Plan timber handling before felling the first tree

By FS25 Index · Updated 2026-10-11

Choose where the wood will go before deciding how to cut it. Work backwards from that destination until you have a route from standing tree to delivery, with space for the machines needed along the way.

GIANTS' forestry introduction distinguishes straight conifers suited to timber from crooked deciduous trees suited to woodchips. Its transport lesson recommends matching log length to carrying equipment and securing trailer loads. Use those distinctions to shortlist a workflow, then inspect your actual trees and machines.

Begin at the delivery point

Find a destination accepting the intended material and check the unloading area in game. If you own a production, confirm its inputs before treating it as the destination for everything you cut. A planned sale and a delivery to your own facility belong in separate cost comparisons.

Trace the journey back to the forest. Walk the tight turns and choose a loading area the transport vehicle can reach. Keep that access clear when deciding where cut material will be placed.

Give each machine a defined job

List cutting, processing, collecting, loading and carrying. A machine already owned may cover more than one job, but note when it must change position or attachment. Check each proposed combination in the shop and equipment catalogue.

Choose the carrying arrangement before settling on a cutting length. Include the loader and attachment in the same plan. Leave awkward pieces and branches their own handling route so they do not become an unplanned obstacle beside the useful material.

Complete one load before scaling up

Treat the first load as a rehearsal. Record the tree type, equipment, cutting choice, handling time, trip and delivery result. If loading is awkward, change the position or equipment plan before felling more trees.

For control problems, inspect the active input bindings and test the relevant action with the equipment selected. Record the action that fails rather than assuming the grapple or winch is incompatible.

Use the first record to identify the task needing improvement. A single successful load shows that a particular workflow can be repeated; it does not establish a universal return per tree or hectare. Increase the work only when cutting, handling and delivery all fit together.