Selection of assignments and experiences

Africa
Experiences from Africa include chainsaw courses and demonstrations in Guinea Bissau, the Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, South Africa, Gabon and Zimbabwe. Nordfor developed logging methods and trained operators in natural forest operations and plantations.

North America
Over the years many courses in pre-commercial thinning have been given for a large number of clients in Canada. Our Canadian experience also includes training operators in mechanised logging. Assignments have been carried out in most parts of Canada.

In USA, training in thinning in steep terrain, often using cable systems, has been conducted, mainly for Weyerhauser. Instructors have been trained for Forestry Training Centre, Forks, State of Washington.

Latin America
Nordfor has developed harvesting methods and conducting training in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Bolivia and Uruguay. Some of the work in Chile has been done in steep terrain using cable logging systems. Guidelines for Reduced Impact Logging have been developed, and training conducted, in Bolivia (a Sida project).

Asia
Nordfor’s Asian experience is mostly restricted to Southeast Asia and China. Nordfor has worked for several Pulp wood companies with focus on harvesting systems in plantations and the introduction of cut to length system and training of operators and instructors.

Several assignments to develop and implement methods for Reduced Impact Logging have been carried out in Malaysia and Indonesia including training of trainers. Guidelines for directional felling and for Reduced Impact Logging have been produced as a result of this work.

Courses in, and demonstrations of, chainsaw work have been given in Japan.

Europe
Logging system analyses and demonstrations have been done in France and Ireland. In Portugal and Spain assignments have been carried out including analyses of logging systems, harvester operators training and training of chainsaw operators. Several demonstrations and courses in connection to cable logging have been given in Austria and Germany. Chainsaw training  has been carried out in U.K., Denmark, Finland and Norway. Courses in pre-commercial thinning and spacing have been conducted in Poland.

Several training and consulting projects has been been carried out in Russia including development of sustainable management and harvesting methods.

A large number of courses in sustainable forestry, harvester and forwarder operators training, crash courses in chainsaw work and pre-commercial thinning are given every year in Sweden. Clients mainly include forest companies and municipalities.

Oceania
In Australia and New Zealand numerous felling demonstrations and courses have been conducted as well as courses in pre-commercial thinning.