Soil compaction resulting from forestry machine traffic may reduce forest production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of traffic frequency on soil compaction and Eucalyptus grandis forest productivity after a seven-year rotation. Soil bulk density and cone penetrometer resistance measurements were used as indicators to evaluate soil compaction resulting from tractor plus trailer traffic, a total of 8 tons load, after 1, 3, 5, 10, 20 vehicle passes and a control with no traffic. Around 80% of total soil compaction after 20 vehicle passes resulted after the first five vehicle passes, with no significant change after that. This indicates the necessity to restrict vehicle traffic to smaller areas in the forest, even with that area reaching higher compaction levels, but reducing the extension of compacted soil. Nevertheless, on this particular situation, soil compaction in all treatments did not reduce Eucalyptus productivity.
Wood forwarding; forestry tractor; traffic control
