case study on the economics of thinning in the wildland urban interface

This is a case study, supplemented by an economic model, of one 85 ac ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) dominated stand, called Unit 16, that was treated during the summer of 2001. Unit 16 is located in the Greater Flagstaff Forests Partnership's Fort Valley project area of the Coconino National Forest and is part of the Flagstaff, AZ wildland urban interface. The silvicultural prescription was a full restoration prescription anchored to the presettlement condition and was limited by a 16 in. dbh cutting cap. The operational strategy for the merchantable material was hand felling, limbing, topping, bucking in the forest, and forwarding of logs to the landing for loading on waiting trucks. The nonmerchantable trees were cut and rough piled, along with limbs and tops. The economic model estimated the logging contractor's costs to total $124,117. His total revenue stream during the summer of 2001 was detrimentally impacted by two unforeseen changes in his market. His normal purchaser of wood from small trees