The purpose of the stewardship contracting authority is to allow public land managers to achieve land management goals while meeting local rural community needs. The authority's use is on the rise, and many regard stewardship contracting as a win–win mechanism for federal land management and a means of ending the “timber wars” on public land. This report provides an overview of stewardship contracting, with a focus on improvements needed for it to reach its full potential. A case study of the economic impacts of a high-profile pilot project of the new authority, the Clearwater Stewardship Project, is used to illustrate its potential. With impact assessment software (IMPLAN), I find that the project's total economic impact includes a $23 million increase in final sales for 206 industry sectors in eight Montana counties, 148 full- and part-time jobs, $4.6 million increase in wages (2003 dollars), $1.4 million increase in proprietors' income, and $570,000 in indirect business taxes. Over 85 percent of the impacts arise from the harvesting and processing of wood, while 10 percent arise from restoration activities paid for with the receipts from these harvests. The combination of harvesting, wood processing, restoration, administrative, and monitoring activities typical of a stewardship contract serves to spread impacts across a wider variety of economic sectors than timber harvesting alone.
With more interest in using woody biomass as an energy resource, the John Deere 1490D slash bundler is gaining in popularity for extracting logging residues from harvest sites. In the Mid-South, the winters are wet, and extraction from the forest is limited; therefore, energy facilities store up to 6 months of material to survive the reduced logging output. This study's goal was to determine if the slash bundles would be a good storage medium for wet winter storage. Five bundles from each of four different harvest sites were placed in open storage in southeastern Arkansas during July and inspected monthly through April. After the April inspection, a 5 percent sample was cut from each bundle and analyzed for British thermal unit (Btu) value per ovendry pound. The results indicated that the bundles would maintain their structural integrity through winter storage and that the Btu value per ovendry pound after the exposure was only slightly less than the average value used for wood (8,376 compared with 8,600). This would indicate that slash bundles would be a very good medium for storing these residues during the winter months.
The authors developed a general productivity model for the harvesters and processors currently used in Italy. The model consists of a set of mathematical relationships that can estimate the productivity of these machines under the whole range of specific work conditions faced in Italy. Such relationships can provide general directions to prospective users and can contribute to the development of scenario predictions. The original data pool contained more than 15,000 individual time-study records, each representing a single harvesting cycle (most often one tree). The records were extracted from 38 studies conducted with the same methods and by the same principal investigators between 1998 and 2008. Statistically significant models were developed for all cyclic work phases, such as moving, brushing, felling, and processing. Accessory time and delay time were added as percent factors, also estimated from the same studies. Model development aimed at achieving the best compromise solution between accuracy and easy use, avoiding the introduction of an excessively large number of input variables. Selected independent variables were tree volume, tree species, task type (harvesting or processing), machine power and type, density of residual stand and of harvest trees, stand type, and slope gradient. These models could predict a large proportion of the variability in the data and were successfully validated using reserved cycle records, extracted from the same data pool and not used for model development. Comparison with similar Nordic and German standards confirmed the sound structure of the Italian models while highlighting the need for specific productivity norms due to the different work conditions faced by Italian operators.
The aim of this research is to assess the impact of paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.) tree characteristics on wood color variability, grade recovery, and lumber value. Current results are based on 2,284 paper birch boards coming from 168 trees harvested in two different stands in Québec, Canada. Results showed that tree diameter was the most important variable affecting board quality and value. Larger trees were associated with higher board quality and higher lumber value per tree. Lumber value per tree was influenced by tree vigor as well but not by tree age. The most vigorous trees produced higher board value with an average of USD 316.62 per m3, middle vigor classes showed averages of USD 218.28 per m3 and USD 251.84 per m3, while the less vigorous trees had the lowest average with USD 165.94 per m3. Board quality was only partly influenced by tree age and tree vigor. When selected for color, the majority of the board surface area fell under the sap category (50%), while 28 percent was classified as regular presenting simultaneously both colorations, and finally only 4 percent of the board area was classified as red. It was found that the most important variables affecting this board color distribution were tree vigor and tree diameter, whereas tree age also had a significant but lesser impact. In general, older, larger, and less vigorous trees tended to present higher proportions of boards classified in the red category. Finally, the results obtained in this study tend to support the practice of silvicultural treatments aiming to produce larger trees yielding higher value and quality boards.
