tis 15 nov 2022, 16:10#779346
I apologize for my delayed response.
Getting paid for pruned logs is difficult because mills will not pay more just because you say it has been pruned. Over many years mills have been disappointed when buying “pruned”logs. The value just has not been there because the quality of the pruning has not been good. Also because the time horizons are so long there is a need for reliable documentation. So because of mixed pruning standards and poor documentation there is a reluctance to gamble on pruned logs.
Unfortunately it is impossible to truly know what the internal quality of a log is by external appearances. Mills , through long experience have learned how to judge log but there are aways unpleasant surprises so they hedge their bets so the forest owner never receives the true value of their logs. You can not blame the mills, they do the best they can.
So if you can grow a straight log with no branches even under the current pricing schemes you are in effect paid for pruned logs. A quick look at a Pine price list shows this. Leaf trees are even more sensitive to branches.
On an industrial scale pruning does not make a lot of economic sense. But l think for the small forest owner it does make sense. Pruning is something that the owner can do. It takes no expensive tools and is a great way to spend time in your forest. I like to say never go into the forest without a tool it doesn’t much matter what tool there will always be some good you can put it to. My favorite tool of course is a LimbZipper.
The pruning situation in the northeastern US is similar to that of Sweden.
I believe pruning does two positive things one it produces quality logs and it allows for faster diameter growth by way of more aggressive spacing while still producing a branch free butt log.
If by some chance you want a LimbZipper you can source the pole and saw from Wolf-Garten in Sweden and l will ship the pruner-head along with the saw scabbard. Shipping the pole from the states is crazy expensive.
Thank for the questions
Russell