User-defined specifications of a cable yarder for the Mediterranean mountains

Cable yarding is the common method for timber extraction on steep terrain, and yet its use in the Mediterranean mountains remains limited despite decades of promotion. Then the question arises whether one is promoting the right equipment to the right audience. To answer that question, a structured survey was conducted among 110 logging enterprises across 10 regions in Central and Southern Italy. Respondents provided information about company characteristics, motivations for their interest toward cable yarding and preferred machine options. Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), preferences were quantified across four main criteria, and namely: cost, performance, convenience, and options. Results showed that cost was the dominant driver (mean weight 0.37), followed by performance (0.29), convenience (0.20), and options (0.14). Respondents described the ideal cable yarder as a lightweight (≈3,000 kg) machine, fitted with a tower and capable of carrying a 2 t payload. Skyline capacity should be in the range of 300 m, and investment cost within the €100,000 limit. Introducing cable yarding to new regions (Mediterranean or otherwise) depends on aligning equipment specifications with user needs, scale of operation, and workforce skills. Building simple, cost-effective systems supported by targeted training programs offers the most realistic path toward sustainable and competitive steep-terrain harvesting in the Mediterranean region.