The optimum bucking method assists loggers to determine optimum bucking combinations that maximized total economic value of harvested trees. Several previous studies investigated performance of optimum bucking method on coniferous trees in Turkish forestry. In this study, economic gain of using optimum bucking method was evaluated in deciduous forest of Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) trees in northeastern region of Turkey. Network 2000 program was used to run optimum bucking method in a sample application. The findings of sample bucking application in Giresun Forest Regional Directorate were deemed to represent the optimum bucking data in nearby regional directorates (Artvin and Trabzon). Then, the economic gain of using optimum bucking method in producing Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) was estimated for whole northeastern region of Turkey. The capability of optimum bucking method was evaluated by comparing study results with the results from traditional bucking method. The results indicated that optimum bucking application using Network 2000 program increased, although statistically not significant, the average economic value of harvested deciduous trees by 14.37%, comparing with traditional method, mainly relying on loggers’ experiences. The overall economic contribution of using optimum bucking in producing Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) logs was estimated as 2,686,182.93 Turkish Lira (TL).
To cite this article (Atıf): Pak, M., Gulci, N., 2017. A comparative economic evaluation of bucking deciduous trees: A Case study of Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) stands in Northeastern Turkey. Journal of the Faculty of Forestry Istanbul University 67(1): 72-79. DOI: 10.17099/ jffiu.52687