Large diameter timber - problem or chance? : Proceedings of the COST Action E40 Conference

Wien

2006

98 S.

Monographie

132237

The current COST Action E40 "Innovative utilization and products of large diameter timber" deals with a very specific topic within the forestry-wood-chain. Once large diameter timber was a very appreciated raw material in order to produce various timber products. Huge changes in the sawmill and timber industries as well as new technologies of finger jointing, glueing etc. led to a shift in the roundwood allocation from large diameter timber to small and medium diameters as the preferred raw material. The forestry could not follow these changes in the whole range due to the forest ownership situation, infrastructure and topography, traditions in silviculture, etc. Whereas small diameter timber already becomes a scarce raw material in some areas, the stock of large diameter timber is still increasing in many parts of Europe. The COST Action E40 deals with the topic and wants to develop solutions for the proper use of large diameter timber. A first workshop in Vienna in 2004 showed the situation of large diameter timber in many parts of europe and the focus of the current conference was large diameter timber as a problem or a chance. In order to find a proper answer to these very challenging questions, the conference was structured in several parts: - Session 1 - political statements by invited speakers from forestry, wood processing and wood research including a round table discussion. Controversial point of view were to be presented and discussed. - Session 2 - presentations concerning chances and potentials of quality referring to the specific properties of large diameter timber. - Poster Session - providing a survey on various research activities concerning large diameter timber. - Conference summary and adoption of a conference communiqué. The proceedings provide a documentation of all the various sessions within the conference and we hope that this documentation may also help to find some answers to open questions so as to continue a successful processing of wood.