Wasted Wood?

How much timber was/is left in the woods after it has been logged?  In 1900, over half of what today is referred to as merchantable timber was often left in the woods.  Lots of reasons why:

• Standing timber was plentiful and cheap. 
• Loggers often paid only for what they removed.
• Why spend your time cutting down timber that was difficult to get to or of lower grade?
• The less you cut down, the less you had to transport to a mill.  Transportation was often over half of a logger's cost - far more than the timber itself.  This meant leaving a lot of lesser quality wood in the forest.
• Bucking logs in the woods was required before they could be transported.  Residual undesirable log lengths were best left in the woods.
• The base of trees with their root swell (aka butt swell) were also high in pitch content and had three strikes against them - expensive to haul, poor quality and difficult to saw through.  And that's why springboards were used, though the logger in the photo that follows seems to have overcompensated some.

Image courtesy Washington State Historical Society, #2012.0.393, Isaac Davidson photographer, circa 1886

Why would this logger begin cutting so high up the tree, requiring two springboards to climb and leaving a huge tall stump?   Well, as it turns out, this photo was taken in Puyallup, and having grown up next door in Sumner, we always knew that folks from Puyallup were a little different.  Seriously, I really have no idea why he would do this.  Seems like a waste of both high quality wood  and a lot more difficult to fell the tree.

Today, at least in the data that I have seen, less than 10% of timber is left in the woods, thanks in large part to higher priced timber, smaller logs and greatly improved harvesting technology.

Comments

[WILLIAM KOMBOL]

Craig - To me if looks like evidence of a recent brush fire (examine charred wood right below the lower springboard) that may have raced through the forest floor. If that had been the case perhaps cutting fire-hardened bark was more difficult. Don't really know, just throwing out a possible explanation.

[Craig Goodwin]

You might be right, but a little burned bark never did any harm unless it was sold to a plywood plant where they were really picky.

[Phil Hewitt]

Are you familiar with Mosby Farms along the Green River? Burr Mosby was also raised in Sumner.

[Craig Goodwin]

Thanks Phil, I know only a little about Mosby Farms and met Clarise (sp?) when they had the farmers market. Nice family!