long time, and he explained Metsa’s approach to steep slope logging. I contacted Dave Godfrey, one of the company directors, and arranged to meet him at a site they were working near Otterburn in Northumberland.
The Valley where they were working was incredibly steep, and a fast-flowing stream ran along the bottom of the felling area.
Dave explained about the company’s aims
“We are committed to providing first class equipment, training and renumeration to our employees engendering retention through a sense of ownership and personal control. Being a veteran-led organisation, we are committed to providing opportunities for ex-service personnel and actively recruit and train people from this background. All of our machines are forestry specification and come operated by a fully certified and qualified operator, with our operators having extensive experience working and operating machinery in remote locations across Scotland. All hold the relevant CITB CSCS qualifications and cards and are fully first aid trained.”
Although a relatively young company, their equipment inventory is impressive;
Menzi Muck M545X – a 14.5T walking and climbing all-wheel drive excavator, capable of accessing difficult terrain and slope up to 45+ degrees un-winched with minimal impact, runs a wide range of high-capacity attachments.
• Menzi Master M515 – 14.5t a low ground pressure tracked excavator capable of safely operating on slopes up to 40 degrees and able to run a wide range of high capacity attachments.
• Menzi Muck M340 – A 11t walking and climbing all-wheel drive excavator capable of accessing difficult terrain with minimal impact.
• Komatsu 855 Forwarder. Medium weight forwarder capable of forwarding 15t complete with band tracks.
• Takeuchi TB290-2 – 9T low ground pressure excavator available with widespread tracks for soft and peat-related work.
• Takeuchi TB260 – 6T 360 excavator, fitted with forestry grab, winch and tree shear. Perfect for first thinnings, general forestry ground works
• Tracked Forwarder – 6T Tracked forwarder capable of being winched, and extraction of timber from difficult of sensitive locations.
• Attachments:
o 400mm tree sheer
o 600mm Grapple Saw and Powerhand Grab
o 600mm Harvesting head
o Monteberg Rock Breaker
He was also keen to point out the type of work they undertake
“We have invested heavily in specialist equipment to enable us to undertake works in environments where standard equipment would not necessarily cope reliably. More importantly, the operators of our equipment are subject matter experts on that kit and understand the importance of imbedding and becoming part of a project team. In essence, Metsa exists to deliver solutions where the route to ultimate success is not necessarily clear. Operating safely in a highly regulated environment whilst still maintaining the ability to think laterally and adapt in highly challenging situations is where we aim to provide value to our clients. We offer the following services:”
• Forestry ground preparation, access construction and environmental engineering. For example, We have supported the woodland creation schemes for three large estates on the Isle of Mull where we have mounded 230 hectares, built 15 kilometers of access paths, ATV tracks, and roads.
• Civil groundworks, with a focus on steep, remote and difficult terrain. For example, we have supported McGowan Environmental Engineering and SSE to install an 11KV cable to the Ptarmingan Station on Cairngorm Mountain.
• Woodland thinning and maintenance services as part of a wider management plan. Working with NatureScot has recently won a tender to manage invasive scrub on a number of SSSI sites across the central belt.
• Tree felling and removal services, for example, Ash dieback management projects. We have Conducted an extensive programme of thinning and Ash removal works for Hopetoun House Estate and Belsyde Farm and are working with a number of landowners to manage the impact of Windblown trees following severe weather in 21/22.
• UAS Ground Penetrating Radar, Photogrammetry and LIDAR Surveys, and associated GIS workflows. Each or project is directly supported by our own in-house survey team, enabling the operator to remotely plan and rehearse complex project evolutions.
• Steep Ground Harvesting and Forwarding. Our machines are capable or steep ground felling and preparation for extraction eliminating the traditional need for hand fellers on terrain a standard harvester cannot operate.
This clear fell was being harvested by operator Jamie Wright with a Menzi Muck Muck M545X with a Hultdins saw on a Powerhand grapple and working for Colin Robertson of Walton Logging Ltd who was the main contractor.
The Menzi is ideal for this steep slope logging work, thanks to its four independently adjustable legs; the operator and engine are always at a level position, regardless of the slope.
It was being harvested from top to bottom, and the site was extremely steep. Dave explained that the Menzi was capable of safely working on slopes exceeding 45°.
Every possible extra feature had been fitted to the Menzi to achieve the highest possible specification; a traction assist winch was also installed, providing the operator with added security when felling in the steepest areas.
The Menzi was felling the trees and them placing them into drifts with all the butt’s exposed and one way for Colin’s skyline to extract them to the top of the hill. They were then processed with a Tigercat harvester and then forwarded down a diagonal track excavated across the hill to the stacking area at the bottom. The track on the hillside would be reinstated once harvesting was completed.
This is a clever piece of equipment that is not overly heavy, weighing 13.5 tonnes, and features a mighty 4.5-tonne lift on the crane with an 8m reach.
Jamie was making short work of the felling and stacking the trees. He has over 5,000 hours of experience on the Menzi and could work it to its full potential.
This was one of the steepest harvesting sites I had ever seen; it would have been incredibly difficult for chainsaw operators to work without losing their footing, and with a high percentage of windblown timber, it would have been extremely hazardous and impossible to lay out all the trees in one direction.
The Menzi had a 360° high-volume Steelwrist fitted between the grapple and dipper, and this made it look easy to manoeuvre the felled trees into position.
Dave utilizes his extensive military training to ensure that every job they undertake has been meticulously planned down to the finest detail. They are a tech-oriented company that uses drones equipped with Lidar to create a 3D representation of the ground they will be working on, collaborating with Glasgow University.
The speed that the trees were disappearing in front of the Menzi was incredible; depending on the ground conditions and tree size, Jamie has been achieving around 200m³ per day.
About three years is the length of time they keep the Menzi Muck in these conditions, and they are committed to offering their clients a professional and prompt service using the best equipment available.
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