Mauricio Acuna | University of the Sunshine Coast (original) (raw)

Papers by Mauricio Acuna

Research paper thumbnail of Economics of in-forest debarking of radiata pine in New Zealand and Australia

New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 2017

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Research paper thumbnail of How does carbon pricing impact optimal thinning schedules and net present value in Mediterranean pine plantations?

Forest Ecology and Management, 2021

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Research paper thumbnail of Integration of fire and forest managemetn by using spatial forest planning models

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Research paper thumbnail of Assessment Techniques in Forest Biomass along the Timber Supply Chain

Forests, 2019

As a part of the renewable energy cycle, forest biomass resources are considered to be important ... more As a part of the renewable energy cycle, forest biomass resources are considered to be important renewable materials and energy sources in many countries. It is evident from international and local research into forest biomass utilization that several challenges must be addressed to ensure logging waste can be transformed into material of commercial value. Several logistical and supply chain challenges have already been identified, including uncertainty about the nature, amount, and quality of forest residues. In this context, this paper presents a summary review of estimation methods and techniques for managing forest and woody residue along the timber supply chain. The review examines both the opportunities and the challenges evident in the international forest residue estimation methods within each supply chain for primary and secondary forest resources. The review also discusses techniques for supply chain and management planning and highlights the limitations of existing inform...

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Research paper thumbnail of Good Practice Guidelines for Biomass Production Studies

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Research paper thumbnail of Chilean and international experience with truck route scheduling and dispatch systems

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Research paper thumbnail of Effects of different stocking densities on harvesting of bluegum stands in Western Australia – Ayres 00 case study

Effects of different stocking densities on harvesting of bluegum stands in Western Australia – Ay... more Effects of different stocking densities on harvesting of bluegum stands in Western Australia – Ayres 00 case study Authors: Mauricio Acuna, John Wiedemann Australian Forest Operations Research Alliance, University of the Sunshine Coast WAPRES Introduction This bulletin presents the results of a harvesting trial conducted near Greenbushes, Western Australia (WA) in December 2011. It corresponds to the second harvesting trial of this type conducted by AFORA in bluegum plantations, whose objective was to assess productivity and cost related to tree form and stocking density of 400, 550 and 1000 stems per ha (spha) created by removal of malformed, undersize and competing stems. The trial also forms part of a large-scale AFORA project focused on the comparison of WA blue gum harvesting systems designed to define the optimal harvesting system choice relative to local stand and site conditions.

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Research paper thumbnail of Potential application of overseas forest biomass supply chain experience to reduce costs in emerging Australian forest biomass supply chains – a literature review

Australian Forestry, 2019

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Research paper thumbnail of Evaluation of an in-field chipping operation in Western Australia

In this first trial, an in-field chipping (cold-deck) operation was studied during the clearfell ... more In this first trial, an in-field chipping (cold-deck) operation was studied during the clearfell of a 10-yearold Eucalyptus globulus plantation. The study investigated the productivity and cost of an in-forest chipping operation and also used Multidat dataloggers to obtain delay information for each machine and for the system, to determine utilisation percentages and to identify bottlenecks and system imbalances. Harvesting machines studied

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Research paper thumbnail of Optimal bucking of Douglas-fir taking into consideration external properties and wood density

New Zealand Journal of …, 2005

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Research paper thumbnail of Application of Maximum Likelihood and Spectral Angle Mapping Classification Techniques to Evaluate Forest Fire Severity from UAV Multi-spectral Images in South Korea

Sensors and Materials

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Research paper thumbnail of An Optimization Approach to Assess the Impact of Drying and Dry Matter Losses of Eucalyptus globulus Roundwood and Biomass on Supply Chains Costs and GHG Emissions

Forests

In-forest drying of roundwood and biomass (residues) can result in more efficient transport opera... more In-forest drying of roundwood and biomass (residues) can result in more efficient transport operations from an economical and environmental perspective. On the negative side, in-forest drying may result in dry matter losses (DML), impacting the quantity and quality of residues delivered to energy plants. This paper investigated the impact of roundwood and residues in-forest drying and DML on supply chain costs and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. For the assessment, a short-term optimization planning tool was applied to a supply chain located in Asturias, Spain, consisting of fourteen supply points and two demand points: A pulp mill (demanding roundwood) and a power plant (demanding residues). Four scenarios were included in the analysis comprising different combinations of DML for roundwood and residues resulting from in-forest drying. Our results indicate that in scenarios that include in-forest drying and DML, the negative economic effects are offset by the substantial reductions ...

