1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

University of Aveiro (University of Aveiro) - Portugal

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Post-fire salvage logging is the practice of harvest the trees after fire, the employed methodology is clearcutting which involves the cut of essentially all the trees and the removal of logging residues.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

In the 2015 summer a wildfire affected the Semide mountain range nearby the Lousã massif, central Portugal. The area was afforested with eucalypt and pine plantations during last XX century and nowadays landscape is composed mainly by eucalypts at different stages of development and, the understory shrub vegetation.
The research team of the University of Aveiro set up an experiment to test the effect of post-fire logging in soil erosion and other selected soil properties.

Purpose of the Technology: Post-fire logging is a common management practice usually undertaken to recover burnt timber resources, to plant new seedlings and to reduce possible insect infestation hazard. In Portugal, about 10x106 m3 of timber could be harvested every year and a considerable percentage of this figure comes from recently burned eucalypt and pine stands.
Post-fire logging could have a multiple detrimental effect on ecosystem as fire-affected ecosystems are sensitive to further disturbance. This multiplier effect concerns soil compaction, soil (fertility) losses, with serious implications for in-situ plant growth, soil biota and for downstream aquatic systems. Furthermore, post-fire logging undermines the effectiveness of costly rehabilitation efforts aimed at reducing soil erosion. Hence, the post-fire logging practice is still controversial in terms of economic benefit and environmental consequences, in many parts of the world.

Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: The standard logging technique consists of felling burned trees either with a harvester or manually with a chainsaw depending on slope conditions and machinery available. The logs will be gathered with the harvester, using a cable-skidder or pulling logs down-slope with a cable attached to a tractor. A forwarder will transport them to the main pile prior to load and removal by trucks.
The slope will present two well differenced units according to soil surface disturbance, the skid trail or the logged area.

Natural / human environment: The eucalypt trees in the region are typically planted as monocultures for paper pulp production, and harvested every 7-14 years. The landscape reflects a long history of intense land management, with a mosaic of (semi-)natural and man-made agricultural and afforested lands. Since the 1980´s, however, wildfires have increased dramatically in frequency and extent, aided by a general warming and drying trend but driven primarily by socio-economic changes.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

2.6 Date of implementation

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• more than 50 years ago (traditional)

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• as part of a traditional system (> 50 years)

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Strong increases in runoff and erosion should be a main land management concern following wildfires, as they constitute a serious threat to land-use sustainability and downstream aquatic habitats and human infrastructures. In addition to fire itself, post-fire logging activities can greatly increase erosion response of recently burnt areas. Furthermore, logging is typically the most common practice after fire, and recently burnt soils are more erodible than long-unburnt soils.

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): Loss of wood resources and productivity.

Plantation forestry: Yes

Forest products and services: timber, fuelwood

Number of growing seasons per year: 3
Longest growing period in days: 270Longest growing period from month to month: September to May

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• natural and semi-natural forest management
• forest plantation management

• Post-fire logging

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

Main measures: management measures

Specification of other management measures: Recover burnt timber resources and improve the re-sprout of new eucalypts

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Main type of degradation addressed: Wt: loss of topsoil / surface erosion, Pc: compaction, Bc: reduction of vegetation cover, Bf: detrimental effects of fires

Main causes of degradation: soil management (Eucalypt plantations are prone to forest fires), crop management (annual, perennial, tree/shrub) (Logging increases soil erosin risk and soil compactation), deforestation / removal of natural vegetation (incl. forest fires) (Logging increases the lost of vegetation cover), population pressure (Since the 1980´s, eucalypt plantations increased greatly, driven primarily by socio-economic changes.)

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• reduce land degradation

Comments:

Secondary goals: mitigation / reduction of land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

other/ national currency (specify):

euros

If relevant, indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (e.g. 1 USD = 79.9 Brazilian Real): 1 USD =:

0.92

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	1 person with chainsaw	24
2.	Harvester transport ( in a radio of 50 km)Harvester working (with person)Forwarder (with person)Final transport (in a radio of 50 km)	60

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Labour	ha	1.0	1461.0	1461.0
Equipment	Machine use	ha	1.0	5870.0	5870.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					7331.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					7968.48

4.6 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

Comments:

The prices were determined for a clearcutting of a slope with acceptable slope degree and accessibility. Prices were calculated by hectare in winter 2015 for central Portugal.

