If you are ready to harvest wood on your land or upgrade your current equipment, there are many factors to think about. It is important to spend time reviewing these factors to pick a suitable piece of equipment that you can use for years to come. Remember that there may be a few systems that will work well for you and your woodlot.

A lot of woodlot owners may have some knowledge of harvesting equipment but others are not familiar with it and how it can be used. Read on to know the factors that can affect your decision when buying machinerie pour terre à bois:

The Amount of Wood you want to Harvest

Whether or not you have a management plan, you probably have an idea of your project harvests based on past harvests. It can be as simple as the number of cords/m³ of firewood you need every year. Or perhaps you want to get a minimum income every year from the woodlot. Always think about how much wood you can harvest sustainably from the woodlot. In general, a productive, well-managed forest can grow a cord per acre per year.

The Products you Want to Harvest

Whether you want to harvest firewood, pulpwood, or sawlogs, you must consider these when buying woodlot machinery. Using small equipment and doing the world on your own may make it easier to harvest “specialty” products for woodworkers and artisans.

If you want to harvest firewood, an ATV may be enough if you don’t have a tractor. An ATV can easily handle smaller diameter wood. But, if you want to harvest wood commercially, you will need a tractor because it has more power and can haul larger logs.

The Amount of Money you Must Spend

If you want the operation to pay for itself or make money, you must determine the value of the benefits. This means roughly the amount the machine will save you and make for you in sales every year. If you will be using a tractor or ATV for other uses, you must also consider this on the benefit side. Then, balance this against the equipment\s cost as well as the operating and maintenance expenses.

The Woodlot Itself

When picking harvesting equipment, you must also consider what your woodlot is like. If your lot has plenty of steep slopes or huge trees, a tractor and a winch may be a better pick than an ATV. Some attachments like trailers don’t work well in rough terrain.

Moreover, you must consider stand composition. If you have mature areas that must be clearcut, you need a bigger piece of equipment to get the job done right.