Examination of Roundwood Utilization Rates in West Virginia

Forest harvesting is an integral part of the West Virginia forest economy. This component of the supply chain supports a diverse array of primary and secondary processors. A key metric used to describe the efficiency of the roundwood extraction process is the logging utilization factor (LUF). The LUF is one way managers can discern the overall use of harvested roundwood. To update LUF in West Virginia, roundwood utilization during harvesting operations was investigated on 30 active sites in 2008. Approximately 3.6 markets were used by the loggers sampled. The average utilization rate at the time of felling and bucking in the woods was 87.8 percent for trees sampled during this study. Over 97 percent of the roundwood that was processed on the landing was utilized. No relationship was found between the number of markets and utilization rates. Results from this study provide estimates on the overall efficiency of harvest operations as well as the characteristics and quantity of material being left after harvest. This information is important to those involved in the management of the hardwood resource as well as those making investments in wood processing industries.