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Accessibility and steepness will raise the costs. The use of machinery is not a mandatory. Small land owners decrease the total cost by doing manual work with a family framework.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

5.3 Soils

If available, attach full soil description or specify the available information, e.g. soil type, soil PH/ acidity, Cation Exchange Capacity, nitrogen, salinity etc.

Soil fertility is medium-high
Topsoil organic matter is high (afforested soils)
Soil drainage/infiltration is poor-medium ( Soil water repellency)
Soil water storage capacity is low (very shallow soils)

5.4 Water availability and quality

Comments and further specifications on water quality and quantity:

Availability of surface water is good - medium (very dry summer)

5.5 Biodiversity

Comments and further specifications on biodiversity:

Burnt soil

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Land users applying the Technology are mainly common / average land users

Difference in the involvement of women and men: Harvesting forest areas is typically a men work, probably due to the machinery use and/or the physical strength needed.

Population density: 50-100 persons/km2

Annual population growth: < 0.5%

Market orientation of production system: subsistence (self-supply), mixed (subsistence/ commercial, commercial/ market

5.7 Average area of land used by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:

• individual, not titled

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

Climate and disaster risk reduction

Other ecological impacts

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

6.3 Exposure and sensitivity of the Technology to gradual climate change and climate-related extremes/ disasters (as perceived by land users)

Gradual climate change

Gradual climate change

	Season	increase or decrease	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
local rainstorm	not well
local windstorm	well

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	not well

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
general (river) flood	well

Other climate-related consequences

Other climate-related consequences

	How does the Technology cope with it?
reduced growing period	not well

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?

Comments:

There is no maintenance

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

Comments:

100% of land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

Comments on spontaneous adoption: Small land owners need to request the clearcutting to harvester companies; but they do it spontaneus

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Short-term economic benefits How can they be sustained / enhanced? Decrease wildfires will increase the economic value of the timber

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view

The chance to obtain an economic benefit from forest plantations diminished depopulation of rural areas in the region. How can they be sustained / enhanced? A diversification toward native forest species cultivation (i.e. cork oak, olive trees, and chestnut tree) would be a very good alternative for the improvement of the ecosystem services, the reduction of wildfires risk and the increase of the socio-economic conditions in the region

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
When timber quality is no good (due to fire) there is no economic benefit	Take the advantage to modify eucalypt plantations toward more sustainable land use

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Increased runoff and soil erosion and possibly modify soil properties	There are several mitigation treatments that can be used to decrease the risk of soil erosion/degradation after logging activities. The use of water dams in the machinery trails and/or the spread of logging residues on the uncover/disturbed soil are techniques that can give good results

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

DellaSala, D.A., 2006. Post-fire Logging, Summary of Key Studies and Findings. World Wildlife Fund, Washington,USA.http://www.nccsp.org/files/Postfire%20Summary%20of%20Key%20Findings.pdfFernández. C, J.A. Vega, Fonturbel.T Pérez-Gorostiaga P., Jiménez E., Madrigal.J., 2007. Effects of wildfire salvage logging and slash treatments on soil degradation. Land Degrad. Develop. 18: 591–607. DOI: 10.1002/ldr.797.Inbar, M., Wittenberg, L., Tamir, M., 1997. Soil erosion and forestry management after wildfire in a Mediterranean woodland, Mt. Carmel, Israel. International Journal of Wildland Fire 7: 285–294.Malvar, M.C., Martins, M.A.S., Nunes, J.P., Robichaud, P.R., Keizer, J.J., 2013. Assessing the role of pre-fire ground preparation operations and soil water repellency in post-fire runoff and inter-rill erosion by repeated rainfall simulation experiments in Portuguese eucalypt plantations. Catena, 108, 69-83.Prats S.A., Malvar M.C., Vieira D.C.S., Keizer J.J., 2013, in press. Effectiveness of hydromulching to reduce runoff and erosion in a recently burnt and logged Maritime Pine stand in central Portugal. Land Degradation and Development. (accepted in June 2013).DOI: 10.1002/ldr.2236.RECARE project: Preventing and Remediating degradation of soils in Europe trhough Land Care. http://www.recare-project.eu/

Available from where? Costs?

internet