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INTERNATIONALTROP!tCALTIMBER

ORGANISATION (ITrO)PRE-PRO^Cr(PP039/o2(t)

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TITLE: PROCESSING AND UTILIZATION OF

LOGG^"G RESIDUESTHROUGH

COLLABORAT^ON WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES

ANDFORESTl"DUSTR^ES

i- TECHNICALREPORTl

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INTERNATIONALTROPICALTIMBERORGANISATION (ITTO)

TECHNICALREPORT

TITLE: PROCESSING AND UTILIZATION OF LOGGING RESIDUES THROUGHCOLLABORATIONWITH LOCALCOMMUNITIESANDFORESTINDUSTRIES

FunLD:

EXECUTINGAGENCY

DURATION

APPROXIMATESTARTINGDAT^

FORESTmDUSTRY

BUDGETANDFROPOSED

OFFINANCE

: Forestry Research Institute of Ghana

(^'ORIG)

ICN'Us'I' Box 63, Kurilasi, :r'ax No. 233-51-

60121

: 06 months

: July, 2002

: Source

ITTO

Ghana Government/

(In kind)

56,850

mss SOURCES

^75 million

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1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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1.1 Logging residues

1.2 Classification of logging residues

I. 3 Highlights

4.4 Results

1.5 Recommendation

1.6 Acknowledgement

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TABLEOFCONTENT

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2.0 INTRODUCTION

2.1 Start-up workshop

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3.0TYPES OOF SPECIESANDVOLUMES OFLOGGING RESIDUESExzTRUCTED

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3.1 Introduction

3.2 Methods

3.3 Results

4.0THE MOST EFFICIENTAND COST EFFECTIVE METHODS OFCOLLECTION OF LOGGING RESIDUESTO PROCESSING SITES

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Methods of extraction

4.3 Results

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5.0 PROCESSING OF LOGGING RESIDUES

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Sawmilling

5.2. , Processing equipment

5.2.2 Community training and Labour

5.2.3 Lumber production

5.2.4 ResultsI_

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5.3 Woodworking properties

5.3. , Introduction

5.3.2 Inventory

5.3.3 Machining tests

5.3.4 Results

5.3.5 Product manufactureI~'

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6.0 ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF PROCESSING LOGGING RESIDUESINTO PRODUCTS

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Approach I Methods

6.3 Results

7.0 QUESTIONNAIRES ON COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN THEPROCESSINGAND UTILIZATION OF LOGGING RESIDUES

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Questionnaires administered & results

8.0 CONCLUSIONSAND RECOMMENDATIONS

8.1 Conclusions

8.2 Recommendations

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9.0 REFERENCES

10.0APPENDICES

10.1 Questionnaires

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1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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,., Logging residues

Wood is stillthe primary source of raw material that is used in many countries, if riotall. Wood is the main stay for the running of local wood industries. It is used forvarious artisanal and semi-industrial crafts like artifats, tool handles, utensils, furnitureitems, etc.

There are several possible options for intensifying wood residues utilization, both ingrand scale and in small niche products. As some are not feasible for all situations,others are not practicable currently. Again, some of them require high investmentoutlays while others are relatively moderate to achieve. There are still untappedpotentials in the wood industry using wood residues as raw material.

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Forest residues from the Ghanaian forests are not well utilized. The main reasons arethat logging residues are of inferior quality for the production of furniture, plywood,amfats and constructional purpose and hence are good for charcoal and fuelwood.The high cost of extraction, especially, transportation of the logging residues from theremote areas, makes its utilization untoasible.

I~~ In Ghana, there is a limited market for wood residues and hence low economic valueof wood residues. It reduces the profitability of the Ghanaian timber industry andrather increases environmental problems.

Logging residues have riot been commercially utilized in Ghana. The reasons are thatthere is lack of information on the feasibility of extraction and on the appropriate end-uses. The economic case for value-added processing would depends on the price ofthe residuals. This is an important factor in the transition from residues into useful rawmaterials.

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,2 Classification of logging residues

The major classification of residues in the forest includes Crown (upper portion of atree with branches and twigs, possibly including part of the main stern), stump (theportion of the tree that remains above and below ground after felling) and buttress(projecting rib at the lower end of the stern). During logging, up to 40% of the tree isleftin the form of branches, buttresses and stumps (Chachu, 1989).

According to Parish in at at (, 962) the most distinct characteristic of wood residues istheir heterogeneity. The exact composition of the residues depends on the site wherethey are generated or produced. The degree of species heterogeneity varied fromextreme in the form of multiple species from the forest during land clearing or timberextraction to a low level in the case of residues produced from mono-species/plantation like teak or codrella. In the forest, the wood species consisting the

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I 'residues are dependent on the availability of commercial wood species visa visecommercially less-accepted wood species.

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1.3 HIGHLIGHTS

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The projected originated from concerns raised by the public for the fact that manylocal communities in the forest areas do riot have direct share of the revenue from

timber and timber products, which end up with the paremount and other sub-chiefs.Again, very large amounts of logging residues are left in logged forests while at thesame time many local communities in the forested areas have to travel to sawmills faraway from theirlocalities to get sawn timber products for domestic use.

To address this and many other problems pertaining to the forest, logging residuesand forest communities, this pre-project entitled "Processing and utilization of loggingresidues through collaboration with local communities and forest industries" wasproposed and funded by ITFO. The information generated is to facilitate theformulation of a full proposal on the same title and also serve as basic information toclearly define the policy on logging residues. It was aimed to promote increased andfurther processing of logging residues and thereby provide increased timber productsas well as generating employment and income to local communities

The outputs of the study included the determination of (a) timber species type whichgenerated logging residues and volumes of logging residues (b) Most efficient andcost effective method of collection of logging residues to processing sites c) Technicalfeasibility of processing logging residues into products. D) Economic viability ofprocessing logging residues into products.

The pre-project was conducted in two concessions at Agona Wassa and "NO Good"near Samreboiin the Western region of Ghana.

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RESULTS

Logging residues from the main stern of timber trees was considered forthis projectand that seventeen (17) timber species (Nyankom; Khaya ivorensis; Kaku; Dahoma;Asanfena; Makore; Bombax; Ceiba pentandra, Onyina; Edinam; Eineri; Guarea;Mahogany spp. ; Odum; Of rain; Wawa; Kyenkyen and Africac walnut) were identified.The volumes of thirteen (13) of the species that were merchantsble and those taken tosawmills were recorded. Two methods of collecting logging residues ("on siteextraction" and "extraction & transportation" methods) to processing sites were used.The "on site extraction method" was the most efficient and cost effective method.

Locally manufactured and imported woodmizers (horizontal narrow band sawmachine) were used forthe milling of the residual logs from 16 of the species. Lumberrecovery, production cost of lumber per cubic meter, average lumber production rateper hour, average frequency of tool wear and fuel consumption of lumber per litrehave been determined for each of the 16 species when the local woodmizerwas usedand 6 of the species with the imported woodmizers. Assessment of these parameters

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has shown that the locally manufactured woodmizer is equally efficient as that of theimported one, The total volume of lumber produced from sixteen of the species with alocally manufactured woodmizer was 32.412m' while that with an imported woodmizerfor six of the species was 6,0793m'. With the currenttimber market prices, the lumberproduced was estimated to cost ^54,665,802.03 and ^^12,408,198.20 with both localand imported woodmizers respectively.

An inventory of ten (10) carpentry shops at the project communities was undertaken.The surface quality and the ease of working on the lumber produced from the residuesof twelve out of the sixteen timber species have been established for five machiningoperations using the facilities of the local carpenters. The surface qualities of themedium and high-density species were better than that of the low-density species.With the machining properties established, the residues of the sixteen species couldbe used for some of these: furniture, cabinet work, turnery, carvings, boxes & crates,food containers, tool handles, dowels, matches, toys, lab stools, mouldings, lightstructural work and shoe heels.

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One-third of the lumber produced at each of the two communities was given to thelocal communities free of charge. In addition, twenty (20) school furniture that weremanufactured by the local carpenters were donated to the primary school at AgonaWassa. Summary results of the questionnaires on the communities involvement inprocessing and utilization of logging residues administered to forty timber companieshave also been documented.

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Recommendations

Recommendations for future action forthe utilization of logging residues are based onPolicy development, development of market, promotion of investment and financing,technology transfer, human resource development and dissemination of informationare clearly spelt out.

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Acknowledgement

The authors would like to express their appreciation to InO for funding the project.Mention should be made of the District forest services, at Asankrangwa & Samreboi,and Agona wassa & 'NO Good' communities. We are also thankful to NanaKasapreko, Omanhene of Wassa Akropong for granting the project team thepermission to operate in his timber concessions.

