Projects
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Forest Harvest Planning
Silvatech has developed over a hundred Total Chance Harvest Plans in BC. This plan is one of thirteen carried out by Silvatech over a 3 year period for BC Timber Sales in the Prince George Business Unit, British Columbia, Canada.
Using soft copy stereo technology, Silvatech identified all harvesting opportunities and identified the optimal location of all transportation infrastructure requirements for the entire operating area. This plan was verified and /or modified with supplemental, targeted field reconnaissance providing additional validity to the plan.
The plan afforded BCTS the flexibility to accommodate for other non-timber resource values by having complete knowledge of the operating area and the relative merchantability of respective harvest areas. It entailed carrying out a merchantability analysis for the areas incorporating the costs and values associated with each harvest unit. Road construction, silviculture, harvesting, log transport, manufacturing, overhead, and road maintenance costs were all incorporated into the cost structure of each individual harvest unit. These costs were offset by the stand value extrapolated from stand composition and site characteristics. The resulting merchantability value, combined with the TCHP product, provided planners a detailed information matrix in which to base future land base management decisions.
LiDAR Based Harvest Planning
Silvatech has been producing detailed Total Chance Plans in BC for over 20 years using 3D stereo-plotters, Lidar, and digital imagery. Operational planning has just gotten better with greater detail and consistency as LiDAR technology has advanced and costs have plummeted.
At Silvatech, we produce operational plans depicting block boundaries, access routes, road grades, slope themes, harvest types, deflection lines, landings, skid and yarding trails, leave areas, visuals etc. We can also enhance existing inventories making them more suited to operational planning.
Forest Waste and Residue Assessments
Silvatech is providing forest waste and residue assessments to the forest industry across the interior of BC. We were involved in the pilot studies with industry as the new waste and residue program evolved. We continue to stay abreast of the process developments and provide in-house course instruction and mentoring to our staff to ensure our services are complete and current. We make use of the latest technology for efficiency in the planning, mapping, field and GIS data collection and reporting / submission processes. We have field staff stationed in multiple locations for economical travel efficiency.
