Metla Project 3258

Quality and value of timber from drained peatlands for end-use oriented forest industries

Duration: 1999-2003 Keywords: SME sector, Wood quality, chemical forest industries, measurement, mechanical forest industries, peatland forests, timber assortments, timber price ability, wood procurement
Research Program: Ecologically and economically sustainable forestry on drained peatlands

Objectives

In this project, the data readily available and obtainable from on-going studies, complemented with new data as much as it is needed, are compiled to determine the wood technological properties, quality, value and potential for utilisation in industrial wood processing, and the expected recovery of different timber assortments and net income. The analyses are performed from the standpoint of end-use oriented wood utilisation and business economy of peatland forestry. The emphasis is on the timber assortments available from peatland forests, and their end-use based grade distribution and industrial value. The new assortments potential for small and medium scale industries, such as small-dimensioned saw logs, short saw and veneer logs and round building timber, are especially considered.

The data is compiled from published and on-going studies on the so-called first generation final cuttings of trees in saw timber and smaller dimensions from different drained peatlands, regarding the properties and quality of tree sections, wood and timber. This is the primary information needed for short and medium-long term evaluations for and operations in forestry and forest industries. Additional information based on new empirical materials will be provided on the raw materials from saw timber and pulpwood trees from thinnings and the expected quality and value of trees to be grown for final cuttings. This is the most useful for medium-long and long term planning. Unit prices and manufacture cost of different wood products as well as wood procurement cost are investigated for the determination of potential prices of timber assortments.

A synthesis will be drawn on the stems, stem sections, wood and timber of Scots pine, Norway spruce and white birch, their wood technological properties, quality and value, and the typical stands of these species on drained peatlands, for planning economic peatland forestry and evaluating raw material sources for forest industries. As a final prduct, a special handbook, or chapter(s) in a larger handbook of peatland forestry will be written for the interest groups in forestry and forest industries.

Sub-projects: 1. Timber assortments in peatlands forests and pricing ability of forest industries 2. Expected quality and value of wood and timber from thinnings in peatland forests. 3. Properties, quality, value and potential for utilisation of wood and timber from Scots pine, Norway spruce and white birch on drained peatlands - synthesis

Results

In this project, studies based on large empirical materials have been conducted on the morphological, physical and mechanical properties of wood as well as potential timber assortments from cuttings on commercial drained peatland stands and their grade distribution and economic value. Technical quality and value of wood and timber of Scots pine and Norway spruce from thinnings on drained peatlands and the expected quality and value in the future’s final cuttings have been compared to those on mineral soils in different parts of Finland; results have been published in open series of research articles, scientific and professional workshops and interviews for media and company reports with limited distribution. Versatile research papers have been published on the quality, value and potential of utilisation of pine and spruce from final cuttings on drained peatlands for mechanical wood processing, more publications are still under writing and finishing during 2004. For the final report of the research programme SUO, a synthesis will be compiled of the knowledge achieved in Metla and other Finnish research organisations and the conclusions will be presented on the wood and timber properties, quality, value and potential of utilisation of Finnish pine, spruce and birch, both from the views of forest management and timber production and specialising end-use oriented forest industries.

Project leader: Verkasalo, Erkki
The Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu Research Unit, PL 68, 80101 Joensuu
Phone: +358 10 211 3020 Telefax: +358 10 211 3001
E-mail: erkki.verkasalo@metla.fi

Other researchers: Kilpeläinen, Harri, JO (2002-03), Stöd, Reeta (1999-2002), Wall, Tapio, JO (2000-03)

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Updated 30.12.2006
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