Långa toppar - metod för uttag av skogsbränsle i slutavverkningar : Slutrapport (STEM-projekt 21937-1)

SammanfattningHögskolan Dalarna har i samarbete med Skogsägarna Mellanskog, Naturbränsle i Mellan¬sverige AB och GDE-Net genomfört studier på en ny metod för uttag av skogsbränsle från slutavverkningar. Metoden går ut på att timmer tas ut som enda rundvirkessortiment. Resten av trädet, samt klenare träd som inte håller timmerdimension, tas ut som ett bränslesortiment. Metoden har jämförts med en konventionell slutavverkning med uttag av timmer, massaved och GROT-flis.Enligt genomförda försök skulle en avverkning enligt den nya metoden (långa toppar) ge ett högre drivningsnetto och drygt dubbelt så mycket bränsleflis som en konventionell avverk¬ning. En anledning till det högre drivningsnettot är att kostnaden för flisning blir lägre än vid flisning av GROT och att flisen betalas bättre än GROT-flis. Resultaten är beroende av de faktiska beståndsförutsättningarna och gällande prisrelationer mellan massaved och bränsle¬flis.Faktorer som har en positiv inverkan på drivningsnettot vid uttag av ”långa toppar” är t.ex. stora uttagsvolymer och korta terrängtransportavstånd samt bestånd med en hög andel virke av låg kvalitet eller udda sortiment som betalas dåligt på rundvirkesmarknaden.SummaryIn Sweden forest energy from final felling is traditionally harvested as logging residues after harvesting of timber (saw logs) and pulpwood, but depending on the market situation other methods with higher yield of forest energy might be of interest. Dalarna University has study a new method called “Undelimbed long tops” where only saw timber was taken out as an industrial assortment. The rest of the trees and smaller trees that don’t hold timber dimensions was left intact on the clear-felled area and been chipped later on. The study was done in different stands with some different conditions. The results have been compared with the traditional method for final felling. The surplus (forest owners net income) was higher in almost all stands when the method with “undelimbed long tops” was used, compared to the traditional method for taking out forest energy, and the volume of chips was more than doubled. A reason for the higher income from long tops is that the costs for chipping is lower and the prize of chips is higher compared to chips from logging residues. Other reason is that forest owners will not be paid for wasted pulpwood, but will be fully paid for the chips from such pulpwood. Factors that will have a positive influence on the ULT-method are for example large logging volumes and short distance between the logging area and the landing, different kinds of price reductions on pulpwood and large volumes of rotten wood or low paid industrial assortments.

Quality management for vital forest tree seedlings : Final report, Project no: P33854-1

The work concerns development of a prototype molecular tests to identify vitality status of conifer seedlings. The work is done by NSure, Holland, Dalarna University and SUAS. In case for spruce, a successful validation experiment has been performed to validate the identified frost tolerance and vitality genes. Multiple indicators were identified that can be used to either reinforce the existing ColdnSure test, but also for development of a vitality test. The identified frost tolerance and vitality genes for pine still need to be validated. NSure together with Dalarna University aim to perform a validation next season. Multiple LN indicators were identified in spruce that can be used to determine the effectiveness of a LN treatment, but they are not yet validated. In spruce and pine hardly any scientific research is performed to study the effect of a LN treatment, particularly not at molecular level. Therefore NSure together with Dalarna Research Station want to apply for a project. Within this project, we would be able to develop the tests further.

Strategic alliances in a town centre : Stakeholder’s perceptions of property owner’s role

In order for town centres to manage increased competition in retailing, co-operation between stakeholders in a strategic alliance has become more important. A typical set of stakeholders in a strategic alliance for strengthening retailingare retailers, local authorities and property owners. The roles of retailer’sand local authorities’ are well researched. However, the role of property owners is not. The aim of this paper seeks to unfold the role of property owners in a strategic alliance. This is a case study of a medium-sized town in which semi-structured interviews with different stakeholders were conducted. In the chosen town there is a TCM alliance co-operation at work. The above mentioned stakeholders are possible members in an alliance. The case studied shows a fragmented property owner market with no dominant property owner, as it is in many medium-sized towns. Our study shows that many stakeholders look at the role of property owners as crucial for town centre development. However, property owners do not see that they can significantly contribute to or benefit from the development.The main reasons for this opinion are that they consider themselves as not having enough resources or the capability to influence the town development.

Outdoor performance of forest seedlings pre-cultivated under artificial lights : effects of the light spectra used for pre-cultivation on the future establishment and development

Forest nurseries are essential for producing good quality seedlings, thus being a key element in the reforestation process. With increasing climate change awareness, nursery managers are looking for new tools that can help reduce the effects of their operations on the environment. The ZEPHYR project, funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), has the objective of finding new alternatives for nurseries by developing innovative zero-impact technologies for forest plant production. Due to their direct relationship to the energy consumption of the nurseries, one of the main elements addressed are the grow lights used for the pre-cultivation. New LED luminaires with a light spectrum tailored to the seedlings’ needs are being studied and compared against the traditional fluorescent lamps. Seedlings of Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris were grown under five different light spectra (one fluorescent and 4 LED) during 5 weeks with a photoperiod of 16 hours at 100 μmol∙m-2∙s-1 and 60% humidity. In order to evaluate if these seedlings were able cope with real field stress conditions, a forest field trial was also designed. The terrain chosen was a typical planting site in mid-Sweden after clear-cutting. Two vegetation periods after the outplanting, the seedlings that were pre-cultivated under the LED lamps have performed at least as well as those that were grown under fluorescent lights. These results show that there is a good  potential for lightning substitution in forestry nurseries.