Glossary of technical terms

• Pages: 101-103

101

Glossary of technical terms

Anchor:

A stump or tree to which the end of the skyline cable in a cable crane extraction system is securely

attached.

Buttress:

A ridge of wood that grows in the angle between a lateral root and the base of a tree stem, to

provide lateral stability to the stem.

Cable:

A flexible steel rope made up of numerous wire strands that are twisted helically together around a

core of wire, wire rope, fibre, plastic or other material.

Cable crane:

Any of a variety of terrain transport systems in which suspended cables are used to convey logs to

the landing.

Cableway:

The pathway along which logs are extracted with a cable crane.

Canopy:

The part of the forest formed by the crowns of the dominant trees.

Choker:

A noose of wire or fibre rope or chain that is wrapped around a log and then attached to a means of

conveyance, in orde r to bring the log to a skidder or landing.

Controlled burning:

Preventive use of fire under controlled and favourable conditions, when for instance there is very

little wind or a forecast of calm weather, to reduce the quantity of combustible material on the forest

floor that would otherwise be a serious fire hazard.

Conversion:

The act of changing a felled tree into a utilizable product by means of debranching and crosscutting.

Crosscutting:

The act or process of transversely cutting the stem or branches of a felled tree into logs (in North

America referred to as "bucking")

Cutting:

In timber harvesting, a compound term referring to the operations of felling, debranching, debarking

and crosscutting.

Cut-up tree:

A tree that remains upright on its stump after all felling cuts have been made.

Debranching:

The severing of branches from the stem of a felled tree (in some countries also referred to as

"limbing", "delimbing" or "snedding")

Ergonomic principles:

A concept whereby the work to be carried out is organized and specified – and the tools and

equipment designed and used – in such a way as to be matched with the physical and mental

characteristics and capacity of the worker.

Extraction:

The act of transporting felled produce from the felling site to a landing.

Extraction route:

The planned route over which produce is extracted from stump to landing.