A Pre-harvest Timber Valuation System

Sawmills require specific information on the volume, the number and the diameter classes of different types of log assortments that could potentially be cut from a stand which the mill intends to tender for or harvest. Knowledge of the consequences of adopting a particular cross-cutting strategy would also enable mills to identify the optimum combination of products to be harvested from a stand, subject to operational constraints and the need to satisfy customer demands for sawn timber. With a greater insight into the yield potential of a crop in terms of actual products, tender prices could also more accurately reflect the value of individual stands to different mills. Accordingly, a pre-harvest measurement and analysis procedure has been developed. The inventory procedure was designed to enable the timber procurement manager to acquire, at reasonable expense, information that, when analysed, provides a comprehensive insight into the yield potential of the stand.