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2.0 INTRODUCTION

There are many ITFO producer member countries that are facing a multitude ofchallenges in the sustainable utilization of theirforestresources. While a few countriesare continuously building their future strategies in forest industries on a foundation ofabundant or growing resource base, others are facing constraints in the long-termavailability of natural tropical wood (Trosser0, 2002). Making more out of less istherefore becoming a common advice fortropical countries. It is therefore important toshift attitudes into a more prudent resource-consciousness, efficient utilization of woodinto higher added value products. The commercial use forthese logging residues hasriot been established, as is the case for mill-residues. This is because there is lack ofinformation on the feasibility of extraction and utilization of logging residues. Previousstudies by Of OSU Asiedu and Nketiah (1993) and Adam (undated)focused on residualvolume estimation and classification. According to these reports about 40% - 50% ofthe total volume is left as logging residues.

Different types of wood residues are generated throughout the tropical timberproduction chain. In most cases, wood residues cannot be avoided because they arepart of the processing phase and the real problem is the residues. According toLissem (1999), there are basically two types of residues. These are:

a) forest or logging residues, which are the result of logging and harvestingoperations. The different stages of these operations basically involve roadconstruction, felling of trees, skidding, cross-cutting of logs and transportation(to mill site). The majority of the forest residues are generated from felled trees,for instance, stumps, buttress, stern off-cuts, branches and twigs. It is importantto mention that a considerable part of the forest residues are also originatedfrom trees overthrown, broken or damaged by felling and skidding operations.

by Industrial wood waste, which is generated through log transportation and logyard operations, passing throughout the primary, secondary and tertiallyprocessing, up to warehousing.

The economicalIy, value-added processing will depend on the cost of residues. Thisis an important factorin the transition from waste into useful raw materials. Unless theprice is such that some profit margin is corned during extraction, there is no incentiveto harvest logging residues. Hence estimating the cost of extraction and processing,the market value and finding end-uses forthe residues are worth considering.

In Ghana, timber harvesting and processing are done by concessionaires and industrymen who live in the cities and other urban areas. As a result most of the products areexpected or sold in the urban areas. Therefore local communities who live near theforest resource do riot have access to timber products easily neither do they benefitany major income from harvesting of timber by concessionaires or from the royalties,which are paid by the concessionaires. This is because such payments are made tothe paremount and other chiefs. As a result, the local communities who live near theforests do not care aboutwhat happens in the forest.

To stimulate the interest of local communities in the forest and thereby protect theforest from all damaging activities the communities should be enabled to have some

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income from the forest while at the same time having timber products fortheir needs,This can be achieved by involving the local communities in the production andprocessing of logging residues hence generation of employment and revenue throughthe sale of the sawn products, which will affecttheir social and economic lives.

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Therefore the objectives of the pre-project were toa) determine the volumes of logging residues of some species in the Ghanaian

forest

by determine the most efficient and cost effective method of collecting loggingresidues to processing sites.

c) establish the processing characteristics of logging residues into productsd) estimate the economic viability of processing logging residues into products.

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2.1 START-UPWORKSHOPS

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The Pre-project started with two mini workshops; one was organized at ForestryResearch Institute of Ghana (FORIG) and the other at Agona-Wassa, a ruralcommunity in the Western region of Ghana (fig. I). Participants at the FORIGworkshop were from the Forestry Commission, Ghana timber millers' organization,chain-saw operators' furniture I construction industry, University students andlecturers, Research institutes, some local community and district leaders/chiefs.Discussion at the workshop, which centered on the objectives of the pre-project andthe follow-up project included the following:

I. The mode of extraction of timber species in the Ghanaian forests2. Generation of logging residues: possible methods of extraction, machinery

requirement and current/future end uses3. Social and cultural acceptability of lumber produced from logging residues for

use by the rural communities.4. Possiblejobs to be generated and sustained5. The roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder

6. The second workshop meeting was also organized at Agona-Wassa of whichthe chief and his elders, Assemlyman, Staff at Forest service division (FSD),Asankuragwa, the community members and the timber contractors involved inthe project discussed the objectives of the pre-project and the possible benefitsto be accrued and the organization of the communities forthe implementationof the project. Memorandum of understanding was signed between the projectteam, local communities and the timber industry. A three-man steeringcommittee (each from FSD, Projectteam and local communities) was set up tosee to the execution of the project

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g : Participants at the start up workshop

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3.0TYPES OFSPECIESANDVOLUMES OFLOGGING RESIDUES EXTRACTED

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3.1 Introduction

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Careless utilization is unnecessarily common throughout the entire supply chain oftropical wood products. It starts from the forest compartment level. Badly-plannedlogging operations leave behind unacceptable residues, part of which could berecovered forthe manufacture of small-dimension wood products, engineered woodproducts, reconstituted panels or energy biomass in different forms. Reduced impactlogging has proven an important success factor for making forestry operations moresustainable. While it was first developed with the purpose of reducing damage to theresidual standing trees and the forest ecosystem, it has later proved to be aneconomicalIy rewarding and efficient way of conducting logging operations (Enters(2001).

A similar kind of attitude change through better planning would be very much neededin conceptualizing that wood residues from all operations should be considered avaluable by-product. It should be utilized to capture its full value thereby contributing tothe industry's profitability and competitiveness as a whole.

Instead of just fighting overthe last stands in the globalization-driven commodity woodproduct markets, efficient utilization of residues can support tropical producers inembarking on entirely new products.

Logging residues are the by-products of logging operations. These include trees thatare felled during forest opening for road construction, logging camps/log yards anddamages done to residual stands. Others are length trimming of timbers to fulfillrigidrequirements, trimming for defects, removing poor log form at either log ends andtrimming for length specific end-use, damaged timbers during sriiggling, poor qualitytimbers resulting from carelessness during trimming and timbers with technicalutilization problems.

The commercial use for these logging residues has riot been established, as is thecase for mill-residues. This is because there is lack of information on the feasibility ofextraction and utilization of logging residues. Previous studies by Of OSU Asiedu andNketiah (1993) and Adam (undated) focused on residual volume estimation andclassification.

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Fig 2: Logging residue from CGiba,,

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Fig. 3 Some logging residues(An ans and Guarea)

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3.2 Methods

Two forest concessions in the Western region of Ghana (Agona Wassa andSamreboi) were used for the studies. The identification of logging residues wasundertaken during logging operations at each of the concessions. Two measuringtapes of lengths 5 metres and 9,120 metres (, 00yds) were used to takemeasurements of the logging residues at the logging sites. With the help of the loggingcrews of the concessionaires, seventeen timber species, as shown in table I, wereidentified. The felled trees were first crosscut at the top where the first main branchbegins or after the first branch, depending upon the species and at the stump site. Thediameters of the merchantable bole (excluding the bark) at both ends (butt and top)and length were taken. The whole stern (buttlog and main stern) was then hauled tothe log yard. Here, cross-cutting to size was done so dimensions of the logs (thosethat were sent to mills) and the logging residues generated (by considering only themain stern residue) as shown in figs 2 & 3, were also taken and recorded. These werethen compiled and their volumes estimated (table 2)

The volumes of merchantsble boles, logs that were sent to and their correspondinglogging residues were computed using the formula:

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V =it L!^ L (Adam, undated)4

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Where V = volume of logit = constant, 3.14D = average diameter of logL = length of log

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3.3 RESULTS

As shown in table I, seventeen timber species were identified. These were thengrouped into the wood star classification, hence scarlet star (4 species), red star (9species) and pink star (3 species). The classification has shown that prudentmeasures need to be taken to govern their extraction. The promotion of the pink starspecies should be strengthened and that the stringent measures governing theextraction of the scarlet star species should be strictly adhered to.

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The minimum and maximum diameters and lengths of the logging residues recordedwere in the ranges of 22cm - 50cm and 1.435m - 2.9m respectively. The shapes ofthe residues also varied from crooked to straight. The volumes of the merchantsbleboles of thirteen of the wood species estimated, as shown in table 2, ranged between4.65m' and 292.32m'for African Walnut and Of rain respectively while those that weretaken to sawmills were 2.81m'and 258.41m'forthe same species. The minimum andmaximum logging residues were obtained from Ceiba (1,271m') and Of rain (33.91m').The percentages of logging residues with respect to the merchantable bole volumes(excluding the buttress portion) ranged between 4% and 22.9% and were recorded by

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African walnut and Makore respectively. The high-density species identified wereKaku (Lophira alata) and Dahoma (Pilotadenia amcana) of which their percentagemain stern residues were 13.1% and 17.6% respectively (table 2).

Of the 17 wood species identified, complete data (volumes of merchantable boles, milllogs and main stern residues) was compiled for 13 of the species while detailedinformation on the rest (Edinam, Guarea, Iroko and Obeche) were riot wellestablished.

