Low impact forestry services in Devon and the South West

[Big J]

It's an estimate based on the whole site. We've one awkward corner to do with some winching, where production will be greatly reduced and cost increased. Also, one of the chaps cutting for me is down from Scotland, so I've paid some of his costs.

 

You ask a lot of questions. Can you not just be happy that it's a lovely job to work on, I'm making good money, the landowner is happy and my cutters are happy and well compensated? 

[the village idiot]

15 minutes ago, ESS said:

So how is your cutting costing £8-9t as stated earlier? 

[Big J]

5 minutes ago, the village idiot said:

I have to say, I wasn't expecting that. 

[the village idiot]

1 minute ago, Big J said:

I have to say, I wasn't expecting that. 

Nobody expects them!

[Big J]

1 minute ago, the village idiot said:

Nobody expects them!

I hope you appreciated the setup there ?

[the village idiot]

5 minutes ago, Big J said:

I hope you appreciated the setup there ?

On a plate. Beautiful!

[openspaceman]

50 minutes ago, Big J said:

I was one of four forestry companies that was invited to tender

So you won it on competitive tender and are happy with the profitability, no more justification required.

 

Also the owners will be able to stroll through the woods till the next thinning without falling down muddy ruts and the root systems won't have been compromised by machines better suited to working in scandinavian winters.

[slack ma girdle]

Not disputing that, but the roadside value of logs that people are quoting is far from a gross margin figure.
Standing spruce is making in excess of £60t now, so your return looks quite low.

Only a fool would pay £60 standing. You can not make a living in forestry paying that amount, no matter how efficient or expensive or productive.

[ESS]

24 minutes ago, slack ma girdle said:

10 hours ago, ESS said:

Not disputing that, but the roadside value of logs that people are quoting is far from a gross margin figure.
Standing spruce is making in excess of £60t now, so your return looks quite low.

Only a fool would pay £60 standing. You can not make a living in forestry paying that amount, no matter how efficient or expensive or productive.

...but companies are. Market forces dictate it. Not sure how you decide how someone can make money at that, or not ,surely you would have to look at the sale price to decide that ? 

[MattyF]

Only a fool would pay £60 standing. You can not make a living in forestry paying that amount, no matter how efficient or expensive or productive.

Aye but they are ! Biomass RHIs have a lot to answer for , we would be knacked souring the 300 tonne of soft wood we need for our log business if we could not cut it our selfs, as we where buying it from the FC direct who turned around and said there is no more and That standing sitka is fetching £60 so good luck finding any.
To be honest I would like to stop firewood production and get a decent mill as the only timber we are getting is stuff like like this Douglas off sites no one else will touch as it’s wind blow off steep terrain and that will never have heavy machines in again after they completely destroyed the ground and rides the land owner is refusing to allow anything heavy back in.
From our point of view it’s pretty bad as unless it’s bone dry because the top crust has been broken up anything you put in disappears and the little riko 330 will only lift the small stuff you end up winching every thing.
Not every land owner wants harvesters and Valmet 890’s churning it in to a bottomless mess that benefits no one.