Storage of roundwood is necessary for efficient industrial production at sawmills and pulpmills. The need for wood storage becomes even more critical when large storm fellings create huge volumes of wood that is at risk for deterioration. In Scandinavia, the technique of sprinkling of water on roundwood is used to protect stored wood from fungal and insect infestation and drying during the summer. Depending on the sprinkling regime, the contributions to log yard run-off might be considerable. Log yard run-off is polluted and can therefore be harmful to downstream water recipients due to eutrophication and oxygen depletion. It is therefore desirable to find solutions for minimising the pollutants, i.a. organic material and phosphorus, in the run-off. A large portion of these pollutants probably originate in the bark. In Scandinavia, the majority of all logs are debarked after storage and sprinkling. Debarking the logs before storage might help to reduce the amount of pollutants. In this study, two storage experiments were conducted to investigate the importance of bark during sprinkled storage. Experimental piles of debarked logs and logs with bark from Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) were sprinkled for 10 to 12 weeks during the summer at two locations in central Sweden. Run-off was collected below the piles. pH, total organic carbon (TOC), total phosphorus, total nitrogen, and phenols in the log yard run-offs were analysed and compared. The possibility of using this method for reducing the concentrations of pollutants in log yard run-off are discussed as well as the suitability of its use in Sweden.

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