Types of Logging in Forestry: Methods, Equipment, and Practices Explained

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November 01, 2015 1 reads

There are two main types of forest felling: final felling (also called felling of main use) and intermediate felling. The difference between the two is substantial, and it is dictated by circumstances.

The type of logging depends on the quality of the timber — The type of forest felling depends on the quality of the timber.

What is intermediate forest felling?

Intermediate forest felling is the practical use of dying — but not yet dead — trees, a process also known as thinning or tending felling. In any stand, natural self-thinning begins from the earliest age, gradually intensifies, reaches its peak, and then subsides with age. As a result of this competition, 90–95 percent of the original number of trees are doomed.

Intermediate felling harvests those declining trees before they are lost entirely, putting wood that would otherwise be wasted to practical use while improving the condition of the remaining stand.

What is final felling (felling of main use)?

Final felling, or felling of main use, harvests technically mature timber. The purpose of this type of felling is twofold: to meet economic needs and to renew the stand. It targets trees that have reached the age suited to their intended commercial use.

What age is technically mature timber?

The age of technically mature timber is not fixed — it depends on what the wood will be used for. For sleepers, telegraph poles, plywood and similar products, trees are felled at a mature but far from maximum age: conifers at 70–80 years, and oak at 120–140 years.

An oak's physiological age is 400–500 years or even more, and trees of maximum age carry a greater mass of timber and greater thickness. But such a tree is difficult to saw — and, more to the point, who could wait until it turns 500 years old?

For timber intended for a single purpose, the age of felling is determined by the speed of growth in the stand, the length of the growing season, and the soil and climate conditions. Slow-growing trees such as oak, pine and spruce reach technical maturity at a more advanced age than, say, aspen, birch or poplar.

Location and origin also matter. In the north, where summers are shorter, trees generally grow more slowly and reach technical maturity at an older age than in the south. In addition, a coppice (sprout-origin) stand grows much faster than a seed-origin one, so the felling age in such a forest will be correspondingly earlier.

Rules must be followed when logging — The rules must be observed when felling the forest.

Clearly, anyone going into the forest with an axe must be able to:

classify the stand,
determine its origin,
draw up a plan.

A stand, as a rule, is not uniform. In it you will find trees of coppice origin alongside trees of different ages and different species. So how, after all, is the forest felled? It is felled, of course, according to a strict plan.

Beyond the harvesting of timber, the aim of final felling is the natural regeneration of the stand — by far the cheapest and most advantageous method available. Which is easier: for the forest to sow a thousand trees itself, or for us to sow them? The answer needs no proof.

What is the economic objective of felling?

The economic objective, as noted, is not the renewal of the forest but the extraction of timber in the required quantity and of a defined quality, with minimal expenditure of technical means and human effort. It is the task of today, not of tomorrow — whereas forestry itself looks toward the distant future.

Naturally, the interests of industrial use of the stands ought to be subordinate to the interests of silviculture. In theory, that is exactly how it works. In practice, however, the interests of the future are not always respected in the forest.

No type of logging should harm the forest — No type of felling should cause harm to the forest.

Felling is undoubtedly necessary, but it must be done so that no type of felling harms the forest. It must be carried out so that seeds are sown, germinate successfully, and a new forest — of high quality and in the required quantity — rises on the site of the one that was cut.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the two types of logging?

The two main types of logging are final felling (main use logging) and intermediate logging. Final felling harvests technically mature timber for economic needs and stand regeneration, while intermediate logging—also called thinning—removes dying or weaker trees during natural stand thinning to improve forest health.

What is logging in forestry?

In forestry, logging is the controlled harvesting of trees. It is divided into final felling, which takes mature timber for commercial use and to renew forest stands, and intermediate logging, which removes naturally declining trees during the growth cycle to maintain a healthy stand.

What is selective logging?

Selective logging involves removing only specific trees rather than clearing an entire area. In intermediate logging, this targets dying or surplus trees—since 90-95% of original trees are naturally lost—using those that are still usable while leaving healthier trees to grow.

What is the age of technically mature timber?

The age of technically mature timber varies by intended use, growth rate, and climate. Conifers are often felled at 70-80 years and oak at 120-140 years for products like railway ties or veneer. Slow-growing species and northern trees reach maturity later than fast-growing or southern ones.

What are the 3 types of logging?

While this content focuses on two primary categories—final felling and intermediate logging (thinning)—logging is broadly classified by purpose. Final felling harvests mature timber, intermediate logging removes declining trees, and additional sanitation or salvage cuts may remove damaged or diseased trees.