The total volume of merchantable logs that were extracted was 994,816m'. The totalvolume of the main stern residuals for the 13 species (asterisked) was 122,276m'representing 12.3% of the total merchantsble volume of the 13 species* (table 2). Thetotal volume of logs of the same number of species that were sent to the sawmills was872.54m', a percentage of 87.7% of the total merchantsble volume.

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Table I: Star classification of wood s ecies identified

Makore Mimuso sheokeliOScarlet starspecies

Iroko (MMOia excelsa)

Obeche(Triplochitonsolerox 10n

Mahoganyspp

African walnut

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Lovoa klaineana

Nyankom Hetitlera utilis)

Scarlet starspecies: The main traditional commercial timber species now under threatof economic exiinctionwhere the levelofcutis greater than 200% of the sustainable levelofcut.

*Red star species: Are timber species, which are significantly being over cut at the rate of 50-200% of thesustainable level of cut. his envisaged that the red star species will eventually becomeeconomicalIy extinct.

Pink star species: Timber species that are exploited at a rate, which is less than 50% of the sustainable level ofcut, hence not at a rate to cause concern.

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Dahoma (Pfy, todenia amcana)

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Red star species

Asanfena (Aningeria robusta)

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Bombax (Rhodognaphalon brevicuspeIbuono ozenseOn ina

Edinam Entandrophra ina an

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Kwaetanuro Guarea cedrata

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Gelba entandra

Kha a ivorensisOf rain Tenninaliasu

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Pink starspeciesKaku Lophira alata)Kyenkyen(Anti^listoxicaiia)Eineri(TerminaliaIVOrensis

eiba

o1ense)

(Agyemang eta1, 2003)

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Table 2: Volumes of wood s

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2

N ankom

3

Species

Kha a

4

Kaku an

5

Dahoma

6

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Asanfena

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ecies extracted

Makore

8

Bombax

Merchantsble

bole volumein

9

Ceiba

10

Edinam

11

Eineri

12

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Guarea

13

128.852

Maho an

14

22.77

85.919 co

Odum

15

Volume of

logs toMills in3

Of rain

16

15.988

Obeche

17

18,294

Antiaris

20,004

African walnut

113.463

21,869

Total

21.808

26,331

Volume ofresidues

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74.623 it

Total

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Total(without *)

13.175

174.354

Total(without**,,

15.661

without**

15.422

162.032

15,689

17,645

0,962

Percentageof residues

%

11.296 **

292,322

25.06

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2,813

153,988

21,429

2.633

4,582

4,652

142,303

994,816

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4.224

908,897

4.2

1,271

258.41

908,897

13.1

3.669 *

908,897

17.6

20.366

18,471

14.4

4,517 *

22.9

2,811

19,729

872.54

19.3

0,955 *

797.917

33.912

4.8

797,917

20.78 *

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797,917

11.7

2,9581.84,

152.197

12.2

140.901122,276

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110.98

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4.0THE MOST EFFICIENTANDCOST EFFECTIVE METHODOF COLLECTIONOF LOGGING RESIDUES To PROCESSING SITES

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4. , Introduction

In Ghana it is acknowledged that for every utilizable volume of wood removed from theforest, an equal volume is left as waste. According to Chachu, (1989) some localestimates were that 25-30% of trees felled were left to waste. This high quantity ofresidues left in the forest could be attributed to the types of technologies that are usedin the extraction of the species. The bulk of timber from the Ghanaian industry comesfrom the reserves and unreserved forests.

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4.2 Methods of extraction

Extraction of logging residues was carried out in two concessions during loggingoperations of the Concessionaires. Two methods of extraction of the logging residueswere employed forthe pre-project. These were termed by the project extraction crewas "On Site Extraction" and "Extraction and Transportation" methods. The 'on siteextraction '(OSE) method was the process whereby timber trees felled and cross-cutat the top were hauled by bulldozer to various log yards of few meters from theirstumps sites. The long logs were feather cross-cut to the required sizes (sawmillrequirements) before they were taken to the loading bay leaving the off cuts/defectivelogs at log yards (near stump site) for milling into lumber.

The "extraction and transportation" (EAT) method, on the other hands, was theprocess by which timber sterns hauled by bulldozer to log yards were trimmed tosizeable boles and their residues feather transported to the loading bay of eachconcession. For both methods, dimensions (butt & top diameters and lengths) ofvarious logs (merchantable boles) with their corresponding residues were taken andcoded accordingly. The formula, F1 was used to determine their volumes.

A 6,669m' capacity trailer was hooked to a tractor to transport the logging residuesfrom the log yards (near stump sites)to the logging bay (central log yard).

Costs were put on all extraction activities that were undertaken hence the cost percubic meter of logs computed as shown in table 3.

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4.3 RESULTS

The comparative results of logging for both residual and normal logs by the twomethods of extraction (OSE and EAT) are show in table 3.

The costs estimates of allthe operational activities that were undertaken during theextraction with both methods are as recorded in table 3. From the table, the total costof extracting logging residues with the "extraction and transportation" (EAT)" methodwas ^55,621,680 and the cost per cubic meter of residual logs was ^;764,370.05. Thisincluded the costs of hauling, trimming, loading 10ff-loading, transportation,supervising and miscellaneous expenses. The equivalent costs using the "on siteextraction" method were ^ 29,056,190 and ^426,462.80. This shows that exiraction oflogging residues using the "on site extraction" method is more economical than that of"extraction and transportation". The difference in cost per cubic meter of residual logsis ^;, 04,429. ,5. The total cost of extraction per cubic meter of logs with the twomethods of extraction (OSE and EAT) was estimated to be ^;600,974.23. From table 3,the unit cost of haulage was higher than the other activities that were undertakenduring the extraction processes in both cases.

Even though Lophira (Kaku) was identified, its logging residue (estimatedas, ,. 296m') was not milled because of the fearthat processing into lumber would bedifficult using the wood-inizer. The density of the species is 1050 Kg/in' at 12-15%moisture content(TEDB, 1994). Hence a total volume of 140,901m' logging residueswas extracted with the two methods of extraction.

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The total volumes of merchantsble logs extracted with "EAT" and "OSE" methodswere 520.288m' and 474,528m' respectively. With the 13 species, the loggingresidues extracted were 72,769m' and 68,132m' in the same order of arrangement.The 6,669m3 capacity trailer that was mounted onto a tractor made about It trips inconveyin allthe main stern residues that were extracted with "EAT" method(72,769m ) to the central log yard (logging bay). Transportation of residues from thelogging site to the logging bay was more difficult and very expensive. Selection andgathering of logging residues of mixed dimensions as well as hauling were tediousand caused a lot of delay. Lack of handling skills also contributed to the inefficienciesof the two methods of extraction. The hauling of the logs and its residues to theloading bay simultaneously was looked at but lack of facilities prevented itsimplementation.

The estimated cost on miscellaneous items was considered to be high. This is due tosome injuries that were experienced.L_

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Table 3: Costs of extraction of 10 in residues with two different methodsNo. Operational activity

2

Haula e

3

Chain saw

4

Loadin &off-loadin

5

Trans ortation to ba

6

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DSA for supervisors

7

Miscellaneous

8

9

Total estimated costVolume of residues in

Estimated cost

of EAT method

( ,^ )

Cost of residues ^;/ in

32,560,0003,455,6502,550,375

Estimated costof OSE method

( ,^ )

9,250,0007,315,000

55,621,680490,655

10,285,450

72.768

764,370.05

3,160,2002,740,3503,570,140

Total cost

( ,; )

8,650,000650,000

29,056,190

42,845,450

68,133

426,462.80

6,615,8505,290,725

12,820,14015,965,000

1,140,70584,677.870

140,901

600,974.23

17

, -

I.

.

-^

5.0 PROCESSING OF LOGGING RESIDUES

I-

5.1 Introduction

Processing of logging residues, in this case, is the means by which primary,secondary and ternally wood machinery is used to work on timber. These includedsawing, machining/woodworking activities.

5.2 SAWMILLING

Sawmilling is the process of conversion of round logs into sawn timber of requiredsizes with sawdust, slabs and edgings as by-products. It is the most important andlargest wood based industry in Ghana. It developed in the traditional manner from theprimitive hand sawing to the present proliferation of mills ranging from the small onebench mills to the fully-mechanized mills with specialized saws and automatedtransfer systems.

The basic production technology and the core products of the sawmilling industry haveremained fairly unchanged during the past decades.

Modern sawmilling may be divided into potable or forest sawmills, mechanical sawyer-controlled sawmills/timber imported sawmills and computer controlled sawmills.

The main objective of this activity was to establish the sawing characteristics of thelogging residues.

