The forestry work — selection, thinning and processing
From standing timber to finished assortment
According to the education's competence objectives, as a forest and nature technician you must be able to perform forest management work tasks in accordance with culture and management plans, applicable certification schemes and sustainability requirements — and you must be able to perform ordinary work tasks within forestry work, including planning thinning and thinning work and participate in processing of storm-fallen trees and winching. It is a process with several steps, each requiring their own professional assessment.
§The culture and operations plan controls the work
No forestry work happens in a vacuum. A management and operations plan describes how each stand should be managed over time – when it should be thinned, when it should be clear-cut, and what environmental and certification considerations apply along the way. The plan is also documentation to certification schemes such as FSC and PEFC, which set requirements for how operations are organized.
§Designation—which trees should be removed?
Designation is the professional assessment of which trees should be felled and which should remain standing. The decision is based on multiple criteria at once.
- 01The tree's health condition — damage, rot or disease
- 02Growth form and competition for light and space among neighbouring trees
- 03The desired future vegetation picture according to the management plan
- 04Safety — dangerous or unstable trees are prioritized first
§Thinning throughout the stand's life
A stand is typically thinned several times during its lifetime. The purpose is to give the best, remaining trees better space, light and growing conditions, while the thinned timber can be sold as assortment along the way. Thinning is therefore both a management practice and a source of income — and the timing has a major impact on the final result.
§Processing — from wood to assortment
When a tree is felled, it must be processed: limbed, cut off, and divided into the assortments the market demands. The quality and dimensions of the individual trunk determine which assortment it ends up as.
| Product range | Typical application |
|---|---|
| Block wood | Timber of high quality for sawmills and construction |
| Packaging wood | Pallets, loads and cargo securing in warehouse work |
| Cellulose timber | Paper and pulp industry |
| Firewood | Shorter, often lower quality, for fuel |
§Retraction and further transport
The last link is recovery — getting the processed wood from the forest floor to the road or storage area where it can be picked up further. Here machines like forest machines and tractors with equipment play a central role and consideration to soil and driving damage weighs heavily especially on wet ground.
“A good logging job is not only seen in the stumps but in the growth that remains.”