Many of you may already own a Woodland Mills sawmill, and some may still be new to ownership or contemplating the idea of purchasing a mill. There are many reasons to own a portable sawmill rather than simply taking a drive to your local lumberyard, but first and foremost is cost. Milling your lumber can provide you with high-quality lumber for a fraction of the cost compared to purchasing from mainstream lumber yards. There is also the potential to turn a profit by selling lumber to fellow woodworkers or even milling their logs for them as a side business.

Being able to mill logs is one thing but sourcing the logs to mill is a different topic entirely. If you live on a large, wooded property, then you may not have any issues at all. For those who don't have a forest or woodlot, where do you find or purchase logs to mill? Regardless of the situation, sustainability should always be a consideration.

HARVESTING TREES YOURSELF

Harvesting is only an option if you own a woodlot or forested area. This is likely to be the most sustainable option provided you are aware of how to manage a timber stand actively and are selectively harvesting to preserve the health of the stand. Various management practices can be applied to a forest based on the age and goal of the stand. Many of the forests and woodlots you see will be middle-aged, meaning you won't have to deal with seeding, planting or fertilization in the same way you would in a younger stand. There is still plenty of maintenance involved and needed to produce a healthy stand that allows you to harvest the best quantity and quality timber. In a more natural wood stand, you will likely not want to spend time weeding the understory. Removing or killing understory plants allows for a host of benefits, such as creating more nutrient-rich soil as the plants rot and decompose. The primary management practices that will come into play are thinning and culling, which go hand in hand.

Thinning is precisely how it sounds; once you've selected your target species and the forest crown becomes too dense, some trees need to be removed to allow more light – and in turn nutrients – into the forest. Failure to thin out the crown will result in stunted growth and reduced vigour within the trees. Thinning will also reduce the risk of insect infestation and damage as well as disease. Allowing more sunlight to reach the entire crown of the selected trees and the forest floor enables understory plants to thrive and provide more food and nutrients for wildlife, which will help the forest reproduce and return nutrients to the soil.

Culling, also known as Timber Stand Improvement (TSI), removes undesired and diseased, deformed or insect-infested trees and species within the tree stand. Trees may be culled by girdling – also called ring-barking, which is the removal of all outer bark being removed from the trunk in a ring (usually around 6 inches wide), leading to the death of the tree above the tree girdling location. This is because the tree bark contains the phloem and xylem, which is, essentially, the transportation network for water and nutrients up and down the tree. These trees may also be removed by herbicide or taken down and used as firewood (NOTE: if insects are present within the tree, DO NOT move the tree/firewood beyond your general vicinity to prevent the spread of dangerous invasive species). TSI will lead to a healthier and more consistent tree stand to harvest at the appropriate time.

Trees that have defects should generally not be used to build anything that must be structurally sound; they can still be milled to create beautiful slabs and even some furniture.

Much of the time, knots, burls, and insect damage can create incredible patterns in the wood once it has been milled and slabbed. While removing these trees helps to create a forest that is resistant to insect and disease damage in the future; it doesn’t mean that these trees don’t have value to create. Another way to acquire logs is to partner with local arborists. Many arborists work year-round and may not have any use for the larger trunks of trees too big to go through the woodchippers. It may even be less work for them to have someone collect the logs directly from the job site than having to move and dispose of them on their own.

Another place people often tend to overlook is classified ads online. Often you can find ads posted by a homeowner for a freshly felled tree. It's easier for them to have someone collect it from their property for free, rather than paying to have it moved or disposed of by professional tree companies. The main factor to consider is the diameter and length of the logs. If they’re too big for your sawmill, it’s not worth the time and effort involved to pick them up. The shape of the wood is entirely personal preference. While most people will shy away from wood with ‘defects’ such as knots, crotches and splits, I would argue that these can sometimes make beautiful lumber and pieces in the right situation.

Now that you’ve sourced some logs, how do you pick them up or get them back to your property? Suppose you own a Woodland Mills Mobile Sawmill, such as the HM130MAX Woodlander. In that case, you may be able to cheat a little and bring the sawmill right to the location of the logs, so long as the homeowner/ arborist is okay with you milling on-site. Another option is to use a trailer and a skid steer for an afternoon and try to pick up a few logs in one fell (pun intended) swoop. Many arborists and tree companies removing large diameter trees may have a skid steer on-site and may also be willing to help load the logs for you onto your trailer; again, this is much less work for them at the end of the day.

Suppose you're not comfortable operating heavy machinery such as a skid steer. In that case, there are plenty of other creative ways to load logs, such as using a winch on your trailer. The options are endless, and with plenty of creative folks on YouTube, there's bound to be a solution that fits your needs.

KEEPING IT SUSTAINABLE

With many forests being reduced to nothing from extensive logging and clear-cutting operations to provide lumber for the ever-growing demand both with industry construction and hobbyists alike, now is the time to help create change and more sustainable lumber industry. Suppose you own a woodlot or forested property. Why not attempt to manage and improve the quality while also sustaining your own needs for lumber, all within your backyard.

If you don't have this luxury, partnering with local arborists is a great way to make sure lumber that is otherwise destined for firewood or left to decompose can be upcycled to create a plethora of various things. All this wood and potential lumber are often thrown away and left to rot when it could be used to make furniture, a shed, lap siding; you name it. The potential to reduce the need for lumber created from unsustainable forestry and logging practices is there; we need to seize it.