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Research paper thumbnail of Automatic Assessment of Individual Stem Shape Parameters in Forest Stands from TLS Point Clouds: Application in Pinus pinaster

Forests, 2022

Tree morphological characteristics, particularly straightness and lean, significantly influence t... more Tree morphological characteristics, particularly straightness and lean, significantly influence the value of the commercial products that can be obtained. Despite this, they are not usually evaluated in timber field inventories because traditional techniques are labor-intensive and largely subjective, hence the use of these parameters is limited to research and genetic breeding programs. Here, a non-destructive, fully automated methodology is presented that estimates the parameters for describing straightness and lean using terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) data. It is based on splitting stems into evenly spaced sections and estimating their centers, which are then used to automatically calculate the maximum sagitta, sinuosity, and lean of each tree. The methodology was applied in a breeding trial plot of Pinus pinaster, and the results obtained were compared with field measurements of straightness and lean based on visual classification. The methodology is robust to errors in the es...

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Research paper thumbnail of Subject review Timber and Biomass Transport Optimization: A Review of Planning Issues, Solution Techniques and Decision Support Tools

The transport of timber and biomass represents a significant proportion of the operational cost f... more The transport of timber and biomass represents a significant proportion of the operational cost for the forest industry worldwide. This calls for optimization solutions so that companies can organize their transport operations and allocate resources efficiently, and reduce the impact of transport operations on the environment. This paper presents an extensive overview of the transport and biomass optimization problem in the forest industry. It provides a detailed description of mathematical solutions, including linear programming models and algorithms, to solve complex transportation planning problems involving annual, monthly and daily decisions. Also, the paper presents and describes two decision support tools, MCPLAN and FastTRUCK, which have been implemented to assist transport planners to optimize the flows of timber and biomass from the forest to mills and energy plants, and to schedule and route the trucks efficiently between these supply and demand points.

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Research paper thumbnail of FIELD: A Software Tool That Integrates Harvester Data and Allometric Equations for a Dynamic Estimation of Forest Harvesting Residues

Forests, 2021

On an international comparison basis, Australia’s utilisation of forest residues remains very low... more On an international comparison basis, Australia’s utilisation of forest residues remains very low. While there are numerous factors contributing to this low utilisation, this is greatly explained by the limited timely and accurate data on availability, quality, and location of residues generated during harvesting operations. This manuscript reports on the development and testing of a new freeware tool called FIELD (Forest Inventory Electronic Live Data), which supports the real-time monitoring and estimation of forestry harvesting residues. As inputs, FIELD uses StanForD pri files and geo-location data extracted from the harvester’s onboard computer in combination with locally developed species-specific allometric equations. Using a case study, this paper describes how FIELD works operationally and illustrates the range of support features that the tool can provide to decision-makers by producing real-time data on the availability, quality, and location of harvesting residues. In ad...

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Research paper thumbnail of Net Revenue of Forest Carbon Offset Projects: Application of the Korean Emission Trading System in the Forestry Sector

Forests, 2021

Under the Korean Emission Trading System in The Forestry Sector (KETSF) initiative, the Korean go... more Under the Korean Emission Trading System in The Forestry Sector (KETSF) initiative, the Korean government has developed several greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction programs that include forestry activities as cornerstones of the initiative. Forest management is deemed to be a major strategy to implement KETSF; this has been confirmed by most participants in the program, who have shown their preference for forest management projects as the most effective and encouraging strategy to participate in the KETSF program. For a successful implementation of KETSF projects, it is essential to explore methods that optimize the positive impacts of such strategies, thereby maximizing the economic returns and carbon stocks that result from the implementation of forest management activities. Thus, this study investigated the economic returns of several KETSF projects in Korea, which included simulated scenarios under two main forest management strategies, one based on an extension of the rota...