5.2. , Processing equipment

Since the project methodologies were expected to be adopted by the ruralcommunities, affordability and easy access to processing equipment were taken intoconsideration. To make this a reality, the mechanics at Kumasi Suame Magazine inAshanti Region of Ghana were contacted forthe construction of a locallymanufactured horizontal narrow bandsaw machine (fig. 5) equivalent to an importedwood-inizer or forest mill(horizontal narrow bandsaw machine). This was powered byon engine of capacity 1.2.

The locally manufactured machine was taken to the forest (logging bay I central logyard and log yards I stump sites) at Agona Wassa and Samreboi where extraction ofthe logging residues had been undertaken and accumulated)

,.--

,^-

*

18

U

To assess the performance of the locally manufactured horizontal narrow bandmillmachine (wood-inizer), an imported horizontal narrow bandmill (wood-inizer), asshown in fig 4, was also used.

.~\ .\ .,~., - ... .\~. '..'!'^!V' """ 're' '~' '."%." .' I. ,.. .;,.*',,. ,*. ,..

^~.,. ..

J.

A.

.

^.

"*'

^^..

Fig4:Imported wood-inizer

. .,.

*,

,

.

7''I" ^,.

CD

19

Fig5: Locally manufactured w od-inizer

5 2 2 Community training and Labour

Before processing of the logging residues into lumber some of the communitymembers were taken through air-clrying of lumber and the operation of wood-inizer.

Ten people were involved in this activity. These were: Research scientists-2,Technical personnel-2, machine operators-3, chain saw operator, and Labourers-3.With the exception of the scientist and technical personnel, allthe other staff werefrom the communities where the project was undertaken, hence they were gainfullyemployed forthe period of extraction and processing of the logging residues.

20

,-

\

5.2.3 Lumber production

The logging residues accumulated at the logging bay or central log yard were milledlog after log with the locally manufactured wood-inizer by taking note of the codes oneach residual log. The through and through method was the only sawing pattern thatwas used. This is because it is the simplest form of sawing pattern forthe milling oftimber logs into lumber. The time for milling or producing each lumber was taken,hence the total time for the production of lumber pieces from each residual log. Inaddition, the dimensions of each lumber(the thickness, width and length) were taken,hence the total lumber volume from each residual log and consequently the totals fromthe logging residues milled. The percentage lumber recovery was then computed. Thecost incurred in processing the residues at the loading bays was also estimated. Inthis case the wood-inizer machine was riot moved until allthe residues were milled at

the loading bay.

By the same processing method and data collection, the residues at the various logyards/stump sites were milled as the machine was moved from log yard to log yard(stump site to stump site) with the help of a tractor.

,^

I'

The locally manufactured bandmill machine was taken to Samreboi, the secondproject site, and the two milling procedures (logging bay and log yards milling) thatwere embarked upon at Agona wassa were repeated.

Some logging residues of total volume 10,028m from six of the timber species(Heritiera utilis, Nyankom; Khaya Ivorensis; Piptadenia amcana, Dahoma; Mahoganyspp; TerminalIa superba, Of rain and Lovoa klaineana, walnut) were transported toFORIG for milling using an imported woodmizer. The same methods of data collectionand sawing were used and the costinvolved also estimated. Fig 6 shows some of thelumber produced from the logging residues that were extracted. The lumber werestacked by some of the local communities that the team worked with.

The formulae used in the computation of the various parameters are:

I~~

I _ .

Volume of lumber, Vo=txwx IWhere;t=average thickness of lumber; w=average width of lumber;I= length of lumber.

I .

Total volume of lumber pieces from a log , Vt ={(tnnxl), + (bam1)2 + (mmx1)3 + (bun1)4 +

r'~

Where; n=number of lumber pieces from a log

The percentage lumber recovery, LR = Vt X 100% IV or(F3x, 00%/FD -------- F4

F2

"""' ' (tnnxl),}

21

F3

I .

L_

I~ ~

I~~

r

5.2.4 Results

From table 4, sixteen species had their residues converted, to lumber with the locallymanufactured horizontal narrow bandmill machine. Kaku (Lophira alata) was riotprocessed into lumber because of its high density of 1050 kg/in' at 12-15%inc (TEDB,I994).

The total volume of logging residues from the sixteen species milled with the localwood-inizer was 58,247m' and the lumber recovered from the residual logs was32,412m', hence percentage of lumber recovery of 55.7% (table 4). The millin periodwas 19.64hrs. The lumber production rate forthe sixteen species was 1.68m Ihr andthe fuel consumption rate was 0,126m'/lit.

In comparing the two woodmizers, from table 4, with six of the species (Heritiera utilis,Nyankom; Khaya ivorensis; Piptadenia amcana, Dahoma; Mahogany spp; TerminalIasuperba, Of rain and Lovoa k/ameana, walnut) whose logging residues were milled, thepercentage lumber recovery was 54.66% with the locally manufactured wood-inizerand 60.6% with the imported wood-inizer. The lumber production rates for the sixnamed species with both the local and imported wood-inizers were 1.48m'/hr and1.96m'/hr respectively. The fuel consumption for each of the two machines, in thesame order, were 0.1 57m'/lit and 0,245m'/lit.

Table 5 shows the cost analysis of milling the logging residues from the speciesidentified. It includes the processing and labour costs as well as the average lumberrecovery, production cost of lumber per cubic meter and the average production rateper cubic meter. A total amount of ^:4,740,000 was spent in the processing,transportation and milling (, 0.028m') of logs to lumber with the imported wood-in izer.The volume of lumber produced was 6,0793m' hence an average rate of production of1.95m'/hr as against 1.48m'/hr of a locally manufactured wood-inizer for the samekind and number of species. The percentage lumber recovery for both locally andimported wood-inizers (for the 6 species) were estimated to be 54.7% and 60.6%respectively. Again, the production cost of lumber per cubic meter (table 5) for theimported horizontal narrow bandmill was ^;779,733.51 while that with the locallymanufactured type was ^846,644.23. Still with the six species, the average volume oflumber produced for every saw change was 0.45m' when the imported wood-inizerwas used and 0,438m' with the local wood-inizer

The total milling cost of residual logs at the loading bay (30,432m') was ^^11,911,540while milling allog yards/ stump sites (27,815m') wasestimated as ^, 5,045,750 (table5). With the volumes of lumber produced at both loading bay and log yards (, 7.11m'and 15.31 in' respectively), the costs of production of a cubic meter of the lumberwere 696,174. ,7 and 982.740.04 in the same order. Butthe rate of lumber production(,. 65m'/hr) was the same emphasizing the fact that the same machines and staffoperated at both milling sites.Considering the 6 species* that were milled with the two wood-inizers, the averageproduction rates ranged between 0,674,839m'/hrs with the local wood-inizer and

22

,.- .

I~

^.~

I_

I__

I' ~~

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L

.

L_

I~'

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^

1.096-2.1m'/hr with the imported wood-inizer, as shown in table 6. These minimumand maximum rates were obtained from Piptadenia amcana (Dahoma) & Gemapentandra (Onyina) and Piptadenia amcana (Dahoma) & Heritiera utilis ( Nyankom)wood species. The lumber production rates were 1.77m'/hr and 1.46m'/hr with theimported and local wood-inizers respectively.

With the 6 species, the rate of tool wear was higher with the local wood-inizer than

with the imported wood-inizer. For instance, with Heritiera utilis (Nyankom^ andMahogany species, saws were changed at an average volume of 0,537m and0.474m' with the local machine while the imported machine recorded 0,745m' and0,612m'. The average volumes to be milled to cause a toolwear per species using thelocal and imported wood~inizers being 0,438m' and 0,415m'.

Again, (from table 6), the quantity of fuel used in milling logs to obtain a cubic meter oflumber for each of the species was higher with the locally manufactured machine thanwith the imported machine. For instance, with Hetitlera utilis (Nyankom), the volumesof lumber per litre of petrol were 0,167m' and 0.233m' for the local and importedmachines respectively, and Walnut also recorded 0.215m' and 0,246m' in the sameorder of the machines. The average fuel consumption rates per species being 0,194in'/lit and 0,242m'/lit with the local and imported wood-in izers respectively.

r

r

The species that recorded the lowest and highest average volumes of lumber

processed (from the 16 species) for every saw change were P^Itadenia amcana -Dahoma (0.283m') and Trip/oohiton soleroxylon - Wawa (0,666m ) respectively. Theaverage volume of lumber processed before one saw was changed was 0,488m'(table 6).

I~~

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I~

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23

U

Fig 6

Table 7 is the price that was put on the lumber produced from each of the species withthe current local timber market prices. With the total lumber volume of 38.49tmproduced, it was estimated to be sold at ^;67,074,000.23. Hence the price per cubicmeter of lumber was ^,, 742,589. ,8. Meanwhile the cost of lumber produced from the16 species with the local wood-inizer per cubic meter was ^,, 686,591.45.

