FOREST TRANSPORTATION

Over the last years, considerable efforts have been made in refining and improving forest transportation practices to support environmentally sound forest operations. The planning and the design of the forest transportation infrastructures and systems as well as the related harvesting techniques are key elements to meet not only economic return, but also to encounter environmental challenges (such as reduction of GHG emissions, erosion control, biodiversity conservation…) of the forest operations.
During the course, the students will acquire the awareness and understanding on the meaning of sustainable forest transportation through the learning and the practice on the following specific two modules:

Module 1 (CFU 5; Teacher in charge: Stefano Grigolato): Forest accessibility and Forest road network (5 CFU)
• Meaning of the forest accessibility and forest road network
• Introduction to the forest transportation network planning
• Introduction to the design of a forest road
• Practice in GIS and Road design laboratory
• Transportation technologies and systems in trafficable terrain
• Potential environmental disturbance and best practices
• Practice in transportation system in trafficable terrain (field activity)

Module 2 (CFU 4; Teacher in charge: Raffaele Cavalli):
• Transportation technologies and systems in non-trafficable terrain
• Introduction to the planning and design of the cable logging systems
• Potential environmental disturbance and best practices
• Practice in transportation system in cable logging systems (field activity)