Damages of Skidder and Animal Logging to Forest Soils and Natural Regeneration

Extracting logs from stump to landings causes extensive damages to forest stand and soil. In this research two parcels adjacent to each other were selected in order to assess the effect of traditional and mechanized methods of logging on regeneration and soil compaction. Askid trail and a mule trail with similar longitudinal slope, skidding direction and total volume of extracted wood were chosen in the parcels. The cylindrical sampling method was used to determine wet and dry soil bulk density and the samples were taken at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm depth from skid and mule trails. The results showed that soil dry bulk density increase in skid and mule trails compared to control at 0–10 and 10–20 cm depth, was significant (p<0.01). This increase in mule trail at 0–10 cm depth was significantly higher than at 10–20 cm depth (p