In comparing the local and imported wood-inizer of which six species were milled, theselling prices for a cubic meter were estimated to be ^2,030,514.45 and ^2,041,057respectively. This also indicates that the cost recovery for the production of lumberwith both woodmizers is equivalent.

inber produced from Logging residues

24

Table 4: Lumber recove from residues with local and jinNo. Species

2

4

N ankom

5

Kha a

Volumeof

residuesin

6

Dahoma

7

Asanfena

r~

8

Makore

I_

9

Bombax

10

15,689

Ceiba

,

11

Edinam

Vol.milled

in3

0.962

Local Woodmizer

12

Eineri

2,813

13

Guarea

2,633

6,617

14

Maho an

4,582

Lumber

yieldin

0,538

15

Odum

4.224

16

1,405

Of rain

1,271

2.633

3.669 *

17

Obeche

3,758

4,586

20,366

Antiaris

0.32

4,224

4,517 *

Timetakenhrs.

Africanwalnut

0.85

^o ave.recove

1,271

19,729

oned wood-inizers

1,564

3,669

0.955 *

Total

2,969

2.043

9,739

33,912

Im orted Woodmizer

2,205

Vol.milled

in

.202

3,484

20.78 *

0,885

1,264

Table 5: Costanal sis of millin 10 in residues from somes ecies

Lumber

3,992

2,958

2.487

1,033

0.955

6,201

1,841

5,013

2,102

3.843

Lumber

0.372

2097

0,986

140.901

7,684

0.258

yieldin

1,895

0,375

Vol. of 10

2,757

ItemlActivity

0.667

1,533

3,723

Volume ofrecovered in

0,854

2,127

3,088

0,235

Timetaken

hrs.

3,995

1.457

0.16

58.247

% lumber recove

s milled in

1,101

I. ,83

Millin

0,479

0.459

Trans

1.774

1.356

Saw sharpeningsolderin

0.128

55.6532,412

1.736

0.146

eriod hrson & fuel

1,958

lumber

0.5

Maintenance of wood-in Izer

Milling at loadingba with local inizer

0.32

0,397

DSA to staff/labour

19,637

1,224

Miscellaneous

Total lumber productioncost

0842

30,432

0,246

17.11

Production cost erm

10,028

&

Average lumberroduction rate in Ihr

0,674

0,491

56.210.365

0.137

2,726,000

Milling at log yardswith local inizer

60.62

^:2,505,000

6,079

Cost

0,251

^650,540

27,815

^5,760,000

3.11

15.31

^:, 1,911,540270,000

55

Milling of 6 speciesWith jin orted inizer

9,272

696,174. ,7

3,650,000^2,465,000

^870,750

1.65

10.028

7,560,000

6,079

^:, 5,045,750500,000

60.6

982,740.04

2,520,000 *3.11

25

^250,000

I. 65

^, 50,000

^1,750,000 *

^:4,740,00070,000

779,733.51

1.95

r~-

rI .

Table 6: Lumber production rate, Fuel consumption rate and frequency of toolwearfor, 6 s ecies

No.

2

N ankom *

3

Species

Kha a *

4

Dahoma *

5Asanfena

6

Makore

7

Bombax

8

Ceiba

9

Edinam

10

Ave. lumber

productionrate in'/hr

Eineri

11

Guarea

12

LocalMizer

13

Maho an *Odum

14

1,839

Of rain *

15

1,584

ImportedMizer

Obeche

16

0.672

Avera e rate ers ecies

Antiaris

1,514

Avera e rate ers ecies

Fuelconsumptionrate

M'/lit

African walnut *

1,412

2.1

2,236

1.84

Table 7: Pricin of lumber roduced from 16 s ecies

^.

2.36

1.096

LocalMizer

No.

1,6221,623

0.163

1,439

,.-.

0.213

1,602

ImportedMizer

0.11

1,453

2

0.223

1.569

N ankom *

3

Species

Ave. frequency oftoolwear

rL.

2,301

0.16

0,233

Kha a *

4

*

0,276

2,202

0,294

Dahoma *

5

1.82

0,295

1,497

Asanfena

6

0.16

LocalMizer

I.

0,237

Makore

1.65

7

1.796

1.46

0,245

Bombax

8

0,537

0,182

Ceiba

9

0.32

0,211

I~~

ImportedMizer

to

Edinam

1,956

0,283

0,133

11

Eineri

0,531

1.77

Lumbervolume in3

0.25

12

Guarea

0.495

0,285

0.745

13

Maho an *

Local woodmizer

0,551

0,315

0,235

0,272

14

Odum

0.443

0,215

3,758

0.16

15

Of rain *

0,497

0.22

0,246

16

0.32

Obeche

0.194

0,557

Antiaris

0.85

0.524

1,564

African walnut *

0474

2.969

0,246

6,771,171.17

0,334

Price of lumber/in with local

in izerfrom 6 s p. (*)

Cost

2,205

0,242

Price of lumber/in

0.532

0,885

576,576.581,914,414.41

0,666

Total

2.487

2,063,324.54

0,591

0,612

5.013

6,686,936.94

0,479

2,097

1,986,486.49

0,488

LumberVolume in3

0,246

0,438

1,895

Im orted woodmizer

797,297.30

0,667

4,481,081.08

2.127

9,032,432.43

0,491

3,995

3.7233

3,778,378.39

0,415

1.10,

3,414,414.41

0.235

0,479

2,103,153.15

0.16

32.412

4,311,486.493,599,099.10

9,429

6,708,648.65

Cost

991,891.892,157,657.66

,, 686,591.45

423,423.42360,360.36

54,665,802.03

79,745, 720. 72

1,224

26

0.246

2,205,405.41

0.4916,0793

498,648.65

2,041,057.06

2,21 I, 71 I. 71

2,30574.45

12,408,198.20

I_

I~

i--

5.3WOODWORKING

5.3. ,Introduction

Machining of wood is the process of using down-stream processing machinery onwood. To promote the utilization of logging residues, especially by the furnitureindustry, it is important that the machining properties of the residues are established.This will enable users to conveniently patronize the use of logging residues for themanufacture of wood products like furniture, dowel, artifacts, flooring, parquet,fiberboard, particleboard and briquettes.

Noack (1995) has reported that various product segments, based on small-dimensionitems were identified including, for instance, garden and decking applications,children's furniture and toys, dowels, moldings and similarly produced items likeparquet panels, furniture components and picture frames. These can absorbprocessing of residues or smallerdimension wood, and often conceal small qualityhandicaps.

I~L_

-:

^

^^

r~

5.3.2 Inventory

The local communities who live near the forests do riot have easy access to timberproducts. It has therefore become difficult for the carpenters amongst them tomanufacture some types of furniture for the local consumption and to raise woodenshelters of medium quality. They therefore have to travel to the cities to buy suchproducts at very high prices. Meanwhile carpenters who are living within thecommunities can produce, at least, some basic furniture (school and room furniture)forthe communities iflumber could easily be available to them within their environ.

The inventory of ten identified carpentry workshops was undertaken (table 8). Theperiod of establishment of their shops was from the year 1996 to 2002. The numberof apprentices varied from I to 5. Both the workshop managers and their apprenticeshad had alleast some basic education. Even though there was electrical power at thecommunities, none of the carpenters had a motorized machine or equipment, butrather basic carpentry workshop tools as shown in table 8. Ripping and turningoperational activities were taken to a wood working shop at Asankrangwa where latheand locally manufactured rip saw machines had been installed to serve carpenters inthe locality. Allthe shops were wooden structures and roofed with either palm frontsand or roofing sheets.

27

5.3.3 Machining tests

The ten carpenters were given the opportunity to use their wood working tools on 12out of the 16 wood species that were whose residues were processed into lumber.Odiifo Wood Designs (\) and Amoah Furniture (*) were given two species each towork on because of their numerical strength while the rest of the carpenters weregiven one species each (tables 8 & 9).

Twenty (20) samples per species pertest operation were prepared. Dimensions ofthe various tests samples were as follows:Planing/sanding tests: 25 x40 x 400mm - 20 samples (, OSamplesx2 surfaces)Shaping/boring test:20 x 75 x 300mm - 20 samplesTurning test: 20 x 20 x 125mm - 20 samples

Having worked on the samples, they were inspected and graded one after the other,according to the surface quality as excellent (1), good (2), fair (3), poor (4) andrejected (5). The ease of working on the wood species, with their available tools, forthe five operational activities were also recorded.

