A Year in the Life of a Lumberjack
The job of a lumberjack involves a series of tasks from planting trees, growing them, cutting them, and processing them into logs ready to be transported to the market.
Spring
After the logging is finished, the remaining tree tops, branches, cut underbrush, and weeds are cleared and organized in a process called “ground preparation.” This is followed by “seedling planting.”
Mountain Rituals
These rituals, held to show gratitude for the blessings of the mountains and to pray for the safety of mountain work, are conducted nationwide in spring (February-March) and autumn (October-November).
Summer
To ensure sunlight reaches the seedlings, “underbrush clearing” is done, along with “vine cutting” to remove vines entangled around the trees.
Autumn to Winter
“Selective cutting” or “thinning” is performed to remove poorly growing trees and trees other than the intended ones, while “clear cutting” is done to fell trees that have reached the harvest period.
Autumn
“Branch pruning” is carried out to cultivate high-quality wood without knots, improve the light environment within the forest, and prevent damage to the trunks by insects.
Winter
Winter, when tree growth stops, is the peak period for “clear cutting,” and the transportation of the felled timber also becomes active.
A Year in the Life of a Lumberjack 掲載号
新林 第1-en号
Cutting Trees in Tenryu Forest in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
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