The influence of fragmented private forest property on mechanized cutting

The paper presents the results of research dealing with potential pooling of private forest property in Slovenia. The aim of pooling fragmented owner structure is to evaluate the potential introduction of mechanized cutting, which demands spatial concentration of forest operation as well as intensitiesof the cutting volume. The fragmented owner structure is evaluated regarding the criteria used in the countries, where mechanized cutting has already been established. Integration of adjacent fragmented owner's properties was carried out, which were determined and selected in view of their suitability for mechanized cutting. The efficiency analyses of cutting operation on fragmented and potential joined private forest property was simulated. The differences between fragmented and potential joined private forest property regarding the number and area of potential working fields, cutting volumes and cutting intensities by forest regions in Slovenia are presented. Manipulation of machinery and costs of cutting operation were used as criteria for the evaluation of cut-to-length technology in both present and potential situations.