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Research paper thumbnail of Wood properties and use of near infrared spectroscopy and terrestrial LIDAR to improve optimal bucking and wood value recovery

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Research paper thumbnail of Bunching stems in steep slopes for efficient yarder extraction

Forest harvesting operations worldwide are becoming increasingly mechanised. Advantages of mechan... more Forest harvesting operations worldwide are becoming increasingly mechanised. Advantages of mechanised felling include increased productivity compared with manual felling, the opportunity to bunch stems for more efficient extraction, and greater protection from physical harm for operators. Recent interest in Australia and New Zealand—and positive experiences elsewhere—in increasing mechanisation in steep terrain prompted this research trial to evaluate the potential of a self-levelling feller-buncher to improve the overall productivity and economics of a swing yarder. The main goal of the study was to determine the effect on productivity of the extraction by cable of bunched wood as opposed to unbunched wood.

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Research paper thumbnail of Forestry Best Management Practices, Field Guide

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Research paper thumbnail of Value-Added Forest Carbon Offset Projects: Application of the South Korean Emission Trading System in the Forestry Sector

Under the “Korean emission trading system in the forestry sector (KETSF)” initiative, the South K... more Under the “Korean emission trading system in the forestry sector (KETSF)” initiative, the South Korean government has developed several greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction programs that include forestry activities as the cornerstones of the initiative. Forest management is deemed to be a major strategy to implement KETSF; this has been confirmed by most participants in the program, who have shown their preference for forest management projects as the most effective and encouraging strategy to participate in the KETSF program. For a successful implementation of KETSF projects is essential to explore methods that optimize the positive impacts of such strategies, thereby maximizing the economic returns and carbon stocks that result from the implementation of forest management activities. Thus, this study investigated several value-added KETSF projects in South Korea, which included simulated scenarios under two main forest management strategies: one based on an extension of the ro...

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Research paper thumbnail of Economics of in-forest debarking of radiata pine in New Zealand and Australia

New Zealand Journal of Forestry, 2017

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Research paper thumbnail of How does carbon pricing impact optimal thinning schedules and net present value in Mediterranean pine plantations?

Forest Ecology and Management, 2021

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Integration of fire and forest managemetn by using spatial forest planning models

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Assessment Techniques in Forest Biomass along the Timber Supply Chain

Forests, 2019

As a part of the renewable energy cycle, forest biomass resources are considered to be important ... more As a part of the renewable energy cycle, forest biomass resources are considered to be important renewable materials and energy sources in many countries. It is evident from international and local research into forest biomass utilization that several challenges must be addressed to ensure logging waste can be transformed into material of commercial value. Several logistical and supply chain challenges have already been identified, including uncertainty about the nature, amount, and quality of forest residues. In this context, this paper presents a summary review of estimation methods and techniques for managing forest and woody residue along the timber supply chain. The review examines both the opportunities and the challenges evident in the international forest residue estimation methods within each supply chain for primary and secondary forest resources. The review also discusses techniques for supply chain and management planning and highlights the limitations of existing inform...

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Research paper thumbnail of Good Practice Guidelines for Biomass Production Studies

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Chilean and international experience with truck route scheduling and dispatch systems

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of different stocking densities on harvesting of bluegum stands in Western Australia – Ayres 00 case study

Effects of different stocking densities on harvesting of bluegum stands in Western Australia – Ay... more Effects of different stocking densities on harvesting of bluegum stands in Western Australia – Ayres 00 case study Authors: Mauricio Acuna, John Wiedemann Australian Forest Operations Research Alliance, University of the Sunshine Coast WAPRES Introduction This bulletin presents the results of a harvesting trial conducted near Greenbushes, Western Australia (WA) in December 2011. It corresponds to the second harvesting trial of this type conducted by AFORA in bluegum plantations, whose objective was to assess productivity and cost related to tree form and stocking density of 400, 550 and 1000 stems per ha (spha) created by removal of malformed, undersize and competing stems. The trial also forms part of a large-scale AFORA project focused on the comparison of WA blue gum harvesting systems designed to define the optimal harvesting system choice relative to local stand and site conditions.

