Tidaholm municipality in Sweden has opted for an unconventional approach to protect its vital groundwater source, choosing to use horses instead of forestry machines for forest thinning work. According to public broadcaster SVT Väst, the municipality is using two Ardennes draft horses named Wilmer and Rival to thin 400 cubic meters of forest in the Källefall water catchment area.
The decision was made to eliminate the risk of oil leaks from forestry machinery that could contaminate the groundwater, which is described as "vital" for the municipality. Torbjörn Larsson, who handles the horses, stated that there is no risk of leakage with this method, and the horses cause less damage to both the ground and terrain.
Horses can of course never replace forestry machines, but in this case we prioritize a safer alternative
Niclas Grip, unit manager for water and sewage at Tidaholm municipality, explained that this is the first time they have used this approach. "Horses can of course never replace forestry machines, but in this case we prioritize a safer alternative," Grip said. The work began last fall with tree felling using chainsaws, and during the winter, the horses transported all logs out of the water catchment area.
The forest thinning is being carried out to allow existing forest to continue growing and to strengthen the ecosystem. Larsson performed similar work last year in Falköping municipality.