Huggningsplan

Huggningsplan is a planning document used in forestry to organize harvesting operations. It specifies the scope of a harvest, including the stands to be felled, the tree species and size classes targeted, the volume to be removed, the harvesting methods, and the schedule. The term is used in Scandinavian forestry contexts and is sometimes translated as harvest plan or felling plan.

Etymology: the word combines hugga, meaning to cut or fell timber, with plan, reflecting its purpose as a structured approach to extraction.

Purpose and use: huggningsplan aims to coordinate timber production with environmental safeguards, safety, and logistics. It helps optimize road planning and equipment use, and ensures compliance with forestry regulations and reforestation requirements. The plan serves as a basis for permits, contractor work orders, and monitoring of outcomes.

Components: typical elements include stand inventory and mapping, age structure and yield estimates, target volumes, and the chosen cutting method (clear-cut, shelterwood, selection). It also covers operational constraints such as soil condition, slope, and weather, as well as a road and skid trail plan, safety measures, protection of watercourses and habitats, waste handling, wildfire risk, fuel storage, and a reforestation or regeneration plan. Monitoring indicators and follow-up actions are often specified.

Process: the plan is usually prepared by a forest manager or planner, often with input from landowners, regulatory authorities, and contractors. It is reviewed and approved by authorities when required and implemented in phases with ongoing monitoring and updates as conditions change.

Relation: huggningsplan is part of broader forest management planning and sustainable forestry, supporting environmental compliance and responsible resource use.

See also: forest management plan, harvest plan, thinning, environmental impact assessment.