Mechanized CTL technology among italian loggers. Results of a survey

In the last decade mechanized cut-to-length (CTL) forest harvesting has increased significantly as a consequence of the need to address productivity, safety, environmental, and cost issues. However, the speed of its advancement varies depending on the country. In Italy, while the number of CTL machines is increasing, the majority of operators is still pondering whether they should acquire the new technology or stick to the old one. The objective of this study was to determine the attitudes of Italian loggers towards CTL technology, investigating their opinions and pinpointing real or perceived obstacles to its expansion. A survey was conducted during the 2011 edition of FORLENER forest machinery fair in Biella (Italy), one of the most popular events for forest mechanization in Italy. 90 Italian loggers filled out a questionnaire after interacting with a forwarder portable machine simulator. A sample of 44 valid questionnaires was selected to be included in this study analysis (only employers of logging firms were included in the analysis). Results show that Italian loggers are aware of the potential of mechanized CTL technology and of its benefits. Safety, processing time and ease of use resulted to be the most interesting features of mechanized CTL technology. Technical constraints (i.e. slope, branching) are considered secondary obstacles to CTL technology expansion. The main impediments to CTL technology expansion in Italy are financial.