Woodland creation from open land

[bofh]

Hi guys, I'm looking into planting my own woodland for the future and would appreciate some help with the basic questions I have. I'm reading through the woodland trust site this morning but thought it might be easier to post at the same time

 

Firstly what is the least expensive open land I could purchase for planting?

 

I've read that I could plant up to 700 trees per acre, would this be true for a native English woodland project in Kent for instance?

 

Could I receive funding for land purchase as well as a grant towards the cost of the trees?

 

Should I be worried about the theft of newly planted trees on my land?

 

Whilst I know it's hard to put a figure on it, would anyone have an idea of the cost of trees per acre?

 

Would it be financially beneficial to invest in a polly tunnel and grow my own trees for planting?

 

Hope you guys can give me a few pointers

[niftysteve]

a friend of mine is planting an area of his land and got the trees supplied free(as far as i know) from the forestry commision

heres some info i found out

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-6dccn3

Edited November 25, 2010 by niftysteve

[Luke Quenby]

The cheapest land would be farmland that wasn't much good i would imagine, but good bargains (if there still is such a thing) can often be found when utilities sell off tracts of land they no longer have any need for, quite often this includes woodland, but you need to be in the right place at the right time for this sort of deal. I think a surveyors called Turners did a lot of the Southern and South Eastern water stuff, and still are, if that is where you are located.

 

You should get the trees for free from fc, as niftysteve said, their are also grants available for woodland creation from them, though to get any grants, land has to be registerd with rpa and all the maps etc need to be right, this can take some time to sort out.

 

Because of that, I wouldn't bother with a poly tunnel, and wouldn't worry to much about anyone nicking the trees, though it wouldn't be unheard of :thumbdown:.

 

As for spacing, depends on what you want from the wood, timber production, wildlife habitat, recreation etc.

 

And if you get the trees for free from the fc, the only expense will be planting and gaurding!

 

If the fc arn't very accomodating with tree suply, the grant for creation on farm land should be quite straightforward, and nurserys like Alba are good for cell grown forestry stock.

 

Good luck, sounds like an interesting project, would be interested to hear more about it:thumbup:!

Edited November 25, 2010 by Luke Quenby
forgot a bit!

[bofh]

Thanks for the advice guys, in case anyone else is interested I found a super useful guide on the Woodland Trust site

 

Woodland Creation Guide

 

The most pleasing info I picked up fairly quick is that you do not require planning permission to plant a woodland, I'm pleased about that if not a little surprised

[treebloke]

It's dated 2004 so the prices are a bit out but some good advice in there.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

oh I envy you this project, a woodland creation!

 

Oak and ash with a few hawthorns open grown, going into a mixe dense stand of beech larch oak scots pines hazel, argh you lucky lucky toad!

[renewablejohn]

We got a forestry commission grant for the creation of woodland on the farm and it included trees,guards,tree stakes, sheep netting,fence posts and 3 gates all we had to do was plant and then we get a small income for 10 years for planting them. FC do stipulate the density of trees to be planted which in my opinion was 4 times the number of trees required but the FC pointed out the aim was to get a quick cover and then thin out which I can now see the logic of.

[David Humphries]

oh I envy you this project, a woodland creation!

 

Oak and ash with a few hawthorns open grown, going into a mixe dense stand of beech larch oak scots pines hazel, argh you lucky lucky toad!

 

 

 

People always seem to forget about Wild service

 

 

Maybe it's an age thing

 

 

 

 

Good luck with the project bofh, keep us updated

 

.

[Knapp]

People always seem to forget about Wild service

 

 

Maybe it's an age thing

 

 

 

 

Good luck with the project bofh, keep us updated

 

.

 

Yes Wild Service is a neglected tree. I planted two of them 15 years ago and now they are spreading by suckers and will create a copse of their own eventually. Grey Alder, although not a native tree, will also repay planting by its spreading suckers. Aspen can cover an acre in no time from just one tree.

 

Don't forget, Oak is a pioneer tree and doesn't need as much bother mulching or weeding to get it established. Good luck.

[slack ma girdle]

Don't forget fruit trees, and cobnuts. Plant the boarders with hedging, particularly with fruiting species, such as rose, a mix of soft and stone fruit, and flowering species. Not a standard hedge, but it will keep you supplied with friut for jam or the freezer. It is good to look at, and very good for the wildlife.