Through the Forestry 4.0 program, FPInnovations is investigating and testing telecommunication technologies for the forestry industry, this includes the application of TV White Space (TVWS) technology. TVWS radios operate in the frequency spectrum between 450 to 698 MHz and the majority of this spectrum is unlicensed and not acquired through federal government auctions. A short-term field trial was conducted in Central Québec forest operations in December 2020.
Cost-effective connectivity will bridge the gap between the forest and the rest of the supply chain. Operational efficiency, flexibility and worker safety will be improved by enabling instant communication with currently isolated logging operations. This report summarizes the findings and results obtained in this first operational trial aimed at quantifying the scope of mobile connectivity through this new technology.
PROCALC is a web tool to make calculations without having to install anything on a workstation. It offers its users a user-friendly interface that provides a quick estimate of the productivity of the main forest harvesting machines and/or the operating costs for different harvesting systems.
Abstract
PROCALC est un outil web qui permet de faire des calculs
sans avoir à installer quoi que ce soit sur un poste de travail.
Il offre à ses usagers une interface conviviale qui donne une estimation rapide de la productivité des principales machines de récolte forestière et/ou des coûts d’opération pour différents systèmes de récolte.
FPInnovations launches an on-board computer for forestry trucks called FPDat Transport to monitor transport operations in the forest. forestry operations. This system was recently officially added to the added to the list of products of the FPSuite platform FPSuite platform products oriented towards the monitoring of operations (FPDat Harvesting) and road maintenance (FPDat Grader).
Abstract
FPInnovations lance un ordinateur de bord pour camion forestier nommé FPDat Transport permettant de suivre les opérations de transport en forêt. Ce système a récemment été officiellement ajouté à la liste des produits de la plateforme FPSuite orientés vers le suivi des opérations de récolte (FPDat Récolte) et d’entretien de chemins (FPDat Niveleuse).
When forest harvesting equipment moves across a cutblock, soil compaction and/or rutting can result. Forest practitioners are therefore concerned about the long-term effects of harvesting on forest soil health, water quality, and tree growth. The purpose of this handbook is to provide practical advice to forestry contractors and equipment operators, and their field supervisors, about the risk of damage to forest soils during harvesting operations, and how to avoid it. The opportunity to protect forest soil occurs at each step of the forestmanagement process, from harvest planning to field layout to harvesting and post-harvesting activities. Operators of forestry equipment, harvesting contractors, and field supervisors are vital links in this process. To help identify when the health of forest soil is at risk, this handbook offers a brief introduction about forest soils, and explains why and how soil is susceptible to damage. The soil terminology used is defined in a glossary along with other equipment related terms (Appendix I). For harvesting contractors and equipment operators, the handbook explains how visual indicators like landscape features and tree species can be used to estimate soil moisture, and offers simple field tests to help them anticipate when soils become at risk. For contractors, equipment features that influence soil compaction and rutting are discussed, and operating techniques to reduce soil damage are suggested. For field supervisors, harvest scheduling options that minimize soil damage are included. As well, the handbook offers ways to modify harvesting operations when soils have become susceptible to damage. Maintaining soil health during harvesting requires knowing when soils are at increased risk of compaction and rutting, and understanding how equipment operation interacts with the soil. If contractors, operators, and field supervisors can anticipate susceptible soil types and conditions, they will be able to plan ahead and make changes to their operating schedules and techniques. Recommendations made in this handbook regarding equipment and operating techniques are to serve as guidelines only. Local operating conditions and regulations, as well as equipment availability, must be considered when interpreting this information.
FERIC has produced a guide for equipment operators, contractors and their field supervisors aimed at preventing soil damage from forest operations. A brief description of soils and soil damage categories is provided as are recommendations for choosing equipment options and operating techniques that reduce damaging soil disturbance.
Par l’initiative Foresterie 4.0, FPInnovations trouve et met à l’essai des technologies de télécommunication pour l’industrie forestière tel que la technologie TV White Space (TVWS). Les radios TVWS opèrent dans le spectre de fréquence de 450 à 698 MHz et la majorité de ce spectre est non-licencié et pas acquis par l’entremise des enchères du gouvernement fédéral. Un essai sur le terrain à court terme a été réalisé dans une exploitation forestière du centre du Québec en décembre 2020.
Une connectivité rentable comblera la division entre la forêt et le reste de la chaîne d'approvisionnement. L'efficacité opérationnelle, la flexibilité et la sécurité des travailleurs seront améliorées en permettant une communication instantanée avec les opérations d'exploitation forestière actuellement isolées. Ce rapport résume les constats et résultats obtenus lors de ce premier essai opérationnel visant à quantifier la portée d’une connectivité mobile grâce à cette nouvelle technologie.
