Tree Harvesting Guide

TL;DR

1. Find a Birch Tree in Experimental View (2D grid map)

2. Experiment on the tree to gain Tree XP and discover "Tree Cutting" (needs 1 Tree XP)

3. Prototype + use Tree Cutting with an axe (4-15x faster) to fell the tree

4. Experiment on the felled tree to discover Log Bucking skills (need 2 Tree XP)

5. Harvest outer materials first (any order): bark, kindling, small branches, large branches

6. Then cut logs: small log, large log (only available after outer materials are removed)

One tree yields bark, kindling, branches, and logs -- enough for several fires and hours of fuel.

Trees in Initium aren't just scenery — they're resource nodes packed with useful materials. A single Birch Tree yields bark, kindling, branches, and logs, giving you enough raw material for fires, crafting, and fuel that lasts hours. But getting those resources out takes a multi-step process: learning skills, felling the tree, and harvesting it layer by layer.

This guide covers the full tree harvesting pipeline from finding your first tree to cutting the last log.

What You Get from a Tree

Before diving into the process, here's what a single felled Birch Tree produces:

That's enough kindling and tinder for several fires, plus logs and branches that keep those fires burning for hours. One tree goes a long way.

Step 1: Find a Birch Tree

Currently, the tree-harvesting system works with Birch Trees. They're common in forested areas and appear as standing trees you can interact with on the grid map.

You'll need to be in the Experimental View (the 2D grid map) to see and interact with trees on the map. Switch to it by clicking the "2D" button on the top banner.

Step 2: Learn the "Tree Cutting" Skill

Before you can chop a tree down, you need to discover and prototype the skill. This works through the Invention System:

1. Select the Birch Tree on the grid map by clicking on it
2. Open the Invention panel (click the Invention icon or press X) and go to the Experimentation tab
3. Click "Begin Experiments" to study the tree. This grants you XP in the "Tree" knowledge category
4. After gaining at least 1 XP in Trees, you become eligible to discover the "Tree cutting" idea
5. Keep experimenting. After each experiment, the game rolls to see if you discover the idea. It shouldn't take more than a few attempts
6. Once the idea appears in your Ideas tab, click on it and prototype it — this turns the idea into a usable skill

The prototype will have a randomized construction speed. If you get a slow one (90+ seconds), you can always prototype the idea again later for a faster version. Serious woodcutters prototype tree cutting many times to get the fastest possible skill.

Step 3: Fell the Tree

Now use your new "Tree cutting" skill on the Birch Tree. The skill requires something that chops wood — an axe is ideal, and using one makes the process 4-15x faster depending on the axe's quality. Without a chopping tool, the skill still works, but it takes much longer.

When the skill completes, the standing Birch Tree transforms into a Felled Birch Tree lying on the ground, ready to be harvested.

Step 4: Learn the Log Bucking Skills

A felled tree can't be harvested with just the tree cutting skill — you need a separate set of "Log Bucking" skills, one for each type of resource. To discover these:

1. Experiment on the felled tree to gain more Tree knowledge XP
2. You need 2 XP in Trees to qualify for log bucking ideas — which you should have by now from your earlier experiments on the standing tree
3. Keep experimenting until the log bucking ideas appear in your Ideas tab
4. Prototype each one to turn them into usable skills

The six log bucking skills are:

Skill	Produces	Notes
Bark Stripping	Bark	Used for rope-making
Kindling	Kindling	Fire-starting material
Small Branches	Small Tree Branches	Fuel, crafting
Large Branches	Large Tree Branches	Fuel, crafting
Cut Small Log	Small Logs	Must remove outer materials first
Cut Large Log	Large Logs	Must remove outer materials first

Step 5: Harvest the Tree (Layer by Layer)

This is where the order matters. A felled tree is processed from the outside in, just like real tree processing — strip the outer layers first, then cut the core into logs.

Phase 1: Outer Materials (any order)

You can harvest these four resource types in any order you like:

• Bark Stripping — removes the bark
• Kindling — collects small wood pieces
• Small Branches — removes small branches
• Large Branches — removes large branches

Use each log bucking skill on the felled tree. Each one collects its respective resource and changes the tree's appearance on the grid map as materials are stripped away.

Phase 2: Logs (after outer materials are removed)

Once all four outer materials have been harvested, the logs become accessible:

• Cut Small Log — cuts a small log from the trunk
• Cut Large Log — cuts a large log from the trunk

Important: If you try to cut logs before removing all the outer materials, the skill won't work on that tree. The game enforces the outside-in order — bark, kindling, and both branch types must all be removed first.

The Stump

Once you've harvested everything from the tree, it automatically becomes a stump on the grid map. The tree is fully used up, but you'll have a nice pile of materials to show for it.

What to Do with Your Harvest

• Kindling — convert to tinder for fire-starting, or use directly as fire fuel. See our Fire Creation Guide for details.
• Bark — used in rope-making. Experiment on bark to discover twine and twisted rope crafting skills.
• Branches — solid fire fuel that burns longer than kindling. Also used in various crafting recipes.
• Logs — the best fire fuel in the game. A fire loaded with large logs burns for hours. Also essential for advanced woodworking crafts like canoes, shields, and wooden hooks.

Skills Reference

Tips

• Bring an axe. Tree cutting without one works but takes forever. Even a basic axe cuts the time dramatically.
• Prototype tree cutting multiple times. The randomized speed matters a lot for a skill you'll use repeatedly. A 15-second tree cut vs. a 120-second one is a huge difference when you're clearing a forest.
• Remember the harvesting order. Bark, kindling, small branches, large branches — all before logs. If you try to cut logs first, the skill simply won't work.
• One tree supplies multiple fires. The kindling alone from one tree is enough for several fire starts, and the logs keep those fires burning for hours.
• Bark unlocks rope-making. Don't throw bark away — experiment on it to discover twine and twisted rope crafting. Rope is used in advanced items like grapples and fishing gear.
• Experiment on everything. Each time you experiment on the standing tree or felled tree, you gain Tree XP and have a chance to discover new ideas. You might stumble on skills you weren't looking for.