Metla Project 3031

Ditch network maintenance -need and technology

[  Suomeksi  |  Objectives  |  Results  |  Project leader  |  Researchers  |  Publications  |  Metla Research  ]

Duration: 1982-1996   Keywords: ditch network maintenance, stand growth and productivity, work studies

Objectives

The aim of the project was to

1) find out whether ditch cleaning, complementary drainage or both or nothing at all ?

2) find out the effects of drainage maintenance on stand growth and needle and peat nutrition

3) evaluate the productivity, work quality, operation costs and environmnetal impacts of excavators and backhoes used in drainage maintenance

4) study the alternative, light and environmentally-sound ditch cleaning systems

5) carry out drainage area inventories, and perform models containing ditch and stand variables

6) see the usability of IR imagery in the estimation of unsuitable sites for drainage maintenance

Results

Drainage maintenance increased stand growth by 0.6 m3/ha/a on unfertilized pine mires and by 1.6-1.9 m3/ha/a on spruce swamps in northern Finland on the basis of long-term SINKA inventory.

The productivity of excavators was about 30 % higher than that of the conventional backhoes. Excavators, however, caused more tree damage along the cleaned ditches than backhoes did.

A small single-track backhoe was an alternative ditch cleaning machine. By manual ditch cleaning it was possible to avoid ditch cleaning by backhoes or excavators.

IR imagery was usable to find out the unsuitable nutrient poor mires for drainage maintenance.

Project leader: Lauhanen, Risto

Other researchers: Ahti, Erkki, VA (1993-96), Hökkä, Hannu, RO (1996), Pietiläinen, Pekka, MU (1996-97), Piiroinen, Marja-Leena, MU (1993-96), Saarinen, Markku, PA (1993-95), Varmola, Martti, RO (1994)


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Updated 12.06.2012
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