Timber slide in Siljan

About

The Gorningen log chute in Siljan was used to transport large quantities of timber from the surrounding forests. The chute went all the way down to Lakssjø, making it possible to move the timber past several challenging rapids. This was a crucial solution that made the work of log driving in the area much easier.

Log Driving History in Siljan

Siljan has a long and unique history of log driving.
The Siljan watercourse had an extensive system of log driving dams that were in continuous operation from the 1730s until the late 1960s.
The Gorningen log chute stands today as an important symbol of this activity—initially under the Larvik Grevskap (County), and from 1835, operated by Treschow Fritzøe.

The Fight for Better Working Conditions in Forestry

Between 1910 and 1926, the log driving community in Siljan was a key driving force in the fight for forestry workers' right to organize.
Collective agreements were not a given, and this struggle came at the cost of many personal sacrifices.
These efforts paved the way for the establishment of the Norwegian Union of Forest and Agricultural Workers (Skog og Land) under the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) in 1927. This gave forestry workers a collective bargaining position. The main agreement (Hovedavtalen) was also introduced in 1935, leading to a better collaborative climate in Norwegian working life—something that is still beneficial today.