Generations Shared This Forest With One Simple Rule

Added: 2026-05-10

[00:00:03]Before chainsaws before industrial forestry there were communities that managed entire woodlands through rules passed down for generations.

[00:00:17]Today on Unearthed, we're uncovering one of those forgotten traditions.

[00:00:25]A vanished way of life built on patience cooperation and a deep understanding of how forests renew themselves.

[00:00:35]Before we dive in, I'm curious.

[00:00:39]Take a moment and leave a comment telling us where in the world you're watching from and what time it is right now.

[00:00:46]And if you're drawn to lost traditions, traditional tools and the hidden labor behind everyday history, consider subscribing to Unearthed.

[00:00:56]This channel exists to preserve stories like this one.

[00:01:00]Let's begin.

[00:01:05]Before cutting can begin, the annual harvest area must be divided by the elected deputies.

[00:01:11]They form the governing board of the forest community and are responsible for enforcing its rules.

[00:01:20]After surveying the cutting area, the forest wardens divide the annual section into 20 to 30 smaller plots matching the number of community members.

[00:01:33]The boundaries of these plots, called places, are marked by driving in boundary stakes about 4 ft long.

[00:01:48]Plot width is measured using a survey rod. A plot may be one, two, or several rod lengths wide.

[00:01:55]The deciding factor is the amount of firewood the land can produce so that each member receives a fair share.

[00:02:09]Once a plot is fixed, the stake is driven into the ground with the blunt end of an axe.

[00:02:16]This process is repeated until every member has a parcel and the entire section has been measured.

[00:02:34]Surveying begins from the plot worked the previous year and from there the men measure the new cutting section.

[00:02:43]Boundary stakes mark the end of each parcel and carved numbers indicate which side they belong to.

[00:02:50]Matching numbers are then marked on the opposite boundary of the annual cutting zone.

[00:02:54]Once measurement is complete, the board can distribute the shares according to parcel numbers.

[00:03:03]When plot sizes are finalized, the forest neighbors determine which member receives each one.

[00:03:23]The drawing is conducted under the supervision of a board member.

[00:03:26]By the time shown here, the lottery had moved from the forest edge to an evening gathering at the local inn.

[00:03:34]The traditional drawing lots are small finger-thick sticks cut from branches and mixed in a hat.

[00:03:39]Each member is called forward by name to draw one.

[00:04:09]Attendance is not mandatory. If someone cannot be present, another authorized member may draw on their behalf.

[00:04:18]Numbers carved into the bark correspond to the surveyed plots. A deputy records each member's assigned number on the official list.

[00:04:27]After receiving that year's share of the communal forest each member goes to locate the assigned plot. The carved number on the lot helps identify it.

[00:04:44]Starting from the boundary stake at the forest edge, the neighbors begin marking the internal line of the parcel.

[00:04:50]This step is called staking out.

[00:04:59]One man stands at the first stake and directs helpers by shouting instructions.

[00:05:09]Following his calls, the others mark the line by cutting blazes into trees with a sickle or axe.

[00:05:19]The side boundary is formed by a straight line between the stake at the forest edge and the stake deeper inside the annual cutting zone.

[00:05:33]At the second stake, the end of the cutting section is reached. From there, the men check the boundary one final time and permanently establish the line.

[00:05:47]The older system now being described involved all members carrying out the forest work together as a labor team.

[00:06:03]The chairman signaled the gathering time by blowing a horn.

[00:06:12]By the time this film was made, that communal labor system was no longer in regular use and had been reconstructed from older rules and memories.

[00:06:21]It had been replaced by members working their own assigned plots individually.

[00:06:50]Under the communal system, there was no need to survey and draw lots beforehand.

[00:06:59]According to the rules, only those who inherited a share from a parent already entitled to use the forest possessed bush rights, meaning membership rights in the communal woodland.

[00:07:09]This inheritance rule still applied at the time of filming.

[00:07:17]Like similar woodland cooperatives in neighboring regions, the community managed the forest as coppice with standards. In spring, oak bark was peeled for tanning. During winter, all regrowth unsuitable for bark harvest was cut. Mature oaks whose bark would later be used remain standing.

[00:07:37]Winter cutting began with trees unsuitable for bark harvest such as birch, hornbeam, and alder.

[00:08:17]Once the first trees were felled, the men started limbing them.

[00:08:26]Using an axe or a curved cutting tool made for woodwork, they removed branches from the trunk.

[00:08:37]Dry limbs and brush were later bundled into Birch twigs softened over a fire were used as ties.

[00:08:57]The brushwood was needed to start cooking stoves and home heaters.

[00:09:04]The tools shown in the film such as the crosscut saw and curved cutting blade were already obsolete when the footage was made having largely been replaced by chainsaws.

[00:09:18]Once branches were removed, thinner trunks and limbs were cut into stackable lengths on site.

[00:09:29]Stumps were beveled and smoothed carefully to prevent moisture from entering and causing rot.

[00:09:34]This helped encourage vigorous regrowth the following spring.

[00:09:48]Natural regrowth together with acorns and beechnuts created the next generation of trees on each parcel.

[00:09:54]After cutting was complete, the neighbors stacked the felled timber at the forest edge.

[00:10:00]These piles remained there until the end of May.

[00:10:03]During drying, the wood lost weight and became easier to transport.

[00:10:13]The harvested firewood, intended for household use, was then divided into equal shares by the forest board among all entitled members.

[00:10:30]But, if you'd like to see a feat of craftsmanship even more impressive than this, be sure to check out this next impressive video right here.

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