{{Short description|Vehicle used in forestry}} {{About|the logging vehicle|other uses|Forwarding (disambiguation)}} thumb|Forestry Forwarder Ösa 250. thumb|A medium-sized forwarder piling logs. thumb|Valmet 840.2 Forwarder

A '''forwarder''' is a forestry vehicle that carries big felled logs cut by a harvester from the stump to a roadside landing for later acquisition. Forwarders can use rubber tires or tracks.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Eas2AQAAMAAJ |title=Willamette National Forest (N.F.), Santiam Pass Forest Health Project, Linn County: Environmental Impact Statement |date= |publisher=United States Forest Service |year=1995 |page=2 |language=en |chapter=Environmental Consequences}}</ref> Unlike a skidder, a forwarder carries logs clear of the ground, which can reduce soil impacts but tends to limit the size of the logs it can move.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xCg3AQAAMAAJ |title=Umatilla National Forest (N.F.), Rimrock Ecosystem Restoration Projects: Environmental Impact Statement |date= |publisher=United States Forest Service |year=2003 |language=en}}</ref> They are typically employed together with harvesters in cut-to-length logging operations. It originated in Scandinavia.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Young |first=Raymond A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CraEEAAAQBAJ |title=Introduction to Forest Ecosystem Science and Management |last2=Giese |first2=Ronald L. |date=2002-12-26 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-0-471-33145-2 |page=417 |language=en}}</ref>

== Load capacity == Forwarders are commonly categorized by their load carrying capabilities. Other classifications include whether they are wheeled or tracked and the axle arrangement.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021 |title=Forwarder: history, overview, characteristics |url=https://magnetawanlibrary.ca/forwarder-history-overview-characteristics/ |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=magnetawanlibrary.ca |language=en-US}}</ref> The smallest are trailers designed for towing behind all-terrain vehicles which can carry a load between 1 and 3&nbsp;tonnes. Agricultural self-loading trailers designed to be towed by farm tractors can handle load weights up to around 12 to 15&nbsp;tonnes. Light weight purpose-built machines utilised in commercial logging and early thinning operations can handle payloads of up to 8 tonnes. Medium-sized forwarders used in clearfells and later thinnings carry between 12 and 16&nbsp;tonnes. The largest class specialized for clearfells handles up to 25&nbsp;tonnes. Forwarders also carry their load at least 2&nbsp;feet above the ground.

== Manufacturers == * Barko Hydraulics, LLC * Caterpillar Inc. * John Deere (Timberjack) * EcoLog * Fabtek * HSM * HSM (Hohenloher Spezial Maschinenbau GmbH, Germany) * Komatsu Forest (Valmet) * Kronos * Logset * Malwa * Neuson Forest * PM Pfanzelt Maschinenbau * Ponsse * Rottne * Strojirna Novotny * Tigercat * Timber Pro * Zanello * {{Interlanguage link|Morooka Co., LTD|ja|諸岡}}

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == {{Commons category-inline|Forwarders}}

{{Forestry tools}} {{Authority control}}

Category:Engineering vehicles Category:Log transport Category:Forestry equipment

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