Which Factors Determine the Distribution of Low-Impact Horse Logging in the Hungarian State-Owned Forests?
Nowadays, forest management focuses on nature- and environmentally-friendly methods in Europe with less fossil fuel use; however, animal-powered logging is rarely covered by scientific papers despite the fact that it is considered to be less harmful to topsoil, wood stands, saplings, and natural val...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/11/1959 |
| _version_ | 1797465291905564672 |
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| author | Ákos Malatinszky Csilla Ficsor Eszter Tormáné Kovács |
| author_facet | Ákos Malatinszky Csilla Ficsor Eszter Tormáné Kovács |
| author_sort | Ákos Malatinszky |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Nowadays, forest management focuses on nature- and environmentally-friendly methods in Europe with less fossil fuel use; however, animal-powered logging is rarely covered by scientific papers despite the fact that it is considered to be less harmful to topsoil, wood stands, saplings, and natural values than heavy machines. The main goal of this study is to determine its characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages based on structured and semi-structured interviews with loggers and foresters in every Hungarian state-owned forest area. Our results show that while 39 out of the total 116 Hungarian forest districts hired teams that applied horses for logging in 2013, their number fell to 24 in 2021. Despite this negative tendency, 34 out of the 44 forest districts that operate in hilly and mountainous areas still find horses to be useful for timber extraction. Five forest districts own horses, but none of them use animal power for logging (only for touristic and hunting activities). The productivity of a logging team depends on the timber extraction distance, terrain slope, number of workers, and cut timber volume per turn. The average logging capacity of a brigade with horses is 0.78 m<sup>3</sup> per load, 15 m<sup>3</sup> per day, and 2413 m<sup>3</sup> per year. The average terrain slope angle is 15°, situated 350–450 m above sea level. The average timber extraction distance is 185 m, and the width of a track made by a horse is 96 cm. The average distance from the barn to the cut-block area is 11 km. Lower impact of horse logging on the affected area is more important than the amount of the harvested wood. Therefore, from a nature conservation aspect, it is essential to maintain animal logging and promote it with training and financial incentives. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:19:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-44d4274bd60d423db03157a811ddf817 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:19:30Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-44d4274bd60d423db03157a811ddf8172023-11-24T08:24:41ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072022-11-011311195910.3390/f13111959Which Factors Determine the Distribution of Low-Impact Horse Logging in the Hungarian State-Owned Forests?Ákos Malatinszky0Csilla Ficsor1Eszter Tormáné Kovács2Department of Nature Conservation and Landscape Management, Institute for Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, HungaryEnvironmental Sciences Doctoral School, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, HungaryDepartment of Nature Conservation and Landscape Management, Institute for Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, HungaryNowadays, forest management focuses on nature- and environmentally-friendly methods in Europe with less fossil fuel use; however, animal-powered logging is rarely covered by scientific papers despite the fact that it is considered to be less harmful to topsoil, wood stands, saplings, and natural values than heavy machines. The main goal of this study is to determine its characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages based on structured and semi-structured interviews with loggers and foresters in every Hungarian state-owned forest area. Our results show that while 39 out of the total 116 Hungarian forest districts hired teams that applied horses for logging in 2013, their number fell to 24 in 2021. Despite this negative tendency, 34 out of the 44 forest districts that operate in hilly and mountainous areas still find horses to be useful for timber extraction. Five forest districts own horses, but none of them use animal power for logging (only for touristic and hunting activities). The productivity of a logging team depends on the timber extraction distance, terrain slope, number of workers, and cut timber volume per turn. The average logging capacity of a brigade with horses is 0.78 m<sup>3</sup> per load, 15 m<sup>3</sup> per day, and 2413 m<sup>3</sup> per year. The average terrain slope angle is 15°, situated 350–450 m above sea level. The average timber extraction distance is 185 m, and the width of a track made by a horse is 96 cm. The average distance from the barn to the cut-block area is 11 km. Lower impact of horse logging on the affected area is more important than the amount of the harvested wood. Therefore, from a nature conservation aspect, it is essential to maintain animal logging and promote it with training and financial incentives.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/11/1959animal loggingforestryhorseinterviewnature conservationsmall-scale harvesting system |
| spellingShingle | Ákos Malatinszky Csilla Ficsor Eszter Tormáné Kovács Which Factors Determine the Distribution of Low-Impact Horse Logging in the Hungarian State-Owned Forests? Forests animal logging forestry horse interview nature conservation small-scale harvesting system |
| title | Which Factors Determine the Distribution of Low-Impact Horse Logging in the Hungarian State-Owned Forests? |
| title_full | Which Factors Determine the Distribution of Low-Impact Horse Logging in the Hungarian State-Owned Forests? |
| title_fullStr | Which Factors Determine the Distribution of Low-Impact Horse Logging in the Hungarian State-Owned Forests? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Which Factors Determine the Distribution of Low-Impact Horse Logging in the Hungarian State-Owned Forests? |
| title_short | Which Factors Determine the Distribution of Low-Impact Horse Logging in the Hungarian State-Owned Forests? |
| title_sort | which factors determine the distribution of low impact horse logging in the hungarian state owned forests |
| topic | animal logging forestry horse interview nature conservation small-scale harvesting system |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/11/1959 |
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