Optimizing tree selection for planning cable yarding operations: a multi-objective modelling approach

When planning timber harvesting in mountainous areas, selecting the trees to extract is highly challenging. This is due to the need to consider both the forest management plan as well as feasibility aspects of the logging operation. Additionally, the choice using cable yarding systems in steep and difficult terrain increases the complexity and related costs of the harvesting process. The protective function of mountain forests against natural hazards adds another layer of consideration. Decision-makers must strike a balance between maintaining the protective function of the forest directly after cutting and on a long term, while maximizing the economic efficiency of the harvesting operation. In this study, we have developed an optimization model for tree selection using linear mixed programming. The model relies on high-resolution airborne laser scanning data to create a forest inventory through individual tree detection. Constituting the Pareto frontier, by optimizing two primary obje...