Chapter 14 Questions and Answers
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14.1 Clearcut size limitations. You have been hired by the Tallahassee-Pacific Corporation as a forest systems analyst. One of the tasks your Region Manager would like you to address is the development of a tactical planning model that considers adjacency relationships, since the corporation needs to adhere to a 120-acre maximum clearcut size constraint. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the unit restriction model and the area restriction model for developing this type of tactical forest plan.
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14.2 Stream sediment. Forest operations are increasingly being examined for their impact on total maximum daily loads of various chemicals and pollutants in streams, as well as their function as a "point" or "nonpoint" source of sediment. How might one incorporate sediment costs in a road management model
(a) if the goal was to minimize sediment production while harvesting some minimum amount of timber?
(b) if the goal is to ensure that sediment levels never get above a certain level while minimizing logging and road management costs?
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14.3 One-unit, one-period logging and road management problem. At what logging cost value ($/CCF) would the ground-based logging system become less desirable than the cable logging system illustrated in the one-unit, one-period logging and road management problem of figures 14.1 and 14.2?
Answers to Problem 14.3 - Discussion
Answers to Problem 14.3 - Excel Spreadsheet
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14.4 GIS data management. Discuss how the shape and size of management units may affect the implementation of URM or ARM adjacency restrictions.
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14.5 Area restriction model. Develop simple area restriction constraints for the problem shown graphically in figure 14.7 if the clearcut limitation is
(a) increased to 120 acres.
(b) decreased to 90 acres.
(c) decreased to 70 acres.
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14.6 County forest trail system. Your local county forester has come to you for some help, since you are friends and she knows you have recently completed a course in forest management. The county has some funds available for developing a trail system and a picnic area, yet the funds are limited and must be spent this year. They have located a stand of older forest in which they would like to place the trail system. The plan is to eventually fully develop the system, but for now, they would like to simply develop a trail from the parking lot (PL) to the proposed picnic area (PA).
(See page 787 of book for figure describing the proposed trail system)
After a thorough survey of the site and discussions with several knowledgeable recreation managers, the county forester has developed a proposed trail system with eight trail segments. The estimated cost of constructing the trails, as well as an estimate of annual maintenance costs, is
| Trail segment |
Annual maintenance cost per person ($/mile/person) |
Construction cost ($/mile) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.50 | $15,000 |
| 2 | 0.50 | 10,000 |
| 3 | 0.75 | 25,000 |
| 4 | 0.65 | 17,500 |
| 5 | 0.70 | 21,000 |
| 6 | 0.85 | 25,000 |
| 7 | 0.80 | 23,000 |
| 8 | 0.80 | 19,000 |
Costs were developed based on local conditions in the stand, yet are generally higher for steeper grade trails and for trails farther away from the parking area. Costs for developing the parking area and picnic area are fixed, so we will ignore them in this analysis.
Once a trail from PL to PA has been complete, the county expects 20,000 visitors per year to use the trail system. the county needs some critical information concerning the trail system, since they have a desire to minimize the cost of the system. Assuming that within a 12-month period the trails can be completed and 20,000 visitors will have used the trail system,
(a) which trails would you recommend they construct?
(b) what would it cost the county to develop and maintain the trails for that 12-month period?
(c) assuming no other trails are constructed, what is the annual maintenance cost?
(d) if the construction cost of segment 8 could be lowered to $17,000 per mile, would your recommendations change?
Answers to Problem 14.6 - Formulation and discussion
Answers to Problem 14.6 - Network (Powerpoint file)
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