New Timber Harvesting Technologies Project
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Growing worldwide demand for timber and wood chip production means forest harvesting activity is likely to increase over the next five years. At the same time, there is constant pressure for forest harvesting organisations to improve their technical efficiency, reduce costs, and demonstrate best forest management and environmental practices. Industry is continually adopting new technologies that allow businesses to remain competitive, adhere to regulatory requirements, and keep up with demand. This is a continuous process that effects the technical skills required to perform work and safety practices in the work environment.
Geospatial technologies are one key area of development, with the industry using drones to perform quality control in their harvesting. This approach is quick and cost-effective but requires training so that workers are able to operate the equipment. There is great potential for this technology to be used in other areas that require the monitoring and evaluating of land and wildlife at different stages of harvesting.
Programming harvesting optimisation files is also a key skill required by industry. While two new units of competency in operating harvesting machines were developed as part of the Forest Harvesting Optimising Project, the use of such technology also effects the forestry technicians who program the log cutting instruction files.
Other key areas of development include systems for harvesting on steep slope terrain, best practices to minimise environmental footprint of forest harvesting, in field debarking of logs, and tree felling and chainsaw operation.
The Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) approved this project out of the Forest and Wood Products Industry Sector IRC Skills Forecast and Proposed Schedule of Work 2018-2021 (see pages 55-62).
Skills Impact and the Forest Management and Harvesting Industry Reference Committee (IRC) will manage this project, consistent with the 2012 Standards for Training Package Development.
Project Plan
Technology has always been a key driver of change in the forest industry. Since saws and axes made way for chainsaws, harvesting technologies have been improving in efficiency. These days, sophisticated machinery, drones and remote sensing systems, in-field technologies and optimisation equipment are supporting the industry to be more productive, environmentally sustainable and safer. However, in order for these advances to truly be effective, training must reflect current practices, acknowledging how the industry is evolving.
The use of drones and remote sensing methods is making work quicker and less expensive, capable of mapping and evaluating forest from the skies. Meanwhile, new optimisation equipment is maximising the output of timber while also making it possible to track yield in real time. In-field wood chipping and debarking technologies are now more advanced, making it possible to perform chipping and debarking on the same site as timber is harvested with reduced costs and increased efficiency. Techniques for cable logging and tethered harvesting on steep slopes are another area where gains are being made, improving harvesting outcomes in a challenging environment. These new practices mean forestry workers require more advanced skills to program and operate such equipment and interpret the data they produce.
Even with these new technologies and advances in harvesting operations, there remains a need to conduct manual falling and chainsaw operations. Units of competency need to accurately reflect these high risk activities. Several industry programs rely on these skills standards to provide the benchmark for performance in these areas.
This project will involve consultation with the forest harvesting sector to ensure the skills required for these new harvesting technologies are supported and recognised by existing or new units or skill sets. It will also involve review of existing units to ensure skills needs and safety requirements continue to meet the needs of work environments.
Project Scope
This project will review and develop nationally endorsed units of competency for the forest management and harvesting sectors related to environmental practices, geospatial data management for forest assessment and tree invento0w, -U requilass="col4"harvesdiv1qckages>2012 Standards for Training Package Development.
Project Plan
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