Three independent case studies focused on harvesting operation value improvement: (1) A productivity study was carried out on a new cable logging operation near Pikeville, Kentucky to document the effect of professional training on production efficiency. The crew received one full week of professional training. Prior to the professional training the productivity of the operation was established at 834 cubic feet per productive machine hour at an average piece size of 54 cubic feet. Two weeks after the training a productivity increase of 218 cubic feet per productive machine hour was established. (2) A USDA Forest Service stewardship contracting pilot project took place at Burns' Creek, Virginia. Productivity and machine costs for the cable-logging 'swing landing' operation were determined. Stream habitat improvement was achieved through the placement of limestone in the headwaters. The yarder placed 6.21 tons of lime per productive machine hour into the creek at a cost of $53 per ton. Instead of a traditional stumpage sale, timber was merchandized by the Forest Service and stored on the landing for a roadside log sale. Benefits and opportunities for a roadside log sale were identified. Consensus from the consumers at the log-sale was that the potential value of the timber was realized. (3) The third case study involved the analysis of the value recovered through log-making techniques (bucking) for five logging crews working in Virginia and West Virginia. An average value loss of 22 percent was calculated using the HW-BUCK bucking optimizer software package. <i>[Vita removed March 2011. GMc]</i> / Master of Science