Montana logging machine rates

Autor: Christopher R. Keyes, Steve Hayes, Elizabeth M. Dodson, Joshua P Meek
Rok vydání: 2015
Předmět:
Zdroj: International Journal of Forest Engineering. 26:85-95
ISSN: 1913-2220
1494-2119
DOI: 10.1080/14942119.2015.1069497
Popis: Montana’s logging industry has changed significantly over the past two decades. Increased operating costs and subsequent diminishing returns, combined with a shifting paradigm in regards to active forest management have had significant impacts on the economic and demographic make-up of the industry. One way to address these changes and mitigate the associated challenges of continued viability is through analysis of the factors and constraints impacting routine operational costs. To provide a resource for comparison between commonly-utilized logging equipment, the hourly owning and operating costs of select mechanical, ground-based machines were calculated using the machine rate method from data supplied by western Montana equipment dealers. The results were compared to historical cost data, and reasons for increased logging expense were studied and discussed. Inflation-adjusted operating costs for ground-based equipment appear to be 32–86% higher than 20 years ago. Reasons include increases in equipment p...
Databáze: OpenAIRE