I~~ '

-,

^^

,-

5.3.4 Results

The results of the surface quality and the ease of working on the species are shown intable 9. For the surface quality grade, the percentage fair to excellent was calculatedfor each of the 12 wood species per operation. These were then grouped into fourcategories (I -IV) as defined below (a). The ease of any of the machining operationquality was also assessed and classified as below (^). Hence the summary results intable 9.

a{I = High quality (85-, 00%);11 = Medium quality (55-84%)1/1= Low quality (30-54%);IV=Poor quality (Below 30%)}

^{Ease to machine = +; Moderately ease to machine = ++; Slightly difficult tomachine = x; Difficult to machining =xx; Very difficultto machine =xxx}

The planing quality of the species ranged from low to medium. While the low-densityspecies** were graded in (low surface planing quality). The rest, being medium-density species recorded grade 11(medium surface quality).

Shaping quality of the species was graded between low and high and that onlyMakore was grade I(high shaping surface quality).

Boring quality for the wood species ranged between 1-1V, but Ceiba was the onlyspecies that was graded IV.

The surface quality for the twelve species after turning varied from low to medium.The four low-density species (Bombax, Ceiba, Obeche and Antiaris) were graded N(low quality) while the others were graded 11(medium quality).

28

I .

I

The sanding quality, on the other hand, also ranged from 1-11. Aningeria, Makore andIroko were graded to be of high surface quality.

Generally the percentage of fair to excellent samples of allthe species for each of thecommon carpentry operational activities was between 30% and 85%. As none of thespecies was graded I (high surface quality) for the planing and turning operations,Aningeria, Makore and Heritiera scored grade I with at least one of the remainingthree operational activities (shaping, boring and sanding). The ease with which thewood species were worked on by the carpenters was assessed to be betweenmoderately easy to machine and easy to machine as indicated in table 9.With these surface qualities and ease of working on the wood species, their loggingresidues from the 16 species could be considered to be machineable and hence couldbe used for the manufacture of wooden products like furniture products furniture,dowels, boxes & crates, cabinets, carvings, turnery, shoe heels, toys, and interiorjoinery.

5 3 5 Product manufacture

Each of the ten carpenters was given some pieces of lumber to manufacture twoschool furniture (table & chair) and that twenty (20) of the school furniture wereproduced and presented to the Primary school at Agona Wassa (fig. 7).

Fig 7: School furniture made from some logging residues

29

I .

Table 81nvento

ID

No.

Nameof

companymanager

A

of car ent

,--

Anuhu Furniture

(Mr. Kwaku Anohu)

sho s at ro'ectcommunitiesYearof

established

B Appiah Wood works(Mr. Isaac Appiah)

No. of

apprentice

2001

C

Available tools Iequipment

& SonsNimo

Furniture

(Mr. Peter Nimo)

2

Bench vice, drivers,screw

measuring tape, chisels, scrapers,G-cramps, pliers, hacksaw, handsaw, claw hammer, ratchet brace,rip saw, files, shaper plane,smoothing plane, marking gauge,hammer wedge, auger bits, handdallin , mallet

,~

I _ _

2002

r~'

D

Bench vice, drivers,screw

measuring tape, pincers, Jackplane steel, chisels, pliers,hacksaw, hand saw, clawhammer, rip saw, files, smoothingplane, nail punch, marking gauge,hammer wedge, auger bits, handdallin

OdiifoWood Designs(Mr. Arithony Addae)

2002

I~

\

Bench vice, drivers,screw

measuring tape, pincers, chisels,G-cramps, pliers, hacksaw, try-square, hand saw, claw hammer,ratchet brace, rip saw, shaperfiles, smoothing plane, nail punch,marking gauge, mallet, tenon sawhammer wedge, auger bits, handdallin

E K & A Furniture

Works

(Mr. Kwame Antwi)

I'~~

2000

Bench vice, chisels, screw drivers,measuring tape, pincers, Jackplane steel, scrapers, G-cramps,pliers, hacksaw, try-square, handsaw, claw hammer, ratchet brace,rip saw, shaper files, shaperplane, smoothing plane, nailpunch, marking gauge, tenon sawhammer wedge, auger bits, handdallin , mallet, onable vice

3

2002

Bench vice, drivers,screw

measuring tape, Jack plane steel,chisels, rip saw, G-cramps, pliers,hacksaw, try-square, hand saw,claw hammer, ratchet brace, files,shaper plane, smoothing plane,marking gauge, tenon saw

hammer wedge, auger bits, handdrilling, mallet

30

\ -

\- -

r~

I~ ~

I~

.

F Amoah

Company(Mr. KofiAmoah)

,~

Furniture

G

I~~

1996

St. Arithony FurnitureCompany(Mr. Arithony Obah)

I~

Bench vice, drivers,screw

measuring tape, pincers, Jackplane steel, chisels, scrapers, G-cramps, sash-cramps pliers,hacksaw, try-square, hand saw,claw hammer, ratchet brace, ripsaw, shaper files, shaper plane,smoothing plane, nail punch,marking gauge, hammer wedge,warrington hammer, auger bits,hand dallin , mallet

.

5

L_

H

r~'

Koo Furniture works

(Mr. Kwaku Minrah)

1999

Bench vice, drivers,screw

measuring tape, pincers, Jackplane steel, chisels, scrapers,sash-cramps, pliers, hacksaw, try-square, hand saw, claw hammer,ratchet brace, rip saw, shaperfiles, shaper plane, smoothingplane, nail punch, marking gauge,tenon saw warrington hammer,au er bits, hand dallin , mallet

2

Essiam

Company(Mr. Kwame Essiam)

r~

2000

I~

Wood

J Mensah & Co.

furniture

(Mr. Alex Mensah)

Bench vice, drivers,screw

measuring tape, chisels, scrapers,pliers, hacksaw, try-square, handsaw, claw hammer, ratchet brace,rip saw, shaper files, shaperplane, smoothing plane, marking

hammergauge, tenon saw

wed e, au er bits, hand dallin

I~~

2000 2

Bench vice, mallet, screw drivers,measuring tape, pincers, Jackplane steel, chisels, G-cramps,pliers, hacksaw, hand saw, clawhammer, ratchet brace, rip saw,files, shaper plane, smoothingplane, nail punch, marking gauge,tenon saw hammer wedge, augerbits, hand drillin

2002

Bench vice, mallet, screw drivers,measuring tape, chisels, pliers,G-cramps, hacksaw, hand saw,claw hammer, ratchet brace, ripsaw, files, smoothing plane,marking gauge, hammer wedge,auger bits

31

L_

r~

r~

r~~

I~~'

Table 9: Machinin testresults on 12 wood s ecies

r

Company

r~-

A

B

C

Species

I~*

D\

D\

Anin eria

E

Makore

I~~

F^

Bombax*

F^

@ DensityK Im3

Ceiba *

G

Edinam

H

Eineri

Guarea

550

@Timber Export Development Board (1994)

I= High surtace quality (85400%) 11= Medium surtace quality (55-84%)111= Low sadace quality (30-54%) IV= Poor suitace quality (below 30%)

Ease to machine = +; Moderately ease to machine = ++; Slightly difficulttomachine = x; Difficult to machining =xx; Very difficult to machine =xxx

J

640

:^

Iroko

Planing

Heritiera

450

300

Of rain

Obeche *

r-

550

11 ++

Antiaris *

550

11 ++

Shaping

600

1/1 +

I~~

650

1/1 +

625

11 ++

11 +

550

I ++

11 +

.-

Boring

375

1/1 +

11 +

430

11 ++

1/1 +

I ++

11 +

11 +

I ++

11 +

11 +

Turning

I ._

111 +

11 +

11 +

11 ++

1/1 +

1/1 +

.^

11 +

11 +

11 +

11 +

Sanding

1/1 +

11 +

1/1 +

r

1/1 +

11 +

111 ++

11 ++

1/1 +

I ++

11 +

11 +

I ++

11 +

11 +

11 +

11 +

L,

11 +

11 +

11 +

11 +

11 +

11 +

11 +

11 +

I_,

111 ++

11 +

I' ~

11 ++

1/1 +

11 +

11 +

^

11 +

11 +

32

r~'6.0 ECONOMICVIABILITYOF PROCESSING LOGGING RESIDUES INTO

PRODUCTS

6. , Introduction

Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) is an economic valuation technique for evaluating aproject and it compares costs and benefits over time and in this way come to aconclusion on the economic profitability of the project in the case ofeconomic/extended benefit cost analysis; and financial viability for financial benefitcost analysis. Economic BCA, which focuses on the value of the environment tosociety, is employed to evaluate the economic viability of processing logging residuesinto products since this activity aims at enhancing environmental and social benefitsand/or minimizing the waste in logging activities and contributing directly to globalbenefits of environmental management.

