Biomass Burning Alternatives - Whole Tree Logging

This page last reviewed July 7, 2008

Whole Tree Logging involves cutting and skidding the entire tree, with the limbs still attached, to a landing to be developed into a usable product.

Equipment Needed for Whole Tree Logging:

• Harvesters for cutting the timber
• Skidders and/or tractors for taking the whole trees to the landing
• Delimber for making sawlogs or pulplogs
• Chipper for making wood chips for biomass plants
• Flail chipharvester for making wood chips
• Tub grinder for making wood chips
• Loader to load logs or pulp logs onto truck

  (Note: A self-loading truck eliminates the need for a loader.)

• Log & chip trucks

• Sawlogs -- delivered in log form to sawmills
• Pulplogs -- delivered in log form to pulpmills, particleboard plants, or ports for shipment overseas
• Biomass (hog fuel) -- delivered in chip form, which includes bark and foliage, to cogeneration plants
• Pulpwood -- delivered in chip form, which does not include bark and foliage, to particleboard plants and pulpmills

Cost to Produce Product:

(These costs are estimates and assume an average timber diameter of 20" or less at breast height and an average slope of less than 40%. The estimated costs do not include haul costs. Actual costs may vary.)

• Sawlogs -- $24 to $35 per green ton, or $170 to $250 per thousand board feet
  (assuming 26 green tons or 3,700 board feet per truckload)
• Pulplogs -- $22 to $32 per green ton
  (assuming 22 green tons per truckload)
• Biomass Chips -- $40 to $60 per bone dry ton
  (assuming 12 bone dry tons per truckload)

Advantages of Whole Tree Logging:

• Removal of ladder fuels increases protection from threat of wildfire
• Utilizes low ground pressure equipment
• Improves stand health and vigor

Disadvantages of Whole Tree Logging:

• Economics dictate the need for biomass plants or pulplog mills to be in place nearby
• Suitable only in limited stand types
• Potential for stand damage