1 acre woodland management mess

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Been to look at a job today - very neglected privately owned plot on a steep slope of only an acre or so. Arrived anticipating mixed bag of perhaps ash, syc and some under-crap but there's nowt there but lots of bramble, dead hazel coppice understorey and the only timber to speak of is elm - lots of it, gone pretty tall and skinny and some up to circa 24" dbh. Since 30% of this elm is already dead and the rest will be soon I've got mixed ideas about initial thinning. Either I thin to the usual spec for this and leave the alive stuff OR do you reckon I should drop the lot?! Replanting is obviously the way to go anyway... etc etc. I aint going to bother even entertaining extracting the wood; can't be arsed...

 

Some of the elms were like swiss cheese; peppered with holes - woodpecker???

[Big 'Ammer]

Fell the lot Jon, it will only get DED next year.

 

Have a fresh start.

[Mozza]

Fell the lot Jon' date=' it will only get DED next year.

 

Have a fresh start.[/quote']

 

Agreed, Level it and start again!! Sounds the best bet to me

[tommer9]

I agree mate.......its throwing good money after bad. If there are a couple or even 1 decent tree in there then leave, but TBH clear the lot and restart sems the best and most economical idea....

[liamjordan]

fell and have a fresh start

[delabodge]

the living elms will regenerate anyway,,so start from scratch mate,,,,

[chestnut]

sort the wheat from the chaff mate - and clear all but the very good stuff (if any)

 

the hazel should come back - if stools aren't rotten

 

the elm should regenerate - if not totally gone (especially if witch elm)

 

but best bet imho is to totally clear - especially bramble etc undergrowth - and replant if need be with fresh stock

[MattyF]

get a big tracked mulcher and drive it around the site for the day job done!