Value-added to Small-Diameter Timber (Obtained from Hardwood Plantations)

Thinning operations play a crucial role in ensuring forest health and sustainability. It strategically removes weaker trees and enhances overall growth by providing more essential resources such as sunlight, nutrients, and water. Small-diameter timber (SDT) is generally a byproduct of thinning operations in natural or plantation forests from either softwood or hardwood species. SDT is characterized by a diameter at breast height (DBH) of less than 9 inches for softwood and 11 inches for hardwood species.

Plantation forests contribute significantly to uniform material resources, needed for sustainable timber production. However, using SDT is often challenging because of the high cost of management, thinning operation, and its intrinsic characteristics, such as decreased wood properties due to the presence of juvenile wood and defects. Economic difficulties are especially evident for hardwood plantation owners because of the longer growth period of hardwoods.

This study explores feasible methods to enhance the value of hardwood SDT, encouraging its utilization and aiding plantation owners in offsetting management and thinning operations costs before the harvest of large-diameter timber. There are three parts: exploring potential products based on semi-products, conducting a case study by producing school furniture from six walnut SDTs, and providing recommendations for possible production from SDT.

Our investigation reveals strategic considerations for future school furniture producers. Establishing sorting and grading criteria, investing in more advanced machinery, producing edge-glued panels from SDT lumber, and having broader ideas for school furniture are pivotal for optimizing the SDT value-added process. The findings suggest that having a plan for the utilization of SDT, considering the recommendations provided, can elevate challenges, optimize strategies, increase the potential value of SDT from plantations, and promote sustainable and profitable use of forest resources.