yarding

Yarding is the practice in forestry of moving felled timber from the stump to a roadside or landing using a yarding system, a collection of equipment and rigging designed to transport logs via cables rather than by on-ground skidding alone. In commercial operations, yarding reduces ground disturbance and enables extraction from slopes, rocky terrain, or long distances.

Yarding systems fall into several categories. Ground-based yarding uses a yarder at a fixed location and relies on haulback lines and ground-based cables to drag logs toward the yard. Skyline yarding employs an overhead cable (the skyline) anchored to towers or tall trees, with logs attached to chokers that travel along the skyline to the landing; this method is common on steep or uneven terrain.

Within skyline and ground-based classes, arrangements such as high-lead, low-lead, and spar-yard systems describe how the lead line and rigging are run, while spar yarding uses a tall spar or crane to support the main line. The equipment used includes a yarder or skidder, wire rope, chokers, and winches for hauling logs or yarding lines, as well as anchors, towers, or spar trees for support.

Environmental and safety considerations accompany yarding operations. Practices aim to minimize soil disturbance, protect streams, and conserve residual stand structure, while operators follow safety protocols to manage risks from lines, logs, and heavy machinery. Yarding remains a central method for extracting timber in terrain less suitable for ground-based skidding.