Building to hold out the Russian winters

This is wonderful

It's awesome! Some critical thoughts i had. I've heard this moss can last for a long time, but i'd rather have a straw bale. Anybody else doubt that the bark of birch overlapping will last a long time? I can believe it's a good foundation because the roots will grow into it, looking for water come summer. Which will help it to stop the snow sliding off those shallow roofs.

I dont think the video is peddling bad information.
I have no reason to doubt its truthfulness?

It's great information John! As a builder I'm always fascinated by those well thought out methods, and old systems that have proven to work for humans fascinate me. But before somebody copies this one to one i mention some points i have doubts about. That's all. Let the hive mind have at it.

Climate is everything. In my very wet winters, *everything* rots! In Siberia, I suspect things are too cold to rot much of the time.

I am learning that how and when logs are harvested really makes a big difference. I believe one of the northern European groups would ring trees at one time, then peel the logs while they were still standing, and after a set time, finally fell them. They had learned that following this recipe, the logs would be stronger.

However, logs grown in cold areas by nature last longer - the rings are narrower. a 50 year tree grown in the far north will be much smaller in diameter than the same species grown in my ecosystem, and much smaller again, than one grown in the southern USA. My understanding is that as the level of CO2 in the atmosphere is rising, this too is making the rings wider and the wood less strong.

There are many factors at play. There emphasis on training and skill in carpentry is another important point. Children would have started learning these skills when modern children are sitting in classrooms.