Tag:historic=charcoal_pile

The tag historic=charcoal_pile is used for still visible historic sites of charcoal piles. These sites are usually called charcoal pit or charcoal platform. In densely forested hilly areas of northern Europe there are hundred thousands of these places, sometimes found in a distance of merely 50 to 100 meters from each other. Many were used just a couple of times because it was easier to establish a fresh place instead of carriying the wood to an already existing one. Mass mapping of these sites is therefore controversial discussed and not recommended.

For more details see https://community.openstreetmap.org/t/mappen-von-alten-meilerplatzen-nach-digitalen-gelandemodellen/131184/38.

How to survey

The majority of historic charcoal pits is very difficult to recognise on the ground due to erosion and/or overgrowing with vegetation. Such places can only be identified by charcoal remains in the underground, so some digging is ineviteble. Only a minority is clearly identifiably by a round or oval completely flat area free of major vegetation.

This is a list of indicators, but may vary from region to region:

• The site is a leveled circle or oval, usually 5 to 15 metres in diameter.
• Digging in the ground will reveal black mould, and tiny pieces of charcoal.
• The site is completely free of stone.
• Remains of a hut can often be seen near the perimeter of the site.
• Charcoal pile sites are usually found in areas around iron works.
• The site is near a water source, typically a stream.
• The site is placed so that gases will naturally ventilate away.

Other sources

Due to the difficulties in identifying charcoal pits on the ground, mapping these places has come up with the availability of digital elevation models (DEM). Historic charcoal pits are visible in high resolution DEM imagery but one has to be aware that not every spot looking like a charcoal pit in a DEM is a charcoal pit in reality. Areas prepared for hunting huts, small pavilions or permanent hunting stands may look very much the same. Even the root disc of a large fallen tree may create a very similar image.

Therefore it is not recommended to simply transfer such places into OSM by armchair mapping. Every charcoal pit should be verified on the ground before mapping.

Photos

• 
  Hills with some charcoal pile sites.
• 
  Often the sites are connected by footways, now unused but still traceable.
• 
  A charcoal pit created for illustrative purpose.
• 
  A historic charcoal pit in the woods, remains of charcoal visible at the lower left corner.
• 
  Remains of charcoal serve as proof that a place had been used as charcoal pit before.
• 
  A historic pit in front of a forest clearing. Without checking the ground for charcoal remains not verifiable.
• 
  A partly eroded pit, covered with mud and deadwood. Without checking the ground for charcoal remains not verifiable.

Related

• If the site is still in use, think about using man_made=charcoal_pile.
• A permanent structure is more likely to be tagged as man_made=kiln.