Globally, technologies are transforming forest management and harvesting. Control innovations for harvesting equipment are removing workers from the ground while improving safety and productivity.
A few years ago, innovative logger Dale Ewers recognized how the speed of technology could transform his operations. He brought his experienced loggers into the office to work with application and research specialists. They learned from other industries as well. Now, they are poised to bring step-change technologies to the forest.
As one of the keynote speakers at the HarvestTECHX 2019 Conference in Vancouver in March, Dale Ewers, internationally-recognized logger and innovator from DC Equipment (DCE) will outline the development his 15 logging sites are beginning to pilot test in their operations. DCE now has advanced beyond camera grapples (operated by one man safely housed a machine cab) to realizing a 5-year dream – a yarder mounted tree-felling head for steep slope logging, achieving the vision of no men out on the steep forested slopes.
The steeper, more challenging ground in working forests means loggers only get interested when it is one of their own who makes a real technology breakthrough on the forest floor. This is now happening at pace and the innovators at DC Equipment are close to achieving the vision of “no man on the hill; no hand on the saw.” It’s now only a few steps from becoming reality and disrupting the logging industry globally.
These plans, concepts and latest pilot-stage and proven technology developments are at the core of the 2019 “HarvestTECHX” Conference. It runs on March 13 at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel in Richmond, BC. Delegates are also invited to an evening welcome reception on March 12. Register at: https://harvesttechx.events/ . On March 14, limited places are available for an in-forest workshop hosted by BC Forest Safety Council and WorkSafe BC on steep slope safety guidelines and practices.