The objective of this study was to develop an efficient method for using crooked sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) logs by crosscutting the logs prior to sawing. We investigated the effect of crosscutting crooked logs on the sawing yield and the quality of sawn lumber and proposed an effective processing method. The sawing yield and the quality of sawn lumber were improved by crosscutting the logs one time. An economic analysis based on the processing intensity required for crooked logs, subjected to one-time crosscutting, and crook-free medium-quality logs was conducted. When the price of sawn lumber obtained from the crooked logs was equal to that of medium-quality logs, the net revenue obtained from crooked logs became nearly equal to that of medium-quality logs. The results demonstrated that the crooked logs could be used effectively by onetime crosscutting.
In this article we report the first in-depth investigation of quality measurement practices from a supply chain perspective. Quality measurement in a wood products supply chain was studied in great detail with the objective of increasing the understanding of quality performance measurement practices in a secondary wood products supply chain. Opportunities for improvement were also identified. A single-case study was used as the main research approach, with 30 interviews and observation as major data collection methods. Findings revealed a high degree of internal integration in the focal company, made possible in great part by a continuous improvement effort that expands all of its facilities. Opportunities for improvement were found in external integration, particularly regarding supplier quality management. A disconnect was identified between supply chain members in regard to quality information; particularly, there was a lack of true supply chain quality measures reflecting the contribution of each entity to the overall quality. Results from this research highlight the importance of adopting a systems perspective when designing a supply chain performance measurement system. Poor quality at any point in the supply chain is detrimental to customer satisfaction, hurts profitability, and eventually translates into higher costs for downstream business segments and for the final customer; the end result is a decline in competitiveness of the entire system.
As increasingly more companies outsource to Asia, US furniture companies' supply chains are becoming longer. To make their logistics networks more efficient, companies need to choose the right supply chain model, promote cooperation with their partners in the supply chain, and adopt new technologies to make better decisions and to manage better. Discrete-event simulation models are powerful tools that can be used by furniture manufacturers to perform what-if types of analyses to estimate the impact of their decisions on the overall performance prior to making any real changes to their system. We developed such a simulation model for a typical furniture manufacturer in northeastern Mississippi. By simulating the supply chain of the manufacturer under various scenarios, we show that outsourcing all of the business is not necessarily the best option because it may lead to a local reduction of capacity. This capacity reduction impacts the flexibility and profitability of the manufacturer. Outsourcing decisions may also be affected by product type. In general, outsourcing labor-intensive, slow-moving, and easy-to-transport items makes sense.
The purpose of this study was to examine product and supplier attributes that influence purchase decisions of hardwood lumber buyers in the United States. Specifically, this article explores the influence of buyer–seller relationships compared with other attributes. Results of an electronic survey of 78 hardwood lumber buyers in the United States (National Hardwood Lumber Association's hardwood lumber buyers list) show that product quality, followed by relationship with suppliers, overall service, and price are the top four attributes that affect purchase decisions. Respondent hardwood lumber buyers purchased more than 50 percent of their lumber volume in 2006 from their top two suppliers (Supplier 1 accounted for about 32% and Supplier 2 accounted for 19% of the total purchase volume). When comparing their top supplier with their second most important supplier, buyers indicated that the top supplier provided higher overall satisfaction, seemed more willing to invest resources and time, and had a greater long-term focus. Our results indicate that unless a supplier is the top supplier, opportunities for partnership and future profitability may not be realized.
Red alder, mahogany, maple, white oak, and pine veneer panels conditioned to 6, 12, or 20 percent moisture content (MC) were stained with red solvent-borne stain, partially coated with clear lacquer, and air dried. All of the hardwood panels stained at an MC of 20 percent were either significantly redder or darker than panels stained at lower MCs. Clear coating made panels darker and redder (except oak). We conclude that large departures from the recommended MC for staining (6% to 8%) can significantly alter the color of hardwood veneer panels stained with solvent-borne stain.
Activated carbon (AC) with high surface area and narrow pore size distribution was prepared from extracted Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) sawdust by alkaline activation through physical mixing. The preparation method has been optimized through the analysis of diverse experimental variables. Among them, type of activating agent and activating agent/sawdust ratio, activation temperature, and precarbonization have been studied. N2 adsorption isotherm and scanning electron microscopy were used to determine the BET surface area, pore structure, and surface morphology. It was shown that chemical activation with KOH can be successfully used to develop an AC with a high surface area from extracted L. gmelinii sawdust. When the raw sawdust was precarbonized at 500°C for 1 hour, physically mixed with KOH (mass ratio of KOH/sawdust, 4:1), and activated at 750°C for 2 hours, an AC with narrow pore size distribution, a maximum surface area of 2,659.4 m2/g, and a total pore volume of 1.21 cm3/g could be obtained. Hg(II) adsorption capacity of AC produced under optimal conditions was 318.47 mg/g, much higher than the compared commercial adsorption value. With a high surface area, narrow pore size distribution, and large Hg(II) adsorption capacity, the AC prepared from extracted sawdust waste appears as a very promising adsorbent for pollution control.
