EMPORIUM — The Lyme Timber Company recently deployed Pennsylvania’s first winch assist harvesting system for logging on steep slopes, reaching the milestone of 100 acres logged last week.

The equipment, a 2022 EMS Tractionline Winch Assist System, is the latest technology to further modernize the region’s forestry industry. The system includes specialized winches that maintain constant tension on cables attached to a machine that fells timber on steep slopes. The system reduces ground pressure, erosion and the need for dangerous hand felling on these same slopes.

David Andrus, general manager of Three Rivers Forest Management (Lyme’s forestry division in Pennsylvania) said, “About half of the volume owned by Lyme is on at least a 40% slope, restricting our production with mechanized crews. This equipment allows us to gain access to parts of our land in an even safer and more productive manner than before.”

Lyme has partnered with Rocky Ridge Trading Company to deploy the technology. Rocky Ridge invested in its own mechanical harvester, a John Deere 959 tracked feller buncher, that is paired with the EMS Tractionline system. Rocky Ridge leases the EMS Tractionline from Lyme.

Tim Crissman, president, Rocky Ridge, said, “We have already seen tremendous benefits from using the winch assist. Higher overall productivity and less soil disturbance when harvesting steep slopes are some of the early measures of success.”

Sixteen crews are now working for Lyme across its Pennsylvania and western New York operations. Two more mechanized crews were added this summer.

According to Jim Hourdequin, CEO of Lyme Timber: “We are thrilled to be working with Rocky Ridge to deploy this system. A safe and productive workforce is as critical to our business as is the quality of our timber resource. This new system has made logging safer and more productive in the Pacific Northwest and other parts of the world. We are very excited to be a part of innovation and workforce advancement in Pennsylvania.”