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Heavy Slash- Contractor Performance/Competition
There is substantial competition between some contractors especially when there are numerous contractors available, offering similar services. Some "can" do what apparently others can not. Some simply are not familiar with different methods of accomplishing the task. Compromises between techniques and end product to increase productivity can be made without sacrificing quality.
Scenario 1: In virgin decadent forests of poor quality we can inherit extreme slash loads. If it was to be piled, the piles would occupy all the ground space with little area left to plant. The debris piles would be next to impossible to successfully burn in damp rain forest conditions. We found that we could reduce the number of spots per hectare/acre by 15% and reduce costs by 30%. We also found that the operators could in fact ride over much of the slash without abusing the carrier. The method of logging was "Excavator Forwarding" with much larger excavators, so it stands to reason that smaller excavators should be able to traverse these now harvested areas.
The VH Mulcher proved very effective at being able to work it's way through slash up to 6 feet in depth and prepare a mixed planting spot of high quality. (Access for the tree planters was not as difficult as expected due to the ease of planting once they positioned themselves in the spot.
