We need trees to survive. Aside from the obvious fact that they provide us with oxygen to breathe and keep the environment safe and clean, we also need them for various purposes that improve our quality of life.
That’s why we also need the act of logging. Essentially, logging is cutting trees down and dividing the trunk into several pieces. These pieces are then sold as either pulp or timber, which are used for making furniture, firewood, or products that involve paper.
Look around your home and try to identify which of them are made of wood. From the smallest ones, like a book, to the biggest ones, like a cabinet or the walls and floors of your home itself, none of those would be possible without logging.
That’s how important this activity is to us. If you ever plan on starting a logging business, here are some things you need to know.
The Three Forms of Logging
Obviously, you can’t just start cutting trees when you find them. As much as we need trees for our daily necessities, we also need to keep forests alive to combat global warming and provide shelter for wild animals. This very reason gave birth to the three forms of logging.
Clear Cuts
This is a form of logging that is area-specific. This method is often observed in forests that are rich in pine trees or hardwood.
Clear-cut logging is done in a certain area where growth is abundant and can be cleared of trees. This still allows plenty of trees to remain in the forest and maintain the required number of trees for sustainability.
Thinnings
On the other hand, thinning harvests trees to lower a forest’s density. Instead of clearing an entire area, the thinning method cuts down trees over a larger area but leaves many healthy and growing trees. This logging method’s upside is that it makes way for a tremendous amount of vegetation on the growth, which is beneficial for the wildlife that resides in that forest.
Landowner-specific
All the different forms of logging would, of course, require a permit, but this would sometimes not include landowner-specific logging. The private sector owns certain areas in a forest, so the number of trees cut down depends on the landowner’s needs. The materials gathered from this form of logging are either used privately or sold commercially.
Logging Equipment
Aside from all the heavy machinery involved in taking down and harvesting trees, logging equipment also includes the tools needed by lumberjacks on the ground. The list below discusses the most basic things you need for logging.
Protective Gear
When chopping trees into separate chunks, little pieces of them tend to fly off in all directions. You would need to protect your skin from this little debris.
A lumberjack’s protective gear includes a thick jacket and pants, combined with headgear that protects your face, head, eyes, and ears. Protective gear also includes heavy-duty gloves.
Weighing Scale
Although logs are often sold by volume, some customers are interested to know the weight of the logs you’ll be selling them. This is often the case for people who plan to use them on home renovations and improvements. They need to account for the weight of the logs to ensure that the structure of the house does not collapse. That’s why it’s also important that you invest in a digital floor scale to provide accurate measurements to your customers.
Logging Saw
Cutting wood requires a tool that has sharp teeth to bite and grind onto the log continuously. That’s what a saw is for.
However, a standard saw may not be enough for thick logs since it may not cut across. This is why a logging saw is a long, extended version that requires two people to use. If there’s only one of you doing the job, you can always opt for a chainsaw.
Ax
If we’ll dive into traditional and timeless tools, nothing is probably older than the ax. This used to be double-edged, but modern-day ones often have a single edge. There are plenty of different types of axes, but generally, it is used both for cutting down slimmer trees and splitting logs.
Log Splitter
This is the modern version of an ax. While the ax uses brute force to split logs, this piece of equipment uses hydraulics. You place the log onto a designated holding place, and it is split by a cutting mechanism pushed by hydraulics.
The first thing you’d probably encounter in starting a business is the number of options you have on which industry to compete in. One that does not have intense competition but can guarantee your success is the logging business. Make sure that you know the various things you need to ensure that you begin your journey smoothly.