Forest operations in mountain forests need to apply production systems which are adapted to specific local conditions and existing infrastructure while minimizing negative externalities to the environment and society, such as to soil, water, greenhouse gas emissions, visual impacts, wildlife, and other ecosystem services. In the meantime, such production systems must consider the productivity of the operations and the impacts on the safety and health of the operators. In mountainous areas, productivity and safety are important issues because motormanual felling is still required in many situations and accidents occur frequently, especially in difficult terrain. Also, the most advanced systems such as the cable-assisted harvester cannot always be considered safe enough due to the uncertainty of the anchors attached to stumps or standing trees. During yarding operations, mountain forests represent a demanding task in which the slope of the terrain and the mass of the material to be transported can influence both the productivity and the worker safety. While cable transportation systems offer additional solutions for these difficult conditions, they can enhance the risk of accidents because of the tensions applied to the cables and the use of biological elements (stumps and trees) as supports and anchoring devices. A Joint Regional Meeting entitled “Productivity and Safety of Final Cutting in Mountain Forests” between IUFRO RG3.03.00 and RG3.06.00 was held on 24–28 July 2017 in Matsuyama and Kochi, Japan. The purpose of the meeting was to exchange recent research achievements and information, as well as to discuss future mountain logging operations considering operational techniques, ergonomics, and the possibility to improve both working productivity and safety of final cutting within these forests. The Regional Meeting welcomed a total of 68 participants with 36 oral and poster presentations. It attracted 12 graduate student participants who shared their passion for research in these important fields. The participants enjoyed not only research presentations and discussions but also two and half days of field excursions to various timber harvesting and road construction sites in both Ehime andKochi prefectures in Japan. In this special issue, 6 of the 36 presentations are published. One of the most delightful achievements of the special issue is that graduate student participants are the first author of two articles: Ms. Kyoko Tobita andMr. Takahisa Yamamoto. Topics of the six articles range from productivity, safety, resource management, and technology. Two articles focus on harvesting productivity of large-sized trees (Nakazawa et al.) and of a smallscale clear-cut operation (Suzuki et al.). Safety issues related to motor-manual felling are investigated by two articles, one (Tobita et al.) on injury factor analysis and the other (Nagao and Yamada) on the felling method. Yamamoto et al. estimated woody fuel availability for small-scale power generation. Technology development of harvesting operations on steep terrain is reviewed by Cavalli and Amishev. We appreciate the authors who submitted their valuable work for this special issue, the anonymous reviewers who made time within their busy work schedules to provide insightful input to improve the submitted manuscripts, and especially our chief editor, Dr. Charlie Blinn, for his dedicated assistance throughout the reviewing and editing process. Finally, special appreciation is extended to the meeting sponsors: IUFRO-J, Japan Forest Technology Association, Japan Forest Road Association, Japan Forest Foundation, National Logging Industry Cooperative Alliance, Liaison Council of Afforestation Industry for National Forests, Forestry Mechanization Society, National Forestry Extension Association in Japan, Forestry and Timber Manufacturing Safety & Health Association, National Foundation of Forest Owners’ Cooperative Association, Matsuyama Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ehime Branch of Forestry and Timber Manufacturing Safety & Health Association, Ehime Local Promotion Association, Kochi Visitors & Convention Association, Sumitomo Construction Machinery Co. Ltd., Matsumoto System Engineering Co. Ltd., Sojitz Machinery Corporation, Iwafuji Industrial Co. Ltd., Kawasaki Machine Inc., First Electronics Development Co. Ltd., Marugo Company, ImahashiKikou Co. Ltd., Daiki Shoji Co. Ltd., Mizobuchi Forestry Co. Ltd., and Shikoku-Kensetsu Center Corporation.

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IJFE特刊“山林最终采伐的生产力和安全性”介绍

山林中的森林经营需要应用适应当地特定条件和现有基础设施的生产系统，同时最大限度地减少对环境和社会的负面外部影响，例如对土壤、水、温室气体排放、视觉影响、野生动物和其他生态系统服务的负面影响. 同时，此类生产系统必须考虑运营的生产力以及对操作员安全和健康的影响。在山区，生产力和安全是重要的问题，因为在许多情况下仍然需要机动人工采伐，事故频繁发生，尤其是在困难的地形。此外，由于连接在树桩或立树上的锚的不确定性，诸如电缆辅助收割机等最先进的系统并不总是被认为足够安全。在堆场作业期间，山地森林是一项艰巨的任务，其中地形的坡度和要运输的材料的质量会影响生产力和工人的安全。虽然电缆运输系统为这些困难的条件提供了额外的解决方案，但由于施加在电缆上的张力以及使用生物元素（树桩和树木）作为支撑和锚固装置，它们会增加发生事故的风险。IUFRO RG3.03.00 和 RG3.06.00 于 2017 年 7 月 24 日至 28 日在日本松山和高知举行了题为“山地森林最终采伐的生产力和安全性”的联合区域会议。会议的目的是交流最近的研究成果和信息，并讨论考虑操作技术的未来山地伐木作业，人体工程学，以及提高这些森林中最终切割的工作效率和安全性的可能性。区域会议共接待了 68 名与会者，并进行了 36 次口头和海报展示。它吸引了 12 名研究生参与者，他们分享了他们对这些重要领域的研究热情。参与者不仅享受了研究报告和讨论，还享受了为期两天半的实地考察，参观了日本爱媛县和高知县的各种木材采伐和道路建设工地。在本期特刊中，发表了 36 篇演讲中的 6 篇。本期特刊最令人愉快的成就之一是研究生参与者是两篇文章的第一作者：Kyoko Tobita 女士和先生。山本孝久。六篇文章的主题包括生产力、安全、资源管理和技术。两篇文章重点关注大型树木（Nakazawa 等人）和小规模林木砍伐作业（Suzuki 等人）的收获生产力。两篇文章研究了与机动手动砍伐相关的安全问题，一篇（Tobita 等人）关于伤害因素分析，另一篇（Nagao 和 Yamada）关于砍伐方法。山本等人。用于小规模发电的估计木本燃料可用性。Cavalli 和 Amishev 回顾了陡峭地形上收割作业的技术开发。我们感谢为本期特刊提交宝贵工作的作者，感谢在繁忙的工作日程中抽出时间提供有见地的意见以改进提交的手稿的匿名审稿人，尤其是我们的主编 Charlie Blinn 博士，感谢他在整个审阅和编辑过程中的热心协助。最后，特别感谢会议主办单位：IUFRO-J、日本森林技术协会、日本森林道路协会、日本森林财团、全国伐木业合作联盟、国家森林造林产业联络委员会、林业机械化协会、国家林业日本推广协会、林业和木材制造安全与健康协会、国家森林所有者合作协会、松山会议观光局、林业和木材制造安全与健康协会爱媛支部、爱媛地方振兴协会、高知游客会议协会、住友建机株式会社、松本系统工程株式会社、