The Effect of Bark Condition,Delivery Time and Climate-adapted Wet Storage on the Moisture Content of Picea abies (L.) Karst. Pulpwood

The wet-base moisture content (MC) in outer sapwood of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) pulpwood in different wood management programmes from the forest to the mill was studied from the point of view of three objectives: (1) the importance of rapid raw material delivery, (2) the effect of bark condition as a result of harvesting during the late dormant season and the growing season, and (3) the possibilities for retaining the pulpwood MC using climate-adapted wet storage. The reduction in MC after felling was significant in the pulpwood stored without wet storage. When not wet-stored, pulpwood with a high degree of bark damage dried out more rapidly than wood with a low degree of bark loss. In pulpwood, wet-stored in accordance with climate-adaptation, the MC remained or increased during storage. The shorter the drying time before wet storage, i.e., faster delivery to the mill, the more significant the increase in MC. The increase in MC during wet storage was more significant in pulpwood with a low degree of bark damage. Climate-adapted wet storage reduced the variation of the MC. When conducted with fresh pulpwood, i.e., drying time shorter than 4 weeks (low bark loss) or 2 weeks (high bark loss), a more homogeneous MC distribution was gained.