who owns a woodland?

[muldonach]

anyone own a woodland?

 

how do you work it?

what did you pay for it? (if you don,t mind telling)

what do you get out of it?

what can you do with it?

do you enjoy it?

 

reason i ask is i would love to own one but have always wondered if it is worth it

 

would it be for profit from production or for re-sale or would it just be for sheer pleasure and self satifaction

 

In order:-

 

1. yes - several

 

2. We bring in contractors or standing sale on large conifer parcels, thin hardwoods and do firewood ourselves. We have our own tractors, forwarding trailer(s), winch, logspitter and access to a firewood processor. I spend most of my time there when not gainfully employed

 

3.between £160 and £750 per acre (it was a while ago)

 

4. A lot of physical exercise and hopefully a bit of a pension fund as well as my own deerstalking, bird watching and pheasant shooting / duck flighting etc. I also get to argue with a couple of neighbours:cussing: and share the costs of replacing fences with others:ohmy:

 

5. Well so far we have been busy clearing windblow, opening up the canopy in the hardood sections to encourage a bit of regen and clearing the old roads throught the conifer sections which are totally choked with birch, willow and windblow.

 

6. Yes - it is very satisfying to sit with a cup of tea and listen to a woodpecker drumming in the spring in your woodland. somewhat less satisfying when you bog the landrover again just before dark and the tractor won't start which somehow never seems to happen when the sun is shining.

 

Whether it is worth it or not depends on your own individual aims in life. if you don't like being wet, muddy and greasy all at the same time then think carefully.

 

The ultimate end also depends on your own circumstances. Profitability is not all that easy to achieve and greatly depends on market proximity, ground conditions, scale and species / quality.

 

I would suggest you consider carefully before puchase - it all started with a woodburning stove for us!

 

Cheers

mac:001_smile:

[atree]

hi were abouts are you from muldonarch?im from shawhead out side dumfries

[nuggsy]

theres woodland forsale near castle douglas, i have been tempted to look into it myself like, have a friend who would go into it with me. how old r u atree ?

[atree]

cool,im 20,urself?we used to have alot of woodland on our farm,which was used for shooting mainly

[chestnut]

my old man has a small copse of chestnut (7.5 acres) he's nearly 70 and battling cancer - and i will take it over when it gets too much for him

 

i'm off up there after lunch - to help pull a couple of heavy leaners in off the roadside.

 

we have about 120 chickens up there - a veggie patch, plenty of sheds.

 

we have water and electric - and good access

 

the old man is a traditionalist - so does most things in the old fashioned way - and does most things by hand

 

he sells logs - and makes posts, piles, split rails, etc for fencing

 

i make wattle hurdles - he makes gate hurdles

 

he also cuts shingles - and makes up small garden features - done a bit of chainsaw furniture too

 

it's a lovely place - and there is always plenty to do - and i can't wait to take it on full time (although i think i'll need a bit more help than the old man gets)

 

it's not run for profit - it's the old man's hobby

[muldonach]

hi were abouts are you from muldonarch?im from shawhead out side dumfries

 

 

Down in the Machars south of Newton Stewart mate

[Buzz]

If anybody requires advice and contractors for woodland management and advice on harvesting for biomass feel free to drop me a PM

 

I wish i owned my own wood, allways toyed with the idea but never had the cash

[porky]

We bought a 9 acre pasture field in 1994 and planted it up with a mix of broadleaf and conifer. Probably the best decision I ever made. Its a bit like watching a kid growing up I guess. This year the squirrels moved in and barkstripped 90% of all the oak in one season!

[atree]

Down in the Machars south of Newton Stewart mate

 

nice down there

[Invicta]

It seems that there are a few people with the necessary experience/skills would like to do this but don't have the money.

 

I might have a potential solution, so if there is anyone in the Worcestershire or Gloucestershire area who are keen to do this then please get in touch.

But only if you would allow the public to have access to, and undertake supervised works in, certain areas.

 

Bernard