Vol. 74 No. 1 (2019):
Articles

Preservation strategies for the storage of timber felled by wind storms

Marco Fioravanti
Dipartimento di scienze e tecnologie agrarie, alimentari, ambientali e forestali (DAGRI), Università di Firenze
Roberto Zanuttini
Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali e Alimentari (DISAFA) Università di Torino

Published 2019-07-16

Keywords

  • wood storage,
  • natural durability,
  • wind thrown timber

Abstract

The large volume of timber available after exceptional windstorms exceeds the possibility of being absorbed by the manufacturing industry, especially at local scale. When left on site, timber can trigger insect attacks to nearby forests, develop depreciating biological modifications, increase the fuel load and the hydrogeological risk. Proper storage and conservation in adequate locations enables to avoid the above effects, limiting the loss of quality and diluting the market availability of the various assortments, in order to maintain a more stable price.

The paper describes some possible actions experienced in previous similar contexts, with particular reference to those adopted in France and Switzerland. Finally, some considerations on how to take new opportunities arising from the Vaia storm are also presented.