Investigation of Damages Due to Forest Logging under Selection Cutting System on Stand and Regeneration

In this research, the logging and wood extraction damages caused by wood and paper companies was investigated. The average volume per hectare of compartments 17 and 28 of Waston watershed and Compartment 7 of Alandan watershed was more than 150 cubic meters. So, these compartments were selected as the suitable research sites. The systematic randomized sampling method with 1000 m2 circular plots was used to assess the damages to residual stands and 100 m2 circular plots was used to assess the damages to regeneration. Sampling in skid trail was done with one hundred percent inventory method with a width of 12 meter. Results of this study indicated that 3.2 percent of regeneration was damaged in felling and bucking operations and 4.8 percent of regeneration was also damaged after winching and skidding operations. Most of these damages occurred for thicket stage. The felling and bucking operations damaged 13.6 percent of the residual stand. The amount of damage to the stand after skidding including the whole logging damages equals 15.5 percent. Unnecessary damages to stand and regeneration could have been avoided by selecting the best harvesting method, skidding practices, adequate incentives/disincentives and appropriate supervision.