Forest Mechanization

Abstract

In agriculture, harvesting was the crucial operation in the production of grain. The mechanical reaper was introduced in the United States between 1830 and 1860. Harvesting is the crucial operation in the production of sawlogs and pulpwood and the mechanical tree harvester was introduced in the 1960’s. It was the American Civil War which ultimately provided the impetus for change from manual labour to mechanical power in agriculture in the United States and it was World War II which provided the impetus in the mechanization of logging in North America and northern Europe.