Thesis (M.S.)--Northwestern University, 1933. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 80).

Thesis (M.S.)--Wisconsin State University-La Crosse, 1967. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [83]-87).

Black-tailed deer Odocoileus hemionus columbianus Richardson) were studied in the Nimpkish Valley on northern Vancouver Island to determine the effects of clearcut logging upon the ecology of the deer in winter. Because Provincial government biologists suspected that logging was decreasing the amount of winter range, and therefore the number of deer, on Vancouver Island, most emphasis was placed upon the interrelationships between logging, snow depth, habitat selection by deer, and nutritional condition of deer. The study was done during during the winters of 1971 - 72 and 1972 - 73 . The first winter was severe and had heavy snowfall, and the second winter was mild and had light snowfall. If deer sink deeper in snow than their chest height, they have a hard time moving. In the Nimpkish Valley, fawns had chest heights of about 17 inches, and adults about 22 to 23 inches. During the first winter, snow in the logged habitats averaged 4 ft deep, but snow in the mature timber habitats averaged less than 2 ft deep. There was more snow at high elevations than at low elevations. Snow was less deep than deer chest height only in mature timber habitats at low elevations. Snow was also shallowest in mature timber habitats having a high crown closure. During the severe winter, only mature timber habitats at low elevations with crown closures greater than 65% were used heavily by deer. The most important aspect of snow is not simple snow depth, but how deeply deer sink in it. When a hard crust formed on deep snow in the regenerated logging slashes, deer were able to move freely on top of the crust, and made heavy use of these areas for feeding. Deer also used mature timber habitats heavily during the mild winter. Deer made more use of timber habitats having a shrub understory than these having a conifer understory, probably because there was more food available in the timber having a shrub understory. Many deer remained as high up the mountains as snow conditions and food availability permitted. Generally, deer made light use of the logged habitats during both winters, but they used these habitats heavily in the spring. Deer were collected to measure their food habits and physical condition. Deer were not able to eat as many plant species in the severe winter as in the mild winter, and were in worse physical condition in the severe winter than in the mild winter. In the Nimpkish Valley, deer made heavy use of nature timber habitats during winter. In many other areas of western North America, black-tailed deer use logged habitats for winter range. However, the Nimpkish Valley is much more mountainous and has more snowfall than many other areas in which deer ecology has been studied. The habitat selection patterns of deer in the Nimpkish Valley probably occur only in areas having similar topography, vegetation, and climate. Most other studies of black-tailed deer have concluded that logging is beneficial to deer. However, continued clearcut logging in the regions of Vancouver Island having high snowfall will eliminate deer winter range and reduce deer populations. It is recommended that legging companies leave strips of mature timber, going from the subalpine to the valley bottom, and including winter range habitats, in all those areas where deer populations are desired. / Forestry, Faculty of / Graduate

The primary objective of this study was to assess the economic feasibility and profitability of the direct processing system for converting No.3 grade red oak logs into rough dimension parts. In the first part of this study, the cutting yields of green dimension parts and dollar value recovery from No.3 grade red oak logs by the direct processing system were estimated. A combination method of actual log sawing and simulated cutting was used to obtain the dimension yields. Two sawing patterns (live-sawing and five-part-sawing) and two cutting sequences (rip-first and crosscut-first) were tested for their effects on dimension yields, cutting lengths, and dollar value recovery. It was found that live-sawing resulted in significantly higher dimension yield than five-part-sawing. If followed by rip-first, live-sawing also resulted in higher dollar value recovery than five-part-sawing. Rip-first and crosscut-first has no significant differences in dimension yield, however, rip-first can recover more dollar value than crosscut-first if longer cuttings have higher value. The results of this study indicated that the combination of live-sawing and rip-first has the highest dimension yield and dollar value recovery if longer cuttings have higher value. In the second part of this study, the mill designs of the direct processing system for the various sawing patterns and cutting sequences were developed. The computer simulation/animation models for these designs were built using SIMAN IV/CINEMA. These models were used to predict the dynamic performances and production rates of the various mill designs. Based on simulation results, the direct processing system with one headrig saw can process from 17.8 to 20.5 MBF No.3 grade red oak logs and turn out 11 to 14.3 MBF Clear-two-face, 4/4 random width green dimension parts per shift. In the third part of this study, a financial analysis using discounted cash flow methods was conducted over a ten year planning horizon to determine the economic feasibility of the direct processing system that processes No.3 grade red oak logs directly into rough dimension parts. Under the assumptions of this study, measured by both Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR), all of the six designs evaluated are economically acceptable. With the highest NPV of $4,193,700 and the highest IRR of 29.6 percent, the design that uses live-sawing and rip-first with manual chop saws was found to be the most economically attractive selection. The profitability of the direct processing system, measured in ROS (Return on Sales), was estimated and compared with the reported profitability for the hardwood dimension and flooring industry. The results indicated that the direct processing system are more profitable than the conventional processing system for making dimension parts. The sensitivities of NPV and ROS to the changes in dimension part price, log price, labor cost, overhead cost, capital investment, weighting factor for part lengths, green cutting yield and drying and remanufacturing loss were analyzed. Dimension part price, green cutting yield and drying and remanufacturing loss were found to be the most important factors that affect the economic feasibility and profitability of the direct processing system. / Ph. D.

