[Forestry 101] Chopping Down Trees - Conifers

Welcome to your next “Forestry 101” lesson of the Farming Simulator Academy! Today, we’ll show you how to harvest wood from conifers and what you need to bear in mind. Let's go!

(Video coming soon!)

Deciduous Tree Or Conifer?

How you harvest depends on the type of tree you planted. You can cut down conifers with chainsaws or a harvesting machine. Because of their long and even trunks, they are perfect to sell them or deliver them for further processing.

Did you plant deciduous trees? We cover this in a separate tutorial. You need a chainsaw to cut them down. Because of the uneven growth of deciduous trees, it makes more sense, financially, to process this type of tree into wood chips.

Learn how to chop down deciduous trees!

What You Need For Conifers

• You need a harvesting machine, if you want to cut down spruces, and pines. Use it to harvest the trees and to cut the trunk into smaller pieces.
• You need a chainsaw, if you want to cut down stone pines, and cypresses.

Our Selection (recommendation)

• Harvesting machine: Komatsu 931XC
• Chainsaw: Brand of your choice!

Let’s Go To Work!

Harvesting Machine

Step 1: Cutting down spruces and pines

The harvesting machine saves you a lot of steps harvesting conifers. First, take a seat in the vehicle, select the desired length of harvested trunks with the respective button and drive to the tree. Turn the machine on. Position the header of the crane as far down as possible. Press the respective button to cut down the tree, and it is already done!

Step 2: Cutting the trunk into smaller pieces

The cut trunk is still in the grip of the header. Check the desired length of the harvested trunks and press the button to cut them. Approximately, the length should fit the trailer, you will use to transport them to the selling point.  

Chainsaw 

Step 1: Cutting stone pines and cypresses

Use the chainsaw of your choice and position yourself in front of the tree. Just turn the saw in the desired direction. When a green glowing ring pops up, you are ready to cut. Just press the respective button. The tree always falls in the direction you are sawing.

Step 2: Cutting branches 

After you cut the tree down, you have to separate the branches from the trunk. Just turn your chainsaw at the right angle and cut the branches as close to the trunk as possible. Repeat the whole process until the trunk is completely free of branches.

More about transporting and selling wood

Well done!

Congratulations, you have successfully finished another lesson! Keep at it, and you'll be a top-notch virtual farmer in no time with Farming Simulator Academy!