Forest Operations > Conduct Feller Buncher Operations > Introduction

The role of the feller buncher

The role of the feller buncher is to fell and bunch whole trees and place them into large bunches.  The feller buncher can be used on a clear fell or thinning operation. .

In a stand of trees the species, size or quality, will often determine the type of process the harvested trees will undertake prior to transport from the forest coupe

The two common tree processing systems are whole tree chipping, or the tree is cut into pre determined lengths ether by a mechanical processor or chainsaw operator.

On a clear fell operation the trees are felled and presented in bunches for a skidder to skid/snig them to a landing site for processing.

On a thinning operation the smaller poorer quality trees are selected, cut down and processed, this method can be achieved by two types of forest harvesting methods.

(1) A feller buncher and skidder operation is where the trees are felled and bunched in ribbon style, figure 6 in the gullet row and skidded out of the forest coupe to a landing site for further processing.

Fig 6 wheeled feller buncher.

(2) For a feller buncher, mechanical processor and forwarder operation, the trees are felled and bunched 90° to the gullet row.

The mechanical processor will process the trees / stems to the opposite side of the gullet row into the required log products.

The forwarder will then come along, pick up and transport the product out of the coupe to a log landing site ready for transport to a log yard or sawmill.

The different types of tree harvesting operations by a feller buncher are usually determined by the type of operation required, the type of forest and the age of the forest.

For example:

• Pine plantations are usually managed though a thinning program of about four intervals.
• Blue gum hard wood plantations are generally clear felled and turned into wood chip for export or local use in producing paper products or boiler fuel.
• Native bush lands are sometimes clear felled and selectively thinned.