Austrian Logging: A Historical Account of the Time of Felling and Debarking, and Transportation Practices

Sebastian Nemestothy,Michael Grabner

doi:10.1163/27723194-20210005

Sebastian Nemestothy, Michael Grabner

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1163/27723194-20210005

Copy DOI

Abstract

Abstract Wood in Austria has been an indispensable source of energy, but also, a crucial building material. In the field of dendroarchaeology the timeline between raw material harvest and finalisation of a wooden construction is a crucial piece of puzzle in understanding building history. This paper aims to provide an overview on historical timber supply in Austria by examining the felling and debarking methods, as recorded in old literature and, from the visible evidence on beams in wooden constructions. Historically, depending on the size and location of a building, a small or extended supply chain of timber was required. These generally consisted of logs travelling via streams and rivers, and possibly beforehand passing through sluices and log slides, being skidded by horses and oxen, and being moved by manpower on sleighs, or simply on the forest floor. The seasonal working steps of the logging process included felling, debranching, debarking, cutting to length, and the start of the transportation process. Debarking was a specific focus in this investigation, as the appearance of bast (the inner bark of trees from which ropes were made) or even bark residues on the waney edge (outermost growth ring underneath the bark), may provide a clue to the felling time of year. These indications of the cutting season have been noticed during dendrochronological sampling of beams in historical buildings. Improved knowledge of them may contribute to future research of these buildings.

Highlights

For a long time, wood seemed to be an inexhaustible natural resource in Austria, available in such great quantities, that no particular effort for the preservation of future forest areas was made
This paper aims to provide an overview on historical timber supply in Austria by examining the felling and debarking methods, as recorded in old literature and, from the visible evidence on beams in wooden constructions
Debarking was a specific focus in this investigation, as the appearance of bast or even bark residues on the waney edge, may provide a clue to the felling time of year

Summary

Introduction

Wood seemed to be an inexhaustible natural resource in Austria, available in such great quantities, that no particular effort for the preservation of future forest areas was made. There is evidence of writs for specific forest sites going back to the early thirteenth and fourteenth centuries (Johann 1994) Historically, it has not been the iron and salt industries alone, that have claimed the raw forest resources. It has not been the iron and salt industries alone, that have claimed the raw forest resources In metropolitan areas, such as Vienna, large quantities of timber were required as a construction material and as a fuelwood (Radkau et al 1987). In contrast to the large clear cuttings of the logging companies, salt pans, and the mining industry, farmers managed the forest by selection cutting, in accordance with their adjudicated rights of use In other words, they harvested wood when a need arose and took the number of trunks required.

Objectives

Methods