Income from neglected wood?

[Stereo]

I have about 6 acres of woodland which I can purchase at a good price. It's a mix of ash, oak, syc and a few other bits as well as some well overstood hazel coppice and elm suckers on the fringes. So, a lot of big hardwood trees.

 

Now, I'm aware of the grants etc. and my view is that I would like to turn this into coppice with standards, maybe hazel and ash coppice with ash, oak and syc standards (I like syc). There is also a stand of about 20 tall cherry trees (maybe 60ft) which seems to be seeding all over the shop.

 

So, I'm going to need to remove a LOT of old standing wood. What would be the best way to calculate the value of it? It's steep but I'm happy to organise extraction myself.

 

Should I be looking to log it all for firewood or do we go for getting the big lumps out in one piece and logging the tops. Is there a market for hardwood trunks?

[shendy]

Where are you bassed?

[Logrover]

Anything over 18cm top diameter will go for sawlogs, so either drag it all out in pole length or call your local sawmill to see what lengths they want. Get it to roadside and stacked so an artic can pick it up and ul get paid for the tonnage depending on product.

Anything can be sold in 3m lengths for pulp or firewood as well, ie anything not sawlog size, down to 7cm top diameter. You could sell the smaller stuff yourself cut and split into logs.

Coppice with standards is a lovely system but you need to work out if its worth buying the wood, ie what money will you get back from the timber unless its and investment, woodland tends to appreciate 7% a year, prob less at the moment.

 

wish i could afford one!

[Stereo]

I can't afford it really, it's in South Devon and stuff is pricey around here. It's more a case of not wanting anyone (someone in particular) else to get it and mess it up or turn it into a dumping ground as they have done elsewhere. But I figure if I could realise some initial cash from the big stuff and also get some grants going, it may change the picture a little and make it not such a stretch. Plus land is a pretty good bet over the long term and can be liquidated fairly easily if need be.

 

I wonder if a working coppice woodland is worth more than a neglected one? I suppose it must have some effect.

[coppiceer]

My usual question as regards considