Logging is an ancient practice. Dating back to the boom of the Fertile Crescent — parts of the modern-day Middle East — organized or systemic logging has been used to supply architectural and infrastructure constructions. During the Colonial period, settlers in the New World had to make due with basic tools on hand, such as axes and basic two-man crosscut saws. Yet the colonialists were able to construct durable log cabins, some of which still stand strong and proud to this day.
When the Industrial Revolution kicked off in the mid-1700s, the Western world saw a quantum leap in technological progress. Traditional practices like carpentry and logging benefited from the innovations sparked by the Industrial Revolution, such as the invention of the chainsaw, which was actually used by German doctors to saw off bones. Yikes! Two decades ago, the world experienced another kind of technological renaissance that has continued to gain more momentum. With the advent of smartphones, tablets, apps and even 3-D printers, the traditional logging industry wisely chose to adapt with the times again in order to survive. Not only are new technologies helping logging companies work more efficiently, but innovative machineries and software programs are helping them produce more products to meet the growing demand of consumers without having to violate environmental laws. Using New Technology Many Logging companies today are more than willing to try out new technologies that will take care of the market’s demand for timber while controlling environmental degradation as well. After all, if there are tools to make the job faster and more efficient, why not give them a try? One of those companies is Associated Oregon Loggers, Inc., which currently uses logging machineries that are integrated with technological features they say have “improved worker safety, enhanced environmental protection, and grown production performance.” It’s not just the loggers… sawmills and woodworkers are taking advantage of new equipment, such as optimizing saws like this one. These can literally “cut” the time it takes to do things in half.
It’s an App-Filled World The logging industry and forestry associations have also tapped into the technological trends that are ubiquitous today. The National Timber Harvesting and Transportation Safety Foundation has recently recommended useful apps for loggers. One of these apps feature a variety of functions that will help loggers improve safety practices out in the field. Some of the features include:
Weather alertsLocation trackingCompassSafety FlasherAccess to imagery in the fieldProximity to boundariesHundreds of maps
Analytics Besides apps and new machineries, software that analyzes data plays a key part in logging smarter. According to a report by the Idaho Products Commission, forestry scientists employed by responsible logging companies use software “that is helping foresters understand the impact of their practices and is helping solve some of the problems faced by forests.” This, along with non-invasive photography methods, enables loggers to conduct research into quadrants of forests before taking action. As physical and digital-based technologies continue to progress, no doubt the logging industry will find yet another way to keep the tradition going and even improve along the way.
