Forecast production of timber and other products and produce production plans

This standard covers the activities required to forecast the production of timber and other products and produce production plans. This will include assessing the likely yields of timber and other products and presenting these in short- term, medium-term and long-term production plans.

You will need to be able to take appropriate measurements and apply forest and woodland mensuration techniques, yield class tables and yield models to wood and non-wood products.

You must conform to all relevant legislation and codes of practice, industry standards and guidance when carrying out this work.

This standard is for those responsible for producing production plans for timber and other products.

1. obtain the relevant information to carry out the work activities in accordance with organisational procedures
2. check any statutory requirements that might be in place that may prohibit or place conditions on the work to be carried out and confirm that all required permissions and licences have been obtained
3. maintain the health and safety of yourself and others at all times, in accordance with the relevant legislation and codes of practice
4. assess the risks associated with the site and the work to be carried out, before starting work and throughout the activity, checking and confirming the findings of any existing risk assessments
5. confirm that the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for the work to be carried out is worn at all times
6. assess the sustainable yield based on the woodland or forest inventory
7. set the thinning cycle and intensity to achieve a sustainable yield in both a practical silvicultural and cost-effective way
8. determine the specifications for the timber and other products to be produced
9. forecast the production of timber and other products consistent with the available assessment data
10. produce production plans for timber and other products, in accordance with organisational policies
11. minimise damage or disturbance to the site and surrounding area while carrying out this work, and confirm that the site is left in a safe and tidy condition
12. complete and store all the relevant documentation in accordance with the relevant legal requirements and organisational procedures

1. how to identify and access information relevant to the required work
2. how to identify hazards and assess risks associated with the site and the work to be carried out
3. the relevant health and safety procedures and Safe Systems of Work (SSoW)
4. current legislation and codes of practice, industry standards and guidance, organisational policies, procedures and protocols, business and professional ethics that are relevant to your area of work, and to which you must adhere
5. the selection, use and care of personal protective equipment (PPE)
6. how to identify forest and woodland tree species
7. how to use forest and woodland mensuration techniques
8. how to assess the risk of windthrow and the tools and techniques that are available for this
9. how to measure standing timber
10. how to assess the silvicultural requirements of the crop
11. how to analyse cost-effective ways of achieving a sustainable yield and the effects on yields of species mixtures
12. the methods and models of identifying sustainable yields
13. the selection of yield model
14. the principles of naturally regenerated woodland
15. the factors affecting the decision to thin or not to thin and the effects on crops of under-/over-thinning, late or early thinning
16. the factors affecting rotation length
17. pests and diseases and how they can affect tree health
18. the available products and markets
19. how to produce production plans with realistic forecasts for the production of timber and other products
20. product specifications, including quality, minimum and maximum lengths and minimum and maximum diameters
21. how to plan for peaks and troughs in production
22. the potential impact of the work on the site and surrounding area and how this can be minimised
23. the importance of checking that completed work meets requirements in accordance with the information provided
24. the legal and organisational requirements for the completion and storage of documentation

Assess the likely yields of:
• timber
• other products

Information required to carry out work activities could include:
• drawings
• plans
• photographs/images
• schedules
• specifications
• method statements
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• manufacturer’s instructions
• customer requirements
• quality assurance requirements
• industry standards (e.g. British Standards)
• verbal or written instructions
• industry guidance (e.g. Forestry Commission Mensuration Handbook)

Organisational procedures refer to procedures set by the organisation you are employed by or the organisation that you are doing the work on behalf of (the client or customer)

Other products could include any of the following: seeds and cones, moss, foliage, harvesting residues – in forest nurseries, the other products may include a range of young trees at different stages of growth, bare root, or in containers etc

Safe System of Work (SSoW) – is a method of work that puts in place control measures arising from a risk assessment, in order to manage identified hazards, which are broken down into four elements: safe person; safe equipment; safe place; and safe practice.

Windthrow:
The fall of a tree in a high wind, with the breakage of the outer roots, so that the tree is uprooted. There are three main modes of windthrow.