The "with project "and "without project' of the net benefit is used to obtain the total netbenefit forthe analysis (JICA, 1999; and Richards at a1 2003). Project analysis tries toidentify and value the costs and benefits that will arise with the proposed project andto compare them with the situation as it would be withoutthe project. The difference isthe incremental net benefit arising from the project investment. However, in thisparticular project it is assumed the net income to be obtained without the project iszero since forest residue are not developed into any products in Ghana, except beingused as charcoal and fuelwood.

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The main components of this projectthat warrant economic evaluation were the twomethods of collecting logging residue {"on site extraction" (OSE), and "extraction andtransportation" (EAT)} and the use of the locally manufactured and imported wood-inizers in milling the residual logs from 16 tree species. The processing of theseresidual logs is expected to produce benefits in the form of goods (lumber, etc) andservices (minimizing logging waste, income, employment to local communities etc). Inaddition to this, it will involve costs in the form of materials consumed and the time ofthe productive factors like the processing machines diverted from other usefulemployment.

The purpose of this analysis is to evaluate the processing of logging residues usingthe "on-site extraction" and the "extraction and transportation" methods and the locallymanufactured and imported wood-inizers for their economic viability using extendedcost-benefit analysis approach. This is to provide a sound basis and support for theirapplication in processing logging residues into economic products.

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6.2 ApproachlMethod

The inputs and outputs for each of these extraction methods and wood-inizers are firstidentified. They are valued at market prices to constructthe financial accounts, usingcurrent real prices, allowing for contingency allowance; and finally by adjusting thefinancial prices so that they better reflect economic values (Gifunger, 1982). Enquiry

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I"about actual prices in recent transactions were made through consulting manysources~carpenters in local communities, technical service personnel(ForestryCommission), local wood venders, and published or privately held statistics aboutprices for both national and international markets. From these sources a figure thatadequately reflects the going price for each input or output in these methods andinstruments were obtained.

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6.2. , Analytical Tool For Economic Benefit-CostAnalysis

Three main tools used to evaluate the project are indicated in the following sections.

.

6.2.2 Criteria for justifying the project

After the economic values of benefits and costs have been derived, the project'sresults were presented in only one traditional form: Benefit-Cost Ratio (B/C ratio). Theother two i. e. Net Present Value (NPV), and Economic Internal Rate of Return (EIRR)could riot be employed due to lack of data on the future benefits and costs ofprocessing logging residue, because the project's activities did span beyond 3 yearsto enable discounting to be done.

6.2.3 Benefit-Cost Ratio (BIC ratio)

Where

The B/C ratio is designed to avoid the limitation of the NPV method. With this theproject is evaluated in terms of benefits per one monetary unit of cost. It would beworth investing in the project only if it meets the criterion where the B/C ratio is greaterthan I.

BIG Ratio

BtCt

n

in B^:^t. 0(I+ i)'

^: ,,^~rt=o0+i)

Benefit at time t

Cost at time tDiscount rate

Number of years

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6.3 Results

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The benefits and cost of the projects activities in monetary terms are indicated intables 10 and 11. The revenue is obtained from the sale of lumber (at reduced pricesto the local communities) from log residues from the sixteen (16) timber species.

Table 10: Revenue from lumber obtained from log residuesRevenue itemsLocal wood-in izerlumberIm oned wood-in izerlumberTotal amountSource: Extracted from table 7

The sale of the lumber obtained using both local and imported wood-inizers yielded^67,074,000.23 (table 10), As indicated earlier, this figure is for one period and could not bediscounted.

From table 11, the cost items consist of mainly the extraction and milling activities.The total figure also amounted to ^ 116,375,160.00 and for similar reasons it has not beenpossible to discount it.

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Table 11: Cost of extraction and millinCostitems

-.

Extraction cost

L

MillinMillin

,..~

Revenue

Millin

cost

Millin

alloadin ba with local inizer

Total cost

54,665,802.03

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at Lo

Source: Extracted from tables 3 & 5

12,408,198.20

with jin

67,074,000.23

ard with local in izer

The total benefits and costs of the project's activities are indicated in table 12. Theundiscounted benefit/cost ratio of 0.576 is obtained by dividing the total benefit by thecost.

orted in izer

10

EATmethod

Table 12: Estimation of undiscounted benefit costratio

in residues from 16 tree species

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55,621,680.00

Total benefitTotal costBenefiVcostratio

OSE Method

The undiscounted benefit cost is 0,576, which indicates that benefits are lower thanthe cost. However, this should be interpreted with caution because;it was not possibleto discountthe revenue and cost values into the future to see whether the activities of

the project can be sustained into the distant future. In addition, the following were riotfactored into the costs and benefits:

29,056,190.00

,^.

I,

Combined

84,677,870.00

I1,911,540.0015,045,750.004,740,000.00

,16,375,160.00

67,074,000.23116,375,160.00

0.576

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a) Skills training of some of the local communities in air drying of lumber and theoperation of the wood-inizer.

by Some quantity of the lumber were turned to schoolfumiture and presented freeof charge to one of the beneficiary communities.

c) The sale of lumber to the communities was below the local timber marketprices.

d) Two different activities (extraction methods) were performed at the same time,which implies that there was possible doubling counting of cost(from table 3).

e) Additional cost was incurred due to the factthat comparison was to be madebetween locally manufactured and imported wood-inizers (transportation oflogging residues from the forest to the city for milling using an imported wood-in izer)

It is possible forthe benefit cost and ratio of 0.576 to be greater than one making theproject viable ifthese adjustments were taken into account in the cost analysis.

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7.0 QIJESTIONNAiREsoNco^^^minTYiNvoLVEilyiENTiNTiiEPRocEssiNcAND{ITILIZATIONOFLOGGINGRESIDUlBS

7.1 Introduction

I~~'

Local communities in the forest areas do riot have direct share of the revenue fromtimber products, which end up with the paramount and other sub-chiefs. As largevolumes of logging residues are left in logged forests, many local communities inforested areas have to travel to sawmill/cities far away from theirlocalities to get sawnproducts for domestic use. Utilization of logging residues in Ghana has received littleor no patronage in the timber industry. The main reason being that it is riot a lucrativeventure to be invested in. Most communities in the forest areas use wood as theprincipal source of energy in the form of charcoal and fuelwood. To find outthe viewsof the timber industry, 40 of the timber companies in Ashanti and Western regions ofGhana were contacted with questionnaires (appendix I) and the results as follows:

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7.2Questionnaires administered and Results

F'-

Basic information about some timber companies in Ghana: Forty timberindustries/sawmills were administered with questionnaires. There were 8 large firms,20 medium firms and 12 smallfirms out of which 29 had concessions.

in^10rwoodspecies: The majortypes of species extracted and processed by the 40firms were Papaw, Odum Wawa, Of rain, Kyenkyen, Emire, Khaya ivorensis, Koto,Asanfena, Cedrella, Ceiba, Sapele, Dahoma, Danta, Edinam, Otie and Kusia.

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Information on logging residues: With the percentage of logging residues bycompanies with concessions, 26 of them reported theirrange of logging residues to bebetween 10-30%. Three of such companies did riot have any information on theirlogging residues. Again, none of the 40 companies had ever utilized its loggingresidues before, and hence were left in the forests to decompose. Meanwhile eight ofthe companies were prepared to assist the local communities for the extraction oflogging residues fortheirconcessions. None of the companies agreed to aloe the localcommunities to extract their logging residues after they have completed with theextraction of normal logs. The reason being that the residual extraction crew may fellsome of the standing trees.

Problems associated with the improvement of logging residues utilization:Some of the constraints faced in the utilization of logging residues are:

a) uncertainty mresiduallogssupplyby lack of incentives for logging residues utilizable sector by the governmentc) lackofknowledgeonthecharacteristicsofwood residuesd) lackofskillsofloggingcrewse) lack of economicalIyfeasible methods of extraction of the logging residues

37

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selective method of logging by concessionairesillegal chain saw activities/operationsheterogeneity of tree specieshigh taxes on imported equipment

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Improvements of the utilization of logging residues: The following were somesuggestions that may help in the promotion of the utilization of logging residues:

a) Logging of residues would be more efficient and less damaging if it is carriedout as an integral part of the normal logging operations.

by Extraction of logging residues can be carried out more effectiveIy with aspecially trained logging crews to collect residues as a special assignment in asecond operation immediately after extraction of the normal logs is completed.

c) Availability of equipment to the logging crews for a more effective collection ofthe residues

d) Tagging of logging residues during normal logging to make theirremovalto belegal and hence will benefit both the state and the joggers

e) Information on the availability of logging residues and its characteristics shouldbe well documented. Since such information is the basis on which futuredevelopments on the utilization of wood residues will be built, it should be easilyaccessible to potential investors.

f) The concept of sustainable forest management must be clearly understood bymost Ghanaian loggers to make their planning of logging and harvestingoperations more effective.

g) Processing of logging residues in the forest sites should be encouraged tominimize the high cost of transporting residues from remote forests to mill sites

by The government can implement some of these incentives to improve theutilization of residues and also the development of the forest sector:

a) Tax reductions and preferential orspecialloansto loggersby Credits and other incentives for wood residues utilization by small

and medium size enterprisesc) Taxredu^ion on productsobtainedfrom logging residues

These will certainly benefitthe great majority of the timber industriessince they are smallto medium sized.

i) Management of timber companies should set up a service forthe collection ofinformation on theirresidue generation and utilization forthe promotion of itsintegration into the core business operations.

