Large, dead ash clearance job. Advice appreciated

[LeeGray]

14 minutes ago, Big J said:

Lots of interesting responses - many thanks!

 

The average tree size is very small. 12cm at chest height probably and only 8m tall. There are some that are taller, but most aren't. The weight of a tree like that is about 50kg, if that, so I don't think that the 3t machine would struggle. There are some trees that are a little larger (like the those in the third photo), but most aren't. 

 

The issue with a larger machine is that it's largely mixed planting and they don't want to damage the remaining trees. Even a 5t machine (track width 1.8m) would be too large.

 

Most of your collective concerns regarding safety whilst felling should be mitigated by the small size of the trees. The grapple saw straight onto a forwarding trailer idea reduces handling to the extent where it's potentially possible to make it commercially viable. 

 

As regards chip points, I'd look to find a chipper/trailer combo set up where the tree lengths could be left at ride side for the tractor to chip in situp, taking the full trailers of chip back to the shed for uplift. There are rides everywhere in the woodland and the extraction routes for the excavator would never exceed 100m.

 

We can't mulch it, as it's a mixed woodland. I think (from speaking to the old lad that looks after it) that it was planted by the Commission as a test site. The overall result of the test is that hardwoods don't grow well here at all. 

 

Thanks for the pointers on chip price John. I'd like to think that 25 cube of chip per acre would be a reasonable estimate. That's only the equivilent of about 8-9 fresh tonnes, and considering it's effectively a 50% clearfell I can't be far off.

 

I'll speak to a local chip company today and see what sort of price they'd offer for chip loaded to a walking floor.

 

This is the sort of machine I'd consider tackling the operation with:

 

If the track width the same as mine I think it’ll be about 1.8m

[Big J]

12 minutes ago, Stere said:

Would firewood create be better value?

 

Small diameter but alot of tall looking straight  trunks would could be processed with right set up with some kind of branch logger?

 

 

Way too much fiddle?

Yes, unfortunately. They did have a pile of about 35 cube of thinnings in one of their sheds and I don't know any firewood retailer who would touch it. It's ideal for a domestic user as none of it needs to be split, but too slow to be commercially viable on a larger scale. 

 

Even £15/cube for chip translates to £60/t which is more than I'd get for it as log. Additionally, there is no way a timber lorry would come close to getting a weight on with it being dry. 

 

Interestingly (just been on the phone), Euroforest would take it from rideside and chip it free of charge, so the only cost for the land owner would be the excavator. £35-40k with the excavator, works out at about £300/acre which I don't think it too bad at all for complete removal of an average of probably 400 trees.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Moving log / wood is assessed as low risk of spreading the infection.  Moving large volume of chip might not be quite so good....

 

https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/pest-and-disease-resources/chalara-ash-dieback-hymenoscyphus-fraxineus/chalara-manual-2-managing-ash-trees-and-woodland-including-logs-and-firewood/

[Big J]

1 hour ago, Stere said:

Would firewood create be better value?

 

Small diameter but alot of tall looking straight  trunks could be processed with right set up with some kind of branch logger?

 

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Way too much fiddle?

Yep, too much fiddle for the volume. Not sure how you'd move 4000 cube of low grade logs

[Woodworks]

1 hour ago, kevinjohnsonmbe said:

Moving log / wood is assessed as low risk of spreading the infection.  Moving large volume of chip might not be quite so good....

 

https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/pest-and-disease-resources/chalara-ash-dieback-hymenoscyphus-fraxineus/chalara-manual-2-managing-ash-trees-and-woodland-including-logs-and-firewood/

Are we not way past that now? I thought it was everywhere 

 

Edited September 27, 2019 by Woodworks

[Big J]

7 minutes ago, Woodworks said:

Are we not way past that now? I thought it was everywhere 

 

That was my thought too. It is now ubiquitous in the UK, and trying to prevent it's spread seems a bit like rushing to close the farm gate after the horse has bolted.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Yes, I thought that after posting and whilst on a (rate) drive to Plymuff. 

 

It’s certainly hereabouts now. Later than elsewhere perhaps, but very noticeable. 

 

All very well for QUANGOs to issue guidance to industry about minimising spread, but where were the pseudo authorities when prevention might have been better than minimising spread?

[Rough Hewn]

If it's 12cm x 8m at 30%mc it's firewood.
Perfect through a branch logger.
Could process straight into a lorry very quickly and get around £60-£75 a cube delivered in bulk. (100m3+)
More work more profit.
[emoji106]

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, Woodworks said:

Are we not way past that now? I thought it was everywhere 

 

It is everywhere near me but that means many woodland trees are receiving large doses of spores which are infecting multiple sites on the trees. I'm not up with the science of how a plant reacts to infection  but imagine that it stands less chance  under an overwhelming  infection, whereas it may overcome a single point of infection and be able to compartmentalise it if it has a degree of immunity. If so then as the bulk of the ash population is removed then there is less leaf litter and thence less spores produced so a stock of trees still alive with some immunity  may survive to have progeny.

 

I think I am seeing possible signs of this in local woodlands where nearly every tree is affected whereas  there are apparently unaffected trees in gardens  only a few miles away.

[swinny]

I can't add to this thread but all I can say is I enjoy reading your threads Big J. You always look at all sorts of angles to do works and look like you get interesting opertunities. 

 

Keep at it