Hycza Tomasz, MSc

Salvage logging is performed to remove the fallen and damaged trees after a natural disturbance,
e.g., fire or windstorm. From an economic point of view, it is desirable to remove the
most valuable merchantable timber, but usually, the process depends mainly on topography
and distance to forest roads. The objective of this study was to evaluate the suitability of the
Black-Bridge satellite imagery for the spatial distribution of salvage cutting in southern Poland
after the severe windstorm in July 2015. In particular, this study aimed to determine which
factors influence the spatial distribution of salvage cutting. The area of windthrow and the
distribution of salvage cutting (July–August 2015 and August 2015–May 2016) were delineated
using Black-Bridge satellite imagery. The distribution of the polygons (representing
windthrow and salvage cutting) was verified with maps of aspect, elevation and slope, derived
from the Digital Terrain Model and the distance to forest roads, obtained from the Digital
Forest Map. The analysis included statistical modelling of the relationships between the process
of salvage cutting and selected geographical and spatial features. It was found that the higher
the elevation and the steeper the slope, the lower the probability of salvage cutting. Exposure
was also found to be a relevant factor (however, it was difficult to interpret) as opposed to the
distance to forest roads.