The potential for estimation of log value by the use of traceability concepts

It is a well known fact that within log grades, the value of the timber produced from the different logs varies. To monitor this, a full traceability backwards from boards to the original log is needed. Such systems do not exist commercially today, and the main objective of the biggest forest-wood project in European history, Indisputable Key, is to facilitate such traceability systems for the forestwood chain. This paper tries to highlight the potential of such a traceability system by analysing a data set where all information about sites, trees, logs and boards were connected. The value of the logs were the calculated by summing the value of the obtained sawn timber grades, the pulpwood chips and saw dust in each log The results showed that the traditional saw log grades in Norway did not reflect a consistent expression of log value. Also a major part of the logs not fulfilling the saw log grade requirement proved to be economically interesting to saw, and shows a potential for sawing larger quantities of the log volume produced by the trees in Norway. This is a very important finding since there currently is a shortage of saw logs in Norway, mostly because of low prices for pulpwood, making the interest of forest owners for logging sluggish.