Forest road network: a case study in Itay on current condition and development possibility for supporting wood chips supply chain

In this study forest road network was investigated in order to define its current condition and development possibilities according to optimize the supply wood chips for a proposed wood chips heating district. The most part of piedmont area in Northern-east Italy shows forest enterprises working with a low level of forest mechanization. and forest road network is often adequate only for this level. On the other side, the possibility to introduce an intermediate or high level of mechanization in order to support a well planned wood chips supply chain could result not so efficiency with the same forest road network. In order to define the wood chips supply cost curve for the current situation, the road network was explored by field investigations and characterized by a GIS-based analysis according to transport system and the feasibility of chipping and transport interface. Results are presented as supply chain curves in according to the current condition and to development possibilities. In according to road network condition and characteristics, wood chips supply cost can range from a minimum of 59 €/t to a maximum of 83 €/t (moisture content = 50%)