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8.0CONCLUSIONSANDRECOMMENDATIONS

,--

8. , Conclusion

Logging residue should be considered a valuable by-product, which should be utilizedto capture its full value thereby contributing to the industries profitability.

This pre-project study has demonstrated that loggers leave substantial amounts oflogging residues in the forest. The most likely industrial uses are in the primaryprocessing and the furniture sector.

Even though the milling of the logging residues was restricted only to the main stern(excluding the buttresses), the percentage volume of the main stern residues ofthirteen of the species was higher. The different sizes of residues made handling andtransportation more difficult and time consuming hence the frequency of the number oftrips made by the tractor being higher. There was no opportunity to study the cost ofharvest normal logs per unit volume in order to compare it with that of the loggingresidues. The logical way to overcome the high extraction and transportation costs isthrough processing of residues at stump sites ("on site extraction" method). Forestmills (portable bandmills) are appropriate machines for use in converting loggingresidues to semi-finished material. It also reduces transportation problem of finalproducts (lumber).

The performance of the locally manufactured forest mill(wood-inizer) was comparebleto that of the imported forest mill(wood-in izer). Therefore by comparing prices of thetwo wood-in izers visa vise their performance, locally manufactured mills are affordable(^30,000,000)to that of the imported bandmills (^250,000,000).

The extraction of logging residues for sawn timber will increase the raw material baseforthe local mills, but their harvesting will largely depend on the cost of extraction andtransportation.

The seventeen species that were identified indicate the heterogeneous nature of theforests in the Western region of Ghana.

Again processing of the logging residues at stump sites was less expensive thanprocessing at the loading bay.

Generally, the lumber recovery on species basis with the local wood-inizer rangedbetween 39.9% (Antiaris) and 69.8% (Iroko), while that of an imported wood-inizerranges from 58.3% (African walnut) and 63.2% (Heritiera). These, which are quiteencouraging, may be due to the early extraction of the residues (that is extractionalongside normal logs extraction). The estimated average production rate per hourand average fuel consumption of lumber per litre for the 16 species using the localwood-inizer were 1.65m'/hr and 0.220m'/lit respectively. The avera e frequency oftool wear per species was 0.488m'. That is, for a volume of 0.488m per species, asaw was changed. Butthe rate of saw change was dependent, among other factors,

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on species as the frequency of tool wears increased with increasing wood density.The lumber production rate also decreased with increasing wood density.

With the local wood-inizer, Antiaris recorded the lowest consumption rate of 0,315m3/lit while Piptadenia recorded the highest (0.1 jin'/lit).

Even though the undiscounted benefit cost of 0.576 is lower if the five mentionedservices that were rendered to the communities had been taken into accountthe ratiowould have been higher. The communities were very delighted and have requestedfor the continuation of the project. This is due to the numerous benefits that theyenjoyed during the projectimplementation. It was riot possible to discountthe revenueand cost values into the future to see whether the activities of the project can besustained into the distant future.

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8.2 Recommendations

^-.

Recommendations for future action forthe utilization of logging residues are:

8.2. , Policy development. Policy should be developed for logging operations on residues left in forest.

This may be incorporated in the concession contract

. Adequate training of operators should be emphasized to reduce residuegeneration

. Government should support the creation of integrated wood processingindustries, which would generate thermal energy for their operational needsand electricity for local communities

8.2.2 Development of market. Government should help identify market opportunities for wood products made

from logging residues. Explore the market opportunities of low-costreconstituted products

8.2.2 Promotion of investment and financing. Development of innovative royalty and forest fee schemes to ensure the

commercial attractiveness of residues recovery and utilization

8.2.2 Human Resource Development. Improve the skills of practicing sustainable forest management and reduced

impactlogging among the forest planning and operators.. Introduce better logging area planning in order to reduce the rates of

overthrown, broken or damaged trees during the felling and skidding operations

8.2.2 Technology transfer and dissemination of Information. Improve the working properties of logging residues

40

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. There should 'be regional consultations and training on the most pertinentlogging residues to the SMEsFacilitate the availability of information on machining technologies for woodresidues

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9.0 REFERENCES

Adam, A. R. (undated): Total tree volume and logging residues at Asukese andAframwaters forest reserves in Ghana (Not published).

Agyemang, V. K. ; Ayarkwa, J. ; Owusu, F. W. ; Boachie-Dapaah, A, s. K. ; Addae-Mensah, A; Appiah, S. K. ; Oteng-Amoako, A. ; Adam, A. R. (2003):

Technological and investment profiles of some lesserused timber species in Ghana. 85p

Chachu, E. R. 0. (1989): Allowable cutfrom the forests. Ghana Inventory ProjectSeminar Proceedings, 29 - 30 March, 1989, ACcra. PP. 63-70

Enters, T. (2001): Logging and milling residues in Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok. 58p

Gifunger, J. P. (1982): Economic analysis of Agricultural Projects. 2'' ed.

JICA, (1999): The study on the reserve forest management in transitional zone in

Ghana. Final report. Japan Forest Technical Association (FAFTA),Pasco International INC.

Lissem, A. (1999): An overview of wood millresidues management in Sarawak. STID-working paper

Noack, D. (1995): Better utilization of tropical timber resources in order to improvesustainability and reduce negative ecological impacts. Summary ofthe project Coordinator's final report. Hamburg, ITT0. 36p

Of OSu-Asiedu, A. and Nketiah, K. (1993):

Parish in, A. J; Harer, E. S; Bathel, J. S. and Baker, W. J. (1962): Forest Products; Theirsources, production and utilization. 2" Edition,McGraw-Hill Book Company Inc. , NewYork,Toronto, London

Richards M. , Davies J. , and Yaron G. (2003): Stakeholder incentives in Participatory

forest management. A manual for

economic analysis. YIDG Publishing

Timber Export and Development Board (1994): The tropical timbers of Ghana. Timbod102 park street, London w, Y 3RJ, UK. 87pp

Trossero, M. A. (2002): Wood energy: The way Ahead. Rome, Uriasylva 53(211),pp3-22

42

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Dr. Dominic Blay - Project CoordinatorMr. Francis Wilson Owusu - SawmillexpertDr Kofi Diaw I Mr Lawrence Damnyag -Social EconomistDr Charles Adu Anning/Mr Francis Dwomoh -SilviculturistMr Reynolds Okai-Processing Expert

PROJECTTECHNICALANDSCIENTIFICSTAFF

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APPENDIX ,0.1: QUESTIONNAIRES

FORESTRY RESEARCH INSTITUTEOF GHANA

(C. S. I. R. )

QUESTIONNAIRE ON COMMUNITIES INVOLVEMENT INTHE PROCESSINGAND

I. Name of Company ..............................................................................

2. Name of Respondent. ..................................................-.---------------------------

3. Size of Company (Large/mediuni/small)..........................................................

4. Majortypes of species processed ..................................................................

5. Has the Company have its own concession? YES I NO .............................................

6. Please give an estimate of the percentage timber trees that are taken as logging residues

UTILIZATION OF LOGGING RESIDUES

, - .

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

7. What do you do with the logging residues? ...............................................................

... ...... ........................... ............ .......................................... ........................... .......

8. Would you like to go into partnership with local communities surrounding your concessions

toextract and process your logging residues? ............................................................

9.1f yes, whatform of assistance could you give to the communities during the :

i) Extraction of the logging residues?

my Provisionofportableprocessingmachines?

myAny other. ...........................................................................................

10. What are the problems being encountered orto be encountered in the utilization of

logging residues?

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... ...... ...... ........................................................................... .........................

... ... .... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

44

It. Give some constructive suggestions on how bestlogging residues can be extracted and

uiize """"""""""""""""""""""'

12. Give comments the following with respect to better utlization of logging residues.

Le ISIative o1c .......-----------------............""""""""

............ ...... .....................

,.

.. ..................................

......................................

.............................

11 Economics .........................................................10 Economics """""""""""""""""""""""""""'

............. ...... ............... .....

........................................

iii) Environmental effect .................................................................................

............................................

... ......... ............ ... ...... ......

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