Quantification of Logging Residue and Biomass Generated by an Industrial Plantation Forest in Indonesia

The abundance of logging residues on plantation forests indicated the efficiency of forest harvesting. A research was conducted on pulp industrial plantation forest in South Sumatra of Indonesia to determine the causes for logging residue occurrence at every stage of forest harvesting activity and to quantify the logging and biomass residues. The logging residue volume and biomass from Acacia mangium plantation forest were calculated on a 12.14 hectares and 14.39 hectares plots (compartments). The research found various forms of logging residues including excessive stump height, left out clear bole stem, defective stems, cracked/split stems, branches and twigs above clear bole stem. These logging residues were found over felling sites, along forwarding trail and hauling trail, and on landing site and log yards. The average amount of logging residue was 29.33 m(3)/ha or 7.45% of the volume of harvested timber or 54.51 Mg/ha in the form of biomass. Judging from the causes of logging residues, it was plausible for the residues to be reduced through improvement in felling techniques, and conversion into chips or for bioenergy purposes.