Trends and Perspectives in Coppice Harvesting

Coppice management is applied to many species, in many countries and in many ways, so that several harvesting techniques have been developed depending on specific local conditions. However, all techniques designed for handling coppice stands must be suitable for coping with small stem size and stump crowding, and often with steep and generally difficult terrain. Traditional harvesting systems are labor intensive because they usually include motor-manual felling and processing into one-meter lengths at the stump site, and manual loading of the short logs onto pack animals or tractors. Thus, in industrialized countries, these systems are no longer viable and they are being replaced with mechanized cut-to-length and whole-tree harvesting, depending on site conditions. Mechanization dramatically improves worker safety, and compensates for the reduced availability of rural labor, with their propensity to perform heavy and low-paying jobs. Much progress has already been made, with the massive introduction of modern harvesters, forwarders and tower yarders in coppice harvesting operations. The presence of multiple stems on the same stump offers a serious challenge to the introduction of mechanized felling to coppice harvesting operations, because stump crowding hinders felling head movements. However, new machines have been designed that can handle coppice stumps. Further research should address the relationship between stump damage and regeneration vigor, in order to define new standards for cut quality. Silvicultural practice may need adapting to the new harvesting technology and to the products required by the modern bio-economy.