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Research paper thumbnail of Potential application of overseas forest biomass supply chain experience to reduce costs in emerging Australian forest biomass supply chains – a literature review

Australian Forestry, 2019

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Research paper thumbnail of Evaluation of an in-field chipping operation in Western Australia

In this first trial, an in-field chipping (cold-deck) operation was studied during the clearfell ... more In this first trial, an in-field chipping (cold-deck) operation was studied during the clearfell of a 10-yearold Eucalyptus globulus plantation. The study investigated the productivity and cost of an in-forest chipping operation and also used Multidat dataloggers to obtain delay information for each machine and for the system, to determine utilisation percentages and to identify bottlenecks and system imbalances. Harvesting machines studied

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Research paper thumbnail of Optimal bucking of Douglas-fir taking into consideration external properties and wood density

New Zealand Journal of …, 2005

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Research paper thumbnail of Application of Maximum Likelihood and Spectral Angle Mapping Classification Techniques to Evaluate Forest Fire Severity from UAV Multi-spectral Images in South Korea

Sensors and Materials

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Research paper thumbnail of An Optimization Approach to Assess the Impact of Drying and Dry Matter Losses of Eucalyptus globulus Roundwood and Biomass on Supply Chains Costs and GHG Emissions

Forests

In-forest drying of roundwood and biomass (residues) can result in more efficient transport opera... more In-forest drying of roundwood and biomass (residues) can result in more efficient transport operations from an economical and environmental perspective. On the negative side, in-forest drying may result in dry matter losses (DML), impacting the quantity and quality of residues delivered to energy plants. This paper investigated the impact of roundwood and residues in-forest drying and DML on supply chain costs and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. For the assessment, a short-term optimization planning tool was applied to a supply chain located in Asturias, Spain, consisting of fourteen supply points and two demand points: A pulp mill (demanding roundwood) and a power plant (demanding residues). Four scenarios were included in the analysis comprising different combinations of DML for roundwood and residues resulting from in-forest drying. Our results indicate that in scenarios that include in-forest drying and DML, the negative economic effects are offset by the substantial reductions ...

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Automatic Assessment of Individual Stem Shape Parameters in Forest Stands from TLS Point Clouds: Application in Pinus pinaster

Forests, 2022

Tree morphological characteristics, particularly straightness and lean, significantly influence t... more Tree morphological characteristics, particularly straightness and lean, significantly influence the value of the commercial products that can be obtained. Despite this, they are not usually evaluated in timber field inventories because traditional techniques are labor-intensive and largely subjective, hence the use of these parameters is limited to research and genetic breeding programs. Here, a non-destructive, fully automated methodology is presented that estimates the parameters for describing straightness and lean using terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) data. It is based on splitting stems into evenly spaced sections and estimating their centers, which are then used to automatically calculate the maximum sagitta, sinuosity, and lean of each tree. The methodology was applied in a breeding trial plot of Pinus pinaster, and the results obtained were compared with field measurements of straightness and lean based on visual classification. The methodology is robust to errors in the es...

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Subject review Timber and Biomass Transport Optimization: A Review of Planning Issues, Solution Techniques and Decision Support Tools

The transport of timber and biomass represents a significant proportion of the operational cost f... more The transport of timber and biomass represents a significant proportion of the operational cost for the forest industry worldwide. This calls for optimization solutions so that companies can organize their transport operations and allocate resources efficiently, and reduce the impact of transport operations on the environment. This paper presents an extensive overview of the transport and biomass optimization problem in the forest industry. It provides a detailed description of mathematical solutions, including linear programming models and algorithms, to solve complex transportation planning problems involving annual, monthly and daily decisions. Also, the paper presents and describes two decision support tools, MCPLAN and FastTRUCK, which have been implemented to assist transport planners to optimize the flows of timber and biomass from the forest to mills and energy plants, and to schedule and route the trucks efficiently between these supply and demand points.

