Nutzholz

Nutzholz is a term used in forestry and the timber trade to designate commercially usable timber that is suitable for sale and processing. It encompasses wood products such as sawtimber, veneer logs, and pulpwood that meet certain size and quality criteria, and is distinguished from wood that is not marketable, such as small-diameter branches, defective wood, or material intended only for energy.

Definitions and criteria vary by country and standard, but Nutzholz generally requires minimum diameter at breast height, sufficient log length, and absence of major defects. In forest inventories and harvest planning, Nutzholz is quantified in units such as cubic meters of solid volume or recoverable volume, to assess harvest potential and value.

Products and uses of Nutzholz include lumber for construction and carpentry, panels and veneers, and fibers for paper and other manufactured products. The category helps forest owners, managers, and timber traders evaluate marketable yield, set pricing, and organize thinning or final harvest operations while aiming to sustain forest health and productivity.

Origin and usage: The term is German in origin and commonly used in Germany, Austria, and parts of Switzerland. In English-language forestry, the closest general concepts are merchantable timber or sawtimber, though Nutzholz as a fixed category is specific to German-speaking contexts and may not have a direct one-to-one translation.