Landings Size and Characteristics

Abstract

Landings are an integral part of harvesting operations in New Zealand. A representative sample of 142 landings were measured using GPS; twelve recently constructed and unused, 38 live and the remaining 92 were older and closed out. The average landing size was 3900 m2, with a range from 1370 to 12540m2. On average 11 log sorts were cut, the landings in use for 4 weeks, and estimated daily production was 287 m3/day. Log processing was mechanised on 53% of the landings and 47% was manual processing, and most (79%) of the operations used tracked grapple loaders (21% used front-end loaders). A regression equation to model landing size indicated that number of log sorts and production levels are the two main factors that determine landing size. Landing size tended to increase over time, with used landings on average being 900m2 larger than newly constructed (unused) landings. Most recently constructed landings were much larger than the company design specifications; whereby either 40x60m or 40x80m were common specifications. A comparable study in 1987 showed the average landing to be just over 1900 m2, indicating landing size has nearly doubled in the last 20 years. Landings serviced by front-end loaders were on average 1100m2 larger than those serviced by tracked grapple loader, but this result is partially explained by the fact that front-end loaders were more commonly used in high production systems.