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of FIELD: A Software Tool That Integrates Harvester Data and Allometric Equations for a Dynamic Estimation of Forest Harvesting Residues

Forests, 2021

On an international comparison basis, Australia’s utilisation of forest residues remains very low... more On an international comparison basis, Australia’s utilisation of forest residues remains very low. While there are numerous factors contributing to this low utilisation, this is greatly explained by the limited timely and accurate data on availability, quality, and location of residues generated during harvesting operations. This manuscript reports on the development and testing of a new freeware tool called FIELD (Forest Inventory Electronic Live Data), which supports the real-time monitoring and estimation of forestry harvesting residues. As inputs, FIELD uses StanForD pri files and geo-location data extracted from the harvester’s onboard computer in combination with locally developed species-specific allometric equations. Using a case study, this paper describes how FIELD works operationally and illustrates the range of support features that the tool can provide to decision-makers by producing real-time data on the availability, quality, and location of harvesting residues. In ad...

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Research paper thumbnail of Net Revenue of Forest Carbon Offset Projects: Application of the Korean Emission Trading System in the Forestry Sector

Forests, 2021

Under the Korean Emission Trading System in The Forestry Sector (KETSF) initiative, the Korean go... more Under the Korean Emission Trading System in The Forestry Sector (KETSF) initiative, the Korean government has developed several greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction programs that include forestry activities as cornerstones of the initiative. Forest management is deemed to be a major strategy to implement KETSF; this has been confirmed by most participants in the program, who have shown their preference for forest management projects as the most effective and encouraging strategy to participate in the KETSF program. For a successful implementation of KETSF projects, it is essential to explore methods that optimize the positive impacts of such strategies, thereby maximizing the economic returns and carbon stocks that result from the implementation of forest management activities. Thus, this study investigated the economic returns of several KETSF projects in Korea, which included simulated scenarios under two main forest management strategies, one based on an extension of the rota...

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Research paper thumbnail of Wood properties and use of near infrared spectroscopy and terrestrial LIDAR to improve optimal bucking and wood value recovery

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Bunching stems in steep slopes for efficient yarder extraction

Forest harvesting operations worldwide are becoming increasingly mechanised. Advantages of mechan... more Forest harvesting operations worldwide are becoming increasingly mechanised. Advantages of mechanised felling include increased productivity compared with manual felling, the opportunity to bunch stems for more efficient extraction, and greater protection from physical harm for operators. Recent interest in Australia and New Zealand—and positive experiences elsewhere—in increasing mechanisation in steep terrain prompted this research trial to evaluate the potential of a self-levelling feller-buncher to improve the overall productivity and economics of a swing yarder. The main goal of the study was to determine the effect on productivity of the extraction by cable of bunched wood as opposed to unbunched wood.

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Forestry Best Management Practices, Field Guide

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Value-Added Forest Carbon Offset Projects: Application of the South Korean Emission Trading System in the Forestry Sector

Under the “Korean emission trading system in the forestry sector (KETSF)” initiative, the South K... more Under the “Korean emission trading system in the forestry sector (KETSF)” initiative, the South Korean government has developed several greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction programs that include forestry activities as the cornerstones of the initiative. Forest management is deemed to be a major strategy to implement KETSF; this has been confirmed by most participants in the program, who have shown their preference for forest management projects as the most effective and encouraging strategy to participate in the KETSF program. For a successful implementation of KETSF projects is essential to explore methods that optimize the positive impacts of such strategies, thereby maximizing the economic returns and carbon stocks that result from the implementation of forest management activities. Thus, this study investigated several value-added KETSF projects in South Korea, which included simulated scenarios under two main forest management strategies: one based on an extension of the ro...

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