The raftsman

The raftsman is a profession that has since died out in Europe and was practiced in wooded areas in many countries around the world.
The task was to drive felled tree trunks or parts of trees either as a raft on rivers (rafting) or individually on streams or via raft ditches (Trift) or artificial wood flooding systems in a controlled manner to the board mills, charcoal burners, glass factories, shipyards or lumber yards. (Wikipedia)

This profession was practiced a lot here in the Black Forest and it is remembered in many places.