The aim of DEFOR is to transfer technological innovation to small forestry enterprises at any level of the forest wood chain. The task 1.4 deals with wood extraction in mountainous area where the resource is dangerously underexploited.
Its objective is to find new solutions to mitigate the technical difficulties of wood extraction in mountain in order to enhance its profitability and to develop this activity.
FCBA technological Institute in charge of this action concentrated on the particularity of the Pyrenean chain. The methods used by the professionnals of this region were inventoried and a study of the technics used by our European neighbour was carried out (Cf. Studies following). Several of them have been selected and are being tested.

Study 1 : The forest machine park in the French Pyrenean chain

The description of the machine park used for logging reflects well the forest harvesting practices. An inventory carried out on the Pyrenean departments reveals a main use of skidders which represent more than 71% of the logging and extraction materials. Those very robust machines aged of 14 in average enable to mobilize the resource near the tracks and drags, the drags being in charge of the standing tree buyer. Logging mechanization and skyline cable extraction have not yet their place in the Pyrénées. Only two French teams use cable extraction in the 6 inventoried NUTS 2. The need of renewal are estimated to around fifty machines on the period 2007-2013 which corresponds to the subsidy contract (‘Contrat de Projet’) in progress.

Study 2 : Moutain Logging : new trends in extraction techniques

Forest in mountainous areas represents 30% of the French forest resource. The harvested volume in the Alps and the Pyrenees are decreasing. New extraction techniques must be promoted. This article deals with few technical improvements coming from abroad. Cable-yarding benefits of the main progresses with the use of electronics that brings more safety and reliability. The integration of a processor head at the bottom of the tower yarder – all the components are mounted on a truck – makes it possible to log the trees with only a two person crew. Those improvements should contribute to increase the competitiveness of cable-yarding and to reach new resources with this friendly-environmental technique. Read the article

Test of new technics : first results

Two demonstrations were held on 27 and 28th November 2007 in the eastern and atlantic Pyrénées. They showed promising technics, and one of them particularly convinced immediately the forestry professionals participating to the demonstration. This extraction technique using a solid and light rope proved its effectiveness and showed real advantages in terms of speed, practicity of use and security. More information
The second visit was about extraction with a cable-mast, a method still seldom used in the Pyrénées.
Those visits were held in very good conditions and also allowed constructive exchanges between partners and visitors from Spain, France and Portugal in a friendly atmosphere.