Productivity and cost relationships for harvesting ponderosa pine plantations

Realistic logging cost models are needed for long-term forest management planning. Data from many published studies have been combined with simple simulations to develop relations that can be used to estimate the cost of harvesting plantation-grown ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) in western North America. For gentle terrain, whole-tree/log-length and cut-to-length systems were considered. Tree-length/log-length cable logging was included for steeper terrain. The relations are applicable for trees from 3 to 250 cubic feet. A stand-alone program incorporating all the relations is available.