The fallers used a long handled power saw in
felling the trees which allowed them to cut the trees
as close as three inches to the ground without
bending over. This method of falling drastically
reduced the number of back problems among the
fallers. The rubber mounted handles and the
vibration springs on the saws were noted by the
visitors who were informed that the installation of
these devices reduced by a marked degree the
number of cases of “white hands”, a serious
problem fallers develop from power saw vibration.

Another innovation that impressed the visitors
was a hydraulic wedge attached to the chain saw
which the faller activated at the appropriate time to
determine the direction of the tree's fall. This wedge
was capable of felling the most crooked tree with
‘extreme accuracy.

When sufficient trees were down, a_ skidder
‘tractor would gather up the turn with chokers on a
face plate lifting the butts off the ground. Following
this a falling and skidding machine was demon-
strated. The felling was done by a large chain saw
arm and the tree’s fall was directed by another arm.
This machine would go along the face or skidding
trail felling and gathering trees until it too had
enough for a turn. Both machines hauled out full
length trees, limbs, tops and all.

At the landing a cat loader would lift the trees to
place on the logging truck (called timber carriers).
The loader was unusual as the forks or grapple
rotated 180 degrees which allowed the trees to be
loaded over the cab on to the waiting truck. This
prevented the ground being churned up into an even
deeper sea of mud. Every potential facet of the
logging in Russia is designed to create the least
amount of damage to the environment. The Rus-
sians were also proud of the fact that re-forestation
of the felled areas took place no later than two years
after logging activities had ended.

Other innovations the visitors saw were the use of

The IWA group paved about the food in Russia Which was eecalient and plentiful and with lovely,

“water” to quench a dry palate.

Nursery showing a va rity. of eoactes of trees in the Caucasian mountains.

library, local store (and pub), cultural centre, out-

Skyline logging show. The Ruseiane asa ale don't ‘pet or de-limb the trees at the logging site,
however, these trees were topped and de-limbed because of size.

small shovel pads for the logging trucks to back up
on and the floatation type tires on the trucks.

The comfort of the crew was looked after at the job
site where two caravans were located; one as a
warming hut and the other a kitchen and dining
room with a cook so the crew would have a hot noon

meal.

The entire operation from stump to finished
product is called an “‘enterprise’’ and included the
community of Mostovoya, a town of nine hundred,
which was built to house, feed and school the local
population. Also provided were a day care centre,

patient clinic with a doctor, and a trade union
building. All of the people working for the enterprise
were members of the Timber, Paper and Wood-
workers Union. This included doctors, lawyers,

teachers and all other professional people.

The factory or plant for this particular enterprise
received the logs from the woods at a “terminal”
and were put through a .de-limbing machine. It
should be mentioned that small dimension logs are
not de-limbed prior to hauling to the mill site.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Pichces shows ‘the size of the trees in the Caucasian 5
mountains. Chap in centre is Local 1-207 Financial
Secretary Bob Deleeuw getting close to nature.

Exehonaing of ait and traditional toasts as new fiends
part.

A striking bust of Lenin mounted over the po
furniture factory union meeting hallin Kuban. Bi
of individual pieces of inlaid wood.