Silva Fennica issue 52 includes presentations held in professional development courses, arranged for foresters working in public administration in 1938. The presentations focus on practical issues in forest management and administration, especially in regional level. The education was arranged by Forest Service.
This presentation describes the history of road transport of timber in Finland and discusses its significance and potential to forestry in the state forests.
The principal method of transporting timber for long distances in Finland is floating. It is supplemented in the principal forest districts by transport in ships, by rail and lorries. However, in north-eastern and northern parts of the country the main water systems flow into Arctic Ocean, and floating cannot be used to transport timber. The area does not have railroad and road network is sparse. The poor accessibility has hindered the use of forest in the area. A division of the Tuntsa-Oulanka and Arctic Ocean water system area into supply areas is presented.
The PDF includes a summary in English.
The length of drivable water courses in Finland was about 43,800 km in 1936, while the length of the water courses used by the floating associations was 12,467 km. The aim of the survey was to study the volume of timber in private (or separate) floating and co-operative floating operated by the floating associations in Lake Saimaa water system, and how floating was administrated in the area.
According to the study, the floating channels of the area are in good condition. Floating of timber in rafts is common in Lake Saimaa water system. The proportion of co-operative floating is smaller than in the other major water systems in Finland, and the administration of floating is, therefore, unusual. The reason for this is the nature of the water system, the wood procurement policy of the industry, the disinterest of the private forest owners towards organized floating, and the way the authorities apply the Water Rights Act. The present system is beneficial to the forest companies that float big quantities of timber, but increase of co-operative floating would avail the small and medium industry and floaters, wood selling forest owners and the workforce.
The PDF includes a summary in German.