ABSTRACT
The mechanization of forest harvesting activities has become imperative to their sustainability, seeking productivity gains and operating costs reduction. As the operating costs and the productivity of forest machines can be influenced by the volumetry of forests (m3/ha), knowledge of this correlation can be an important tool in the harvest planning. This study was conducted in eucalyptus harvest areas in the state of Minas Gerais. The main objective was to technically and economically evaluate the mechanized harvesting activities as well their correlation with volumetry of forests. For this, were applied linear regression statistics techniques and correlation analysis between the volumetry of forests and the productivity and operating costs of harvesting machines. The results showed a strong correlation between the volumetry of forests andproductivity of machines as well as operating costs, demonstrating increase of productivity of the machines and reduction of harvesting costs with increasing volumetry of forests. The feller buncher presents higher correlation, followed by the extraction machineries (skidder and clambunck skidder) and grapple saw, this one probably more susceptible to other operationalfactors. The volumetry of forests should be considered when indicating and sizing of the machines for harvest, as well as in planning activities in order to increase the productivity of activities and contribute to reduction of operating costs.
Keywords:
Forest productivity; Operating costs; Forest harvesting
