FM FM Timber Harvesting & Operations 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which harvesting method removes all trees in a stand simultaneously, creating a large open area?
- Shelterwood cut
- Clearcutting (Correct answer)
- Selective cut
- Seed-tree cut
Correct answer: Clearcutting
Clearcutting removes all trees in a stand at once, creating full sunlight conditions favored by shade-intolerant species.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of a skid trail in logging operations?
- Provide wildlife corridors
- Move felled logs to a landing (Correct answer)
- Mark property boundaries
- Establish firebreaks
Correct answer: Move felled logs to a landing
Skid trails are paths used by skidders or other equipment to drag logs from the cutting area to a central landing for processing.
Question 3: In a shelterwood harvest system, the final removal cut is done to:
- Harvest mature trees before a new cohort establishes
- Remove the overstory once seedling regeneration is established (Correct answer)
- Create snags for wildlife habitat
- Prepare the site for planting
Correct answer: Remove the overstory once seedling regeneration is established
The final removal cut in a shelterwood system eliminates residual overstory trees after a new generation of seedlings is sufficiently established beneath them.
Question 4: Best Management Practices (BMPs) in timber harvesting are primarily designed to protect:
- Worker wages
- Soil and water quality (Correct answer)
- Timber market prices
- Equipment from damage
Correct answer: Soil and water quality
BMPs are guidelines designed to minimize erosion and sedimentation, protecting soil integrity and water quality in streams and wetlands near harvest sites.
Question 5: What is a 'landing' in a timber harvesting operation?
- An area where helicopter logs are loaded
- A central area where logs are gathered, processed, and loaded for transport (Correct answer)
- A wetland buffer strip
- A seed storage facility
Correct answer: A central area where logs are gathered, processed, and loaded for transport
A landing (also called a log deck or yarding area) is a cleared area where logs are collected, delimbed, bucked, and loaded onto trucks.
Question 6: Which logging system is most appropriate for harvesting on steep slopes to minimize soil disturbance?
- Ground skidding
- Cable yarding (Correct answer)
- Forwarder extraction
- Horse logging
Correct answer: Cable yarding
Cable yarding systems suspend logs above the ground during transport, significantly reducing soil compaction and erosion on steep terrain.
FM FM Timber Harvesting & Operations 1
Which harvesting method removes all trees in a stand simultaneously, creating a large open area?