Mild winter created difficulties for timber harvesting

This year's mild winter and soggy ground have made timber harvesting challenging. In many areas of the state forests, large machinery cannot currently operate.
The State Forest Management Center (RMK) has needed to find areas with drier soil in order to carry out its contractual obligations and meet logging quotas this winter.
"We've had to significantly alter our initial logging plans. We have selected suitable areas and reminded our operators to ensure that forwarding roads and logging areas are properly reinforced with logging residues. When possible, we're shortening forwarding distances and working with smaller loads to minimize the damage to the soil caused by forest operations," Arvo Lind, RMK's procurement manager for the southeast region, told Thursday's "Aktuaalne kaamera".
While in state forests it is possible to choose logging areas based on location, private forest owners often do not have that flexibility.
"In private forests, the issue is that we do not have the kind of road network that state forests have, where logging sites are located next to roads. In most cases, you have to reach the forest across fields, meadows, and — most importantly — through a neighbor's land. You have to consider everything, like not damaging winter crops or disturbing the neighbor's property. Organizing logging in private forests is significantly more complicated than in state forests," explained Erki Sok, director of the Võru County Forest Association.
Foresters are still hopeful that the expected subzero temperatures will arrive, allowing the planned work to proceed.
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Editor: Merili Nael, Helen Wright
Source: Aktuaalne kaamera