Historical evolution of mechanized timber harvesting in Slovenia, Europe and worldwide

Stroji za sečnjo v sodobni gozdni proizvodnji predstavljajo pomembno delovno sredstvo. Temeljni cilj raziskave je bil predstaviti pomen in perspektive strojne sečnje na podlagi izkušenj iz tujine in doma. Avtor opisuje potek razvoja strojne sečnje v svetu in v Sloveniji ter njeno vlogo v prihodnosti. V delu so predstavljene številne kategorije strojev za sečnjo z njihovimi temeljnimi lastnostmi, posebnostmi ter načini uporabe. Kompleksna zgradba in delovanje teh strojev zahteva poznavanje glavnih sestavnih delov, ki jih avtor opisuje v ločenem poglavju. Predstavljene so ugotovitve stroke glede terenskih in tehnološki možnosti uporabe strojne sečnje v Sloveniji ter pristop k uvajanju, izpostavljene problematike in sodobni izzivi slovenske gozdarske stroke na tem področju. Z usmerjenimi intervjuji z domačimi strokovnjaki za strojno sečnjo je avtor pridobil kompleksen vpogled v razumevanje, pričakovanja in praktične izkušnje, ki so jih le-ti pridobili z več kot desetletje trajajočimi aktivnostmi na področju vodenja, organizacije in vzdrževanja strojev za sečnjo v Sloveniji. Prognoza razvoja tehnologije strojne sečnje je oprta na globalne kazalnike porabe lesa in deleža strojno posekanega lesa ter sodobne koncepte za zniževanje stroškov gozdne proizvodnje ob upoštevanju dopustnih vplivov na okolje.In modern forest production wood harvesters represent important working assets. The main objective of the study is to present the importance and perspectives of mechanized timber harvesting based on domestic and foreign experiences. The author describes the course of evolution of mechanized timber harvesting in the world and in Slovenia and its role in the future. The paper presents a number of categories of harvesting machinery with their fundamental characteristics, particularities and way of use. The complex structure and function of these machines requires knowledge about the main component parts, which are described in a separate chapter. Scientific findings on fieldwork and technological possibilities of using mechanized harvesting in Slovenia and the approach to initiation, exposure problems and challenges of modern Slovenian forestry experts in this field are presented. Through targeted interviews with local experts for mechanized harvesting the author obtain a complex insight into understanding, expectations and practical experience of the experts which they have acquired through more than a decade of activities in the field of management, organization and maintenance of wood harvesting machines in Slovenia. The forecast of mechanized harvesting technology development bases on global indicators of wood consumption and the share of machine-harvested timber and modern concepts of reducing the costs of forest production, taking into account the permissible impact on the environment