Operation: Planning and Execution

According to the forest law, a management plan for a Permanent Production Forest must also contain an operation plan. The objective of the operation plan is:

• reducing damage to forest and soil caused by logging and timber removal
• an efficient and economical way to exploit the forest

An operation plan describes the technical requirements for sustainable timber production and / or collection of forest byproducts (art 11 and art 30 forest law). The following are named in the forest law:

• maps
• logging standards  for fixed-market value species, including minimum diameter (art 14, forest law)
• the minimum volume per type of wood that the concessionaire must gain remove annually (Article 30, forest law)

CELOS adds:

• distribution of the compartments (100-400 ha) in inventory units
• roads with skid roads and landings (Scale 1:5000);
• RIL
• planning activities
• administration

Only some major concessions have a management plan and an operation plan.

Logging is done by forest contractors, who are united in an association, the ABE. Some of the operators have no concession, and limit their activities to the felling, skidding and transportation of round wood. Most businesses are small and have an old (depreciated) machinery.

A major problem in timber exploitation is the quality of the forest access roads. The Wegen Autoriteit ( organization in charge road management) will gradually take over the construction and maintenance of these roads. Up to now, it is the forest contractors who takes care of the access roads. Currently they operate as close to existing roads and waterways, causing over-exploitation in these areas.