Logging methodology decision-making with the new high-resolution DEM of Türkiye

Abstract

There are many ways one can decide if an engineering related undertaking would be feasible and productive when the topography is thoroughly and precisely investigated before it takes shape. Forestry is just one profession that proper planning is of the essence when it comes to the logging phase of the entire production process. Logging in Türkiye is primarily handled over an ever-growing forest-road network. Although the specialized equipment e.g. yarders, tractor-winches, are also put into the works, their share and production capacity is limited and confined to certain parts of the country. Thus, timber production primarily revolves around direct tractor-skidding throughout the forest floor, taking the felled log from the stump to the nearest road. Here, topography is the real constraint in production method decision-making. Topographic maps have long been used to extract topographic parameters. However, Türkiye recently announced the completion of first national high-resolution digital elevation model, 5 m DEM. High precision, which would be achieved utilizing this DEM, reemphasized the importance of slope and topographic roughness in primary transport planning. In this study, we calculated the amount of slope and topographic roughness acreages in two forest planning units based on elevation differences. Both yielded enough extreme surface acreages, which would question the expansion of road building and justify the adoption of specialized equipment.