In this newsletter he discusses the possibilities of simulating logging and hauling with VR headset and a cockpit that is an exact replica of the real logging forest machines, as well as the perspectives for close-to-nature forestry.
>> Read more about the machine-training program here (Danish)
Mimicking Nature
Close-to-nature forestry is an approach to forest management that aims to preserve and mimic natural processes and structures in the forest ecosystem. The goal is to create and maintain healthy, stable, and biodiverse forests while considering human needs and activities.
>> Read also: What do we know about converting to close-to-nature forestry in coniferous forests today?
The Job of the Machine Operator's Changes
Close-to-nature forestry involves selectively felling certain trees during harvesting while allowing others to remain to ensure continuity and variation in the forest. This gives the forest machine operator a different kind of job compared to traditional forestry, where the task often involves felling all the trees in a given stand.
>> Read also: Does close-to-nature forestry pay off?
New Harvesting Models
As part of LIFE 4Forest, new logging methods and harvesting models are being developed to fit close-to-nature forestry based on experiences from the Danish Nature Agency and state forests in Schleswig-Holstein. These methods and models are taught and practiced at the Forest and Landscape College in Nødebo.
Education in Harvesting According to Close-To-Nature Principles
A logging simulator is a crucial tool in the education and training of those operating the joystick in logging machines. In the latest update of the simulator, it has become possible to train on all Ponsse machines. This means that the machine operator can enhance their skills in an environment similar to the real-world scenario.
They can train day and night, and VR glasses brings the training close to reality. Therefore, they make fewer mistakes when operating the actual machine.
In the next update, it is expected that the programme will also train machine operators in demonstrating and considering biodiversity, cultural heritage, and other parameters that may appear in the forest. Thus, it will also train logging in close-to-nature forestry.
Written by Janne Bavnhøj