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Thinning and felling

Thinning provides more timber in the forest

When you thin your forest, you are investing in its future development and increasing the value of your forest. The trees left by thinning become larger and more valuable, as they provide more timber for future harvesting.

Thinning is usually done twice during the life of the trees. When the forest is so dense that the crowns of the trees close up, it is usually time to thin. The first thinning is carried out when the trees are about 30-50 years old and the next thinning about 10-15 years later. It is in the first clearing and first thinning that the conditions for future stands are created.

Thinning is usually carried out as a quality-oriented low thinning, which prioritizes the growth of the stand with a higher net in future thinning and regeneration felling. It mainly removes small, damaged, crooked and twiggy trees and saves finer trees for the final stand. Unsuitable tree species for the soil can also be thinned. Measures carried out in time also provide better protection for the forest against wind and heavy wet snow, for example.

When the forest has grown to a final stand, harvesting can be carried out, and the timing of harvesting is regulated by the Forestry Act. The Forestry Act also requires the forest to be reforested after felling. In connection with harvesting, a logging notification is submitted to the Swedish Forestry Agency, describing the area and intended measures. This is normally a process that the timber purchaser helps with in connection with a timber transaction. Rejuvenation felling can start at the earliest 6 weeks after the notification is submitted.

Before felling, a field visit is made. During the field visit, the forest is assessed and any areas to be exempted from felling are marked out. To maintain biodiversity in the forest, edge zones, consideration areas, tree groups, dead wood and very old trees are saved. Consideration is also given to ancient and cultural remains. The area is planned in detail, with boundaries, basic routes and consideration areas being marked out. If the stand has a lot of undergrowth, pre-clearing is carried out where bushes and small trees are removed. Based on the planning data, a logging directive with a map is created, which the machine operator works from.

The harvesters have a computer that measures all lengths, diameters and volumes. The harvester computer contains timber price lists for all assortments. The harvester makes a value adjustment, i.e. takes out the qualities, lengths, diameters and assortments that are best paid for. The measuring system is calibrated daily so that no systematic errors occur.