Evaluación de dos métodos de cosecha forestal en plantaciones de Tectona grandis de la empresa NOVOPAN del Ecuador S.A.

Abstract

This research aimed to evaluate two methods of forest harvesting in Tectona grandis plantations of the NOVOPAN Company in Ecuador. An experimental design of correlational type was structured. The processes of two types of harvests were studied, the semi-mechanized and the traditional ones carried out in the Los Angeles area of Los Ríos province. First, a survey of topographic data was carried out to delimit the study area in order to determine the processes of each type of harvest. For the semi-mechanized harvest, three processes were considered, the first of felling, chopping and stacking; the second of strobea, winching and hauling, the third of loading and blunting. It was considered the times of the processes and sub-processes were timed and the volumes of wood were measured. For the traditional harvest, there were two processes were carried out with a chainsaw, cleaning the safety zone or escape routes, and then proceeding to chop and measure, dragging and loading with people. The activities of each process and sub-process were described and the payments of the workers in charge were established. Finally, the yields in cubic meters and dollars were calculated, as well as the operating expenses and the benefit/cost ratio of the crops. Semi-mechanized harvesting resulted in triple the yield of traditional harvesting, with higher operating expenses of $ 64.20 vs. $ 47.07 per hour, respectively, but with better benefits relative to expenses. It was shown that in the semi-mechanized harvest, for every dollar invested, 4.55 times that amount is recovered, while the traditional one only recovers 2.07. It was concluded that the semi-mechanized harvest is faster and with higher yields. It is recommended to avoid the prolonged use of the traditional harvest to avoid monetary losses.