Small Woodland Management

[hammers2332]

My family has recently come in possession of about 1.5 - 2 acres of mixed woodland. It's not been touched for quite a while and is quite a mess. I want to use it to provide wood for our woodburning stoves.

 

Can anyone recommend how i can get started learning about woodland managemment and providing enough wood so we can be self sufficient for our fuel needs?

[Doug Blease]

There is plenty of literature on the subject.

Do you know the tree species mix?

[Charlieh]

buy Ben Laws book on sustainable woodland management, its probably the best all in one easy to read book on the subject of woodland management i have come across, also the woodland management planning course run by the green wood center in Ironbridge are great, also if you join the small woods association you get a pack with loads useful info in it

 

where are you based?

[hammers2332]

Thanks for the help. I am based in the High Peak, Derbyshire. Is it realistic to expect to be self sufficient from this size of woodland. It seems to consist of mostly sycamore and ash.

[Doug Blease]

Ideal species!

 

I am sure there is a member not so far from you who might look at it for you. Sustainability is the key! Not a free for all.

Look after your biodiversity. Enjoy your woodland! Lots more than just firewood. Edible mushrooms (read up on this too), wild game, leisure time, woodland crafts.....

 

Loads of fun!

[Charlieh]

which park of the high peak?

 

both the sycamore and ash will be good firewood, it depends how much firewood you require if you will be self sufficent,

 

I used to work in Edale, and may have to pop to Hope next week, i can also point you in the direction of some funding streams currently in operation if your inside the national park, which may be applicable to your woodland

[davetaz]

from what I've read and heard you need about 6 acres woodland to be self sufficient in wood fuel with out long term damage to the integrity of the woodland

these two sites may be useful

SWOG Forum (small woodlands owners group)

SmallWoods.org.uk - Home (small woods association)

 

in reality it depends how much wood you need to extract and what species/size trees you have, you may also be governed by felling licences and other planning controls,

we manage our own 21 acre woodland and are members of both the above groups

[Highland Forestry]

I would say that 1.5 - 2 acres is nowhere near sustainable for for 'self sufficient' wood fuel needs.

If you have Ash and Syc, why not consider coppicing, which would make the wood much more sustainable for the future, and would provide an initial hit of fuel from cleaning and coppicing works.

 

Again - take advice from the small woods association SmallWoods.org.uk - Home

[Catweazle]

Long term 2 acres is not enough, you need 5 even for dense coppice woodland.

 

On the plus side, if it hasn't been cut for a long while you might have 150 tons standing on it, which will keep you going for a few years.

 

Personally I would plan on getting some good fruit and nut trees in there, food is going to be in short supply in 10 years time.

[Darren]

Ben Laws books are good. I doubt that 2 acres will keep you in wood year in and year out. You're probably have a glut for the first few seasons until you have thinned it out.

What you could do is make stuff from the wood and put the profit into firewood. A cubic metre of crafted wood is worth about 6 times the amount of firewood.