The copper smelters at Røros consumed enormous quantities of charcoal, and charcoal required timber. By the 18th century, the forests closest to town were exhausted, so the Copper Works built an ingenious network of timber canals and chutes to float logs from the remote Femunden lake area to Feragsjøen, where they could be processed into charcoal for the smelting houses.
The system, known as tømmerrennene, included hand-dug channels, wooden flumes and stone-lined sections that guided the timber across the landscape between the two lakes. Maintaining the canals was constant work: spring floods could destroy sections overnight, and the short floating season meant every day counted. Workers lived in simple huts along the route during the floating season.
Parts of the canal system have been restored and can be walked along today, offering a glimpse of the industrial infrastructure that kept Røros running for over 300 years. The area is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Røros Mining Town and the Circumference," which was extended in 2010 to include the surrounding landscape that supported the mining operation.
The system, known as tømmerrennene, included hand-dug channels, wooden flumes and stone-lined sections that guided the timber across the landscape between the two lakes. Maintaining the canals was constant work: spring floods could destroy sections overnight, and the short floating season meant every day counted. Workers lived in simple huts along the route during the floating season.
Parts of the canal system have been restored and can be walked along today, offering a glimpse of the industrial infrastructure that kept Røros running for over 300 years. The area is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Røros Mining Town and the Circumference," which was extended in 2010 to include the surrounding landscape that supported the mining operation.
