RIL Implementation for Increasing Productivity and Minimizing Skidding Cost at Peat-swamp Forest Plantation

Log skidding technique in peatland is different with those practiced in dry land. A well planning is required especially in the use of the skidding tool. Since skidding takes a large portion of production costs, it is nedeed to compensate by increasing productivity through implemention of the proper harvesting techniques. This paper studies the increase of productivity and minimize production cost by implementing RIL technique at peat swamp plantation forest. The study was conducted on 2012 at the work area of PT Satria Perkasa Agung, in Simpang Kanan District, Pelalawan, Riau Province. Data of skidding cost and productivity were processesed by using tabulation to obtain the mean and then analized using t-test of SPSS 18 software. Results show that: 1. RIL Skidding technique in peatland could increase the average of productivity by 8.37% and decrease the average production cost of 3.93%; 2. The use of proper matting lines on skidding in peat swamp forest can reduce uneffective time about 8.3% equal to 3.66 minutes/trip.