Particleboard was fabricated using hinoki (Japanese cypress: Chamaecyparis obtsusa Endl.) particles and different amounts of diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) resin (2%, 4%, 6%, and 9%) and phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin (6% and 10.2%). Four accelerated aging treatment tests were conducted to compare the durability performance of MDI-bonded boards with that of PF-bonded boards: two Japanese industrial standard wet-bending tests, a European cyclic moisture test (V313), and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) six-cycle test (ASTM-6c). The bending strength of the wet MDI boards increased with increasing resin content, and the strength retention after the treatment was greater than 50 percent, which corresponded to that of high-moisture-resistant boards. After the V313 and ASTM-6c treatments, the thickness swelling of the MDI boards with 6 percent resin content was less than 5 percent, whereas that of the PF boards was about 10 percent. The thickness of the specimens varied according to the resin content and at each step of the treatment for both the V313 and the ASTM-6c tests. The resin content equivalence for the two types of resin was determined based on the internal bond (IB) strength after aging treatments of both types of board. The MDI board required only 50 to 70 percent of the resin required for a PF board with a comparable IB quality. The superior performance of the MDI-bonded board was clear after all the tests except for the boiling treatment, in which no significant difference was observed between MDI and PF.
The fabrication of kenaf bast fiber bundle/unsaturated polyester composites with high (60% to 67, wt/wt) fiber contents was explored in this study. Mechanically ground kenaf bast fiber bundles were preformed into mats with a polyvinyl acetate emulsion adhesive. The preformed mats are easy to handle during subsequent processing with the unsaturated polyester resin and laminate compression molding. Fiber loadings as high as 65 percent (wt/wt) were achieved. The generated composites possessed high elastic moduli, and their tensile strengths were close to specification requirements for glass fiber–reinforced sheet molding compounds. These composites also exhibited higher specific tensile moduli and strengths than glass fiber–reinforced sheet molding compounds' specific modulus and strength lower bounds and those calculated from specification requirements for glass fiber–reinforced sheet molding compounds. If reduced void contents and enhanced interfacial binding can be achieved through improved processing, then natural fiber composites similar to those developed in this work have the potential to possess mechanical properties competing against those of currently used automotive sheet molding compounds.
The applicability of a dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) in determining the modulus of elasticity (MOE) of 2.5-year-old transgenic aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) was investigated. Fifty sample trees with diameters ranging from 8 to 14 mm were harvested from the greenhouse. The trees were from one wild-type group and three transgenic groups. DMA was used in static bending mode to determine the MOE of samples soaked in two different plasticizers: water and ethylene glycol. In addition, dynamic MOE by a nondestructive method and static MOE by a micromechanical test were determined. Results showed that DMA measurements were accurate in showing significant differences between the genetic groups. Although notably higher MOE values were obtained for dynamic MOE and static MOE compared with the DMA measurements, the trend of elastic moduli change across the genetic groups was the same for all three methods.
Safer, highly effective biocides providing long-term protection of mold growth on wood-based materials is of interest to the wood protection industry. Moldicide formulations containing synergistic combinations of ingredients derived from natural sources are commonly recognized as a promising approach for the next generation of wood protectants. Although fatty acid (FA)–based chemistry has had some development in food sanitation and agriculture, little exploration relating to new mold inhibitors for wood and wood products has occurred. Low molecular weight, saturated monocarboxylic acids combined with selected adjuvants can effectively inhibit mold spore germination. Specifically, formulations containing valeric or pentanoic (C5), hexanoic or caproic (C6), heptanoic (C7), caprylic or octanoic (C8), pelargonic or nonanoic (C9), and/or decanoic or capric (C10) saturated acid demonstrated efficacy against mold growth for up to 12 weeks in the ASTM D4445 standard laboratory test for mold. Pressure-treated wood was more resistant to mold growth than wood dip treated with FA formulations.