Idaho Panhandle National Forests
Bonners Ferry Ranger District
6286 Main Street
Bonners Ferry, Idaho 83805
News Contact: Barry Wynsma
Telephone: (208) 267-5561
FAX: (208) 267-6754
FOR IMMEDIATE USE
June 19, 2003
SLASH BUNDLING MACHINE TO BE TESTED IN BONNERS FERRY
Timberjack 1490D “Slash Bundler”
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SLASH BUNDLING MACHINE TO BE TESTED IN BONNERS FERRY
The first machine of its kind in North America will be put through its paces on the Bonners Ferry
Ranger District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests from June 23 through July 9th.
Called a “slash bundler”, the new machine is manufactured by John Deere/Timberjack in Scandinavia
and more than 20 are currently working in that region. This will be the first test of the machine’s
capabilities in North American forests, and is one of seven sites selected in four western states and one
Canadian site for the research. It is expected to be commercially available from North American John
Deere/Timberjack dealers later this year.
The slash bundler could be described as a “trash compactor” that is mounted on a 8-wheel drive
“forwarder” that is normally used for transporting logs from harvest units to log landings. The bundler
picks up tree limbs and tops that are normally leftover residue from logging or other fuels reduction
activities and rolls the material into compressed “logs” bound with twine. The “slash logs” created by
this machine are meant to be transported by log trucks to chipping facilities that turn the slash logs into
wood chips. These chips can then be burned in “cogeneration plants” to power steam turbines that
create electricity.
This technology may provide state, private and federal land managers a economical means to dispose of
hazardous forest fuels that currently have no commercial value or that are currently uneconomical to
gather and remove to reduce fire hazards. This technology also provides a “smokeless” alternative to
open burning of logging slash. Converting forest residues, sometimes called ‘biomass”, into electricity
is a goal identified in President Bush’s Healthy Forest Initiative, National Energy Plan and the National
Fire Plan.
The slash bundler will be tested for a total of three months this summer at locations in Idaho, Oregon,
Montana, California and British Columbia, spending up to two weeks at each location. The equipment
testing and demonstration is being conducted through the cooperation of John Deere/Timberjack,
USDA Forest Service-Forest Operations Research, Small Diameter Utilization Program, Forest Products
Lab, State and Private Forestry Regions 1 and 4, Idaho Panhandle National Forest, Boise National
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Forest, Deschutes-Ochoco National Forest, Eldorado National Forest and; the Department of Interior
Bureau of Land Management, Medford District.
SLASH BUNDLING MACHINE TO BE TESTED IN BONNERS FERRY
A public and media demonstration day will be on July 8th. Members of the public that would like to
view the demonstration should meet at the Chamber of Commerce parking lot at 10:00 a.m. and provide
their own transportation. The demonstration will also include a first stop at Fodge Pulp from 10:00 to
11:00 a.m. to watch bundles being ground into energy chips. From there we will move on to the bundler
demonstration site on Forest Road #2586, Perkins Ridge road located to the west of Perkins Lake
(parking at the Deer Creek road dumpster site). Cars can easily access the demonstration site.
Participants should also bring their own food and beverages for lunch. Hard hats will be provided for
those who don’t bring their own. Field boots are recommended. Porta-potties will also be available at
the demonstration site. A route map and information handout will be available on the day of the
demonstration or can be picked up at the Bonners Ferry Ranger District anytime after July 1st and
between the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday’s through Friday’s.
For further information contact the Bonners Ferry Ranger District at 267-5561.
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