Technology has made great improvements in the harvesting equipment made available today. St Lawrence Lumber utilizes this new technology by using the state-of-the-art cut-to-length and forwarding logging system. This method of logging requires less road density, leaves less damage to the remaining trees, and reduces the effect of the two machines traveling through the forest, providing for an overall lower impact on future forest growth and allowing for the utilization of our natural resources.

The Process:
Cut-to-length (CTL) harvesting is a logging system that is comprised of two technologically advanced machines that work as a team: the harvester and the forwarder. The harvester goes into the stand of the trees. It has an arm that can reach out 25 feet in any direction since the arm operates off of a turret that can turn 360 degrees. The processor head at the end of the boom grasps a tree near the base, stabilizes it, and cuts it off near the ground. While the tree is still in the grip of the arm, a computer measures the diameter and sets the length in which the tree will be cut. The tree is pulled through the head delimbing it, cuts it to length and lays it gently in a small stack. The forwarder then moves in to remove the cut logs. As the forwarder moves through the forest, tree-tops and limbs are spread ahead of it as it transports the logs to be loaded on the truck. The limbs acts as a travel mat and keep the machine from digging up or compacting the soil. The limbs, leaves and debris remain scattered on the forest floor after the harvesting has been completed. The debris is good for the land. Soil moisture is held in the topsoil while the leaves, bark and wood decomposes. The overall habitat for everything is created or enhanced. The decomposing wood and leaves are nutritious to soil processes and the combination of moisture, nutrients and sunlight causes trees to grow faster.

Gary Reynolds, Richville Farmer "With a skidder you skin trees up getting them out to the road and going down the road. With the forwarder there was very little damage."

Jon Greenwood, Canton Farmer "One of the advantages of using the forwarder is there is less damage to the trees that are left. We have had loggers in before that used a skidder...any time you drag trees out with a skidder they will knock against the trees that are left...you get a lot of skinning on the trees remaining. The job that was done was nice and hopefully in 10-15 years we will be able to do another harvest."

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Skinned trees, damaged by tree length skidding...... turn into rotten trees

John Kramer, NYS/DEC Forester 32 Years "We discovered years ago in some research from St Lawrence University that more damage is done to standing trees by felling." "It (Cut to length method) does very little damage bringing the materials out. I've also noticed very little rutting done by this machine as opposed to different methods."

The U.S. Forest Service research shows that the use of a forwarder greatly reduces erosion and soil loss when compared to the traditional log skidder. Skidders pull logs behind them, and as they move through the forest the dragged logs tear bark off the trees that are left standing. And a skidder must make many passes through the forest to carry out the same amount of timber as a forwarder does in one trip. Skidding often tears up the soil creating massive ruts and causing soil erosion. The use of skidders can damage and even kill many of the trees that are purposefully left standing. That can drastically reduce the future value of the remaining trees, both biologically and economically.

The processor head cuts the tree and lays it in an area that is the least damaging to surrounding trees. After cutting the tree close to the ground, the computer controlled sensor measures the log lengths and diameter. As the tree is pulled through the delimbing knives by hydraulic rollers, the trunk is then cut into sections of optimal length for the targeted use and sale values. Cutting the trees to length at the stump provides composting material for the forest and eliminates the need for large loading areas.

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Tree Length Skidding (left photo) takes up more space and leaves debri, whereas Cut To Length logging system (right photo) leaves you with neat, compact piles.

Limbs and other wood debris are placed on the floor of the forest to reduce rutting and compaction. The forwarder walks lightly with a minimum of soil disturbance and tree damage. U.S. Forest Service research shows that this machine greatly reduces erosion and soil loss when compared to the traditional log skidder. Additionally, the debris adds nutrients to the soil, thus speeding up recovery time for the land.