Milling guide

[trigger_andy]

Just now, topchippyles said:

Its a forum and people are very welcome to come on here and ask for help or what if we all felt the same way then there would be no forums.

Yet you've offered no actual help?  So whats your point? 

[wilde]

Voluntary organisation is a preserved railway but basically its more diverse (well just about), there's a woodlands and its got quite a lot of wildlife throughout the site, including in the woodlands. Apart from keeping paths clear the railway has never managed it which on the plus side I think there could be valuable timber there, on the downside lots of trees are in a bad way either dead or with serious dieback and deadwood. We are just looking at getting the woodlands safe and not to clear it/venture into long term milling, hence my cautious approach ad just wanting someone to give it a quick once over as someone with good knowledge could easily I'm sure give a quick answer of what economically would be the best approach. There are also trees on the site which need sorting out and whilst reading through the forums is one way of gaining knowledge it doesn't have the benefits of an index, contents page and chapters etc. I wasn't trying to be lazy because I cant be arsed, I am thus far doing this as a volunteer as until I can establish the value of the timber I am guessing I'll be getting not a lot for it. Personally I had wanted to establish a new management plan to create a wildflower meadow/strip along the trackside to encourage some of the rare species we have down there, following the tree survey they had done and being the only tree surgeon down there and not being that interested in trains for many decades now I've been given/accepted the task of getting the woodland sorted

[trigger_andy]

Just now, wilde said:

Voluntary organisation is a preserved railway but basically its more diverse (well just about), there's a woodlands and its got quite a lot of wildlife throughout the site, including in the woodlands. Apart from keeping paths clear the railway has never managed it which on the plus side I think there could be valuable timber there, on the downside lots of trees are in a bad way either dead or with serious dieback and deadwood. We are just looking at getting the woodlands safe and not to clear it/venture into long term milling, hence my cautious approach ad just wanting someone to give it a quick once over as someone with good knowledge could easily I'm sure give a quick answer of what economically would be the best approach. There are also trees on the site which need sorting out and whilst reading through the forums is one way of gaining knowledge it doesn't have the benefits of an index, contents page and chapters etc. I wasn't trying to be lazy because I cant be arsed, I am thus far doing this as a volunteer as until I can establish the value of the timber I am guessing I'll be getting not a lot for it. Personally I had wanted to establish a new management plan to create a wildflower meadow/strip along the trackside to encourage some of the rare species we have down there, following the tree survey they had done and being the only tree surgeon down there and not being that interested in trains for many decades now I've been given/accepted the task of getting the woodland sorted

Sounds like the goalposts are constantly changing. -This happens for numerous reasons. 

 

The best thing for you to do is either do it all yourself with your railway buddies and use the timber on-site. Or pay to gave the site managed. 

 

This softly softly half way/no money approach is gonna get you no where. Unless you're equally happy to devote the same hours you expect a stranger to devote to your project as he might expect you to his. 

 

I think I sussed you from the get-go.

[wilde]

I do appreciate this is a forum full of professionals but please bare in mind this is a charity I am trying to help, I am not getting paid myself unless I can make money out of the timber that could be worthless. What I dont want to do is spend time wondering aimlessly through google search results researching to find the timber value wont even cover my expenses etc, I cant afford to spend months "volunteering" with a wife and kids, it is simply not viable. Also I did initially only ask if there were any good sources ie books/links etc. So please don't feel too pissed off for me asking for guidance on where specifically to look  for useful information. Someone did suggest someone could come down and I do honestly think a quick 30min walk around the woodlands max would enable someone to give me at least an idea as to what could be worth investing time in. It could be worth there time if they wanted the timber which we could cut, stack, prepare for collection etc. I'm not saying this to have a go btw, surely people can appreciate if there were good books out there for example people would suggest them. If I were asking for advice on fungi ID for example people would list a good number of books right?  

[wilde]

trigger, without knowing if the timber is worth anything I couldn't promise anyone anything, I'm happy to work with someone as like me I wouldn't expect them to invest several days/weeks etc volunteering but first I need to establish a worth and best use for the timber. As someone suggested someone in the group could be local (unlikely but you never know) I wouldn't expect people to travel far, having someone come down to look was based on someone being fairly local or passing close by

[Rough Hewn]

trigger, without knowing if the timber is worth anything I couldn't promise anyone anything, I'm happy to work with someone as like me I wouldn't expect them to invest several days/weeks etc volunteering but first I need to establish a worth and best use for the timber. As someone suggested someone in the group could be local (unlikely but you never know) I wouldn't expect people to travel far, having someone come down to look was based on someone being fairly local or passing close by

Put up some photos of the biggest oak, elm and walnut etc in the woodland, preferably standing next to them for scale.
If they’re over 24” dbh it may warrant a site visit.
If they’re birch,sycamore,willow and poplar
It’s firewood.
[emoji106]

[trigger_andy]

trigger, without knowing if the timber is worth anything I couldn't promise anyone anything, I'm happy to work with someone as like me I wouldn't expect them to invest several days/weeks etc volunteering but first I need to establish a worth and best use for the timber. As someone suggested someone in the group could be local (unlikely but you never know) I wouldn't expect people to travel far, having someone come down to look was based on someone being fairly local or passing close by

You really seem to have the wrong end of the wedge (constantly) you claim it’s a charity yet you also indicate you cherry pick the best pieces of timber. So which is it?

It really seems like you need to forget about milling (as you’re such a busy family man) and as you clearly want the charity to do well you’ll get all the timber you think has value roadside and make the charity (not you) a potential profit. How does that sound?

[harvey b davison]

By the sounds of it, you would be better off getting the woodland surveyed first and then take things from there. Who actually owns the woodland?

[wilde]

Because they cannot pay for tree management, there's about £60000 of work to get done, I am going to be using my equipment, including chipper etc to get it safe and managed. Can you do £60000 of work for nothing? I doubt it. It isn't cherry picking the timber its trying to get the work done whilst paying bills like a mortgage and not getting divorced because I volunteered for 2 months, spent savings on equipment, fuel etc. 

[topchippyles]

12 minutes ago, wilde said:

trigger, without knowing if the timber is worth anything I couldn't promise anyone anything, I'm happy to work with someone as like me I wouldn't expect them to invest several days/weeks etc volunteering but first I need to establish a worth and best use for the timber. As someone suggested someone in the group could be local (unlikely but you never know) I wouldn't expect people to travel far, having someone come down to look was based on someone being fairly local or passing close by

Why not do as has been suggested and take a few photos of the bigger trees and then guys on here will tell you if there is any value in them.