No description available.

The lumber industry today is both similar to and different from the nation's other major industries. The similarity stems from the fact that all of these industries have had a definite, well-defined transition period from an era dominated by many small, independent entrepreneurs to an era dominated by a small number of large corporations. The dissimilarity between the lumber industry and the other industries is that with the lumber industry the domination by the few large firms has never been as total in scope as that domination by the giants of such industries as oil and transportation. This dissimilarity has been the cause of no small amount of discussion and tension between various individuals and groups interested in the continued well-being of the lumber industry. The opponents of the large corporations claim that the trend in the lumber industry toward domination by a few firms has been just as complete as that experienced in other industries. Not only has it been complete, they claim, but the extensiveness of this domination has had a negative effect on the whole lumber industry, stifling competition and. driving the small, independent operator from the scene. Those who support the theory that this domination of the lumber industry by the few large firms has never been completed on a basis comparable to other industries can offer much factual proof to support their argument, and in doing so much evidence can also be offered to refute the theory that this rise to positions of seeming dominance by a few lumber producers has had a bad effect on the industry. These advocates of the cause for "Big Lumber” argue that if it had not been for the emergence of a few strong leaders in the lumber industry, giving to the industry the direction and guidance it so badly needed, commercial lumbering on a large scale may have been doomed in the United States. The purpose of this thesis is to open this argument once again with the intention of' proving that certain lumber producers did emerge to dominate the industry although that domination was never complete. Also, the attempt is made to present a sound case in favor of these large lumber firms as being the instruments which were actually to save the lumber industry and to guarantee its permanent future existence. The method used to prove this position will be that of a detailed historical study of the early lumber industry in the United States from colonial times until shortly after the turn of the present century. Such a study is definitely needed for it reveals the complete story of why it was possible for a few firms to gain a high degree of control over the entire industry and yet still allow for the existence of a vast number of smaller, independent competitors. Also, such a study reveals how the transition was accomplished. Finally, through the examination of' the lumber industry's early history, one is able to see quite clearly the significance of this movement to the modern lumber industry. The evidence unveiled by this study goes far in support of a major theme of this thesis, namely that the positive industrial leadership and influence generated by these few large lumber producers more than offset any ill effects their growth had on the lumber industry.

No description available.

This purpose of this study was to assess ground disturbance from harvesting hardwood stands with conventional rubber-tired skidders on slopes greater than 30 percent in Virginia. Special emphasis was placed on erosion, compaction and soil movement. Ten randomly selected study areas were clear-cut between September 1988 and August 1989; measurements followed between March 1989 and August 1989. Potential erosion was estimated using the Universal Soil Loss Equation and soil mechanical strength was measured with a cone penetrometer. Volumes of soil movement resulting from skid trails, landings, and waterbars were measured. Circular plots were used to estimate the percentage of each tract in seven disturbance classes. Descriptive data documented during the study includes land ownership, precipitation records, soil survey information, equipment (make, model, tire size), and volume of the products removed during harvesting. Results show a relatively small amount of soil disturbance associated with harvesting these tracts. Erosion estimates for seven of the ten tracts were below 1.08 tons/acre/year and only one was greater than 3.0 tons/acre/year. The erosion potential for these areas will decrease with time as vegetation increases. The primary source of ground disturbance within the harvested areas was due to skid trails, which occupied 3 to 10 percent of the ground surface. Tracts using overland skid trails experienced far less disturbance than those with bladed skid trails. Following harvest, the undisturbed area ranged from 73 to 81 percent on the ten study tracts. Scheduling practices, tract layout, and tract closure techniques concentrated in high risk spots, can greatly reduce the impact of harvesting steep slopes. / Master of Science

This study was conducted as a second part in the shear damage research project at Virginia Tech. The objectives were to verify the results obtained by Gallagher (1984) in the first study under normal mill operations as well as develop a method to compare and evaluate the extent of shear damage in relation to other defects present in southern pine lumber. This was accomplished through two sawmill studies and two kiln cart surveys performed in different geographic locations. Visible indicators such as stump-pull that are used to determine shear damage extent are often misleading. Stump-pull, used as a scaling deduction for shear damage, does not fully determine the extent of shear damage present. Shatter is often present in greater amounts over the cross section of the butt of the log. The recommendation of six inches of butt trim that was determined to minimize value losses in the first study is supported by the results obtained in this research. A trim of six inches removed 94 to 99 percent of shear damage in this study. Defects other than shear damage were present on dried and surfaced lumber. Drying checks and splits along with shake were often observed on the lumber ends. These defects often extend further up on the lumber ends, past the seven inch simulated trim. Shake was determined to be the limiting defect. Shatter, in the absence of shake, was determined to be limiting. Kiln cart surveys conducted at mills that utilize a large percentage of sheared logs can be an inexpensive and effective tool to enable mill personnel to determine the extent of shear damage in relation to other defects present on lumber ends based on green trim already taken. / Master of Science

No Abstract Provided / Thesis / Bachelor of Arts (BA)