Productivity, costs and quality of execution of the first thinning in Acacia mangium Willd plantations in northern Costa Rica

Abstract

One of the most important factors in the selection and use of a certain thinning method is its productivity and cost. For this reason, the objective of this work was to evaluate the productivity and costs of the first thinning in Acacia mangium forest plantations, located in the northern part of Costa Rica. Through a time and movement study, the efficiency and productivity of the activity were determined. Fixed, variable and labor costs were calculated to determine the cost per tree cut. The quality of thinning execution was evaluated in the field based on an index, with a score of 1 and 2 according to the acceptance or rejection of the work. An efficiency percentage of 69.27 % was obtained, where the transfer movement registered 43 % of the productive time. On average, 10 % of the trees had poor cutting performance. The average productivity obtained was 871 thinned trees / day, 109 trees / hour, at a cost of US$ 20 per hectare. The values found can serve as a basis for future related work and to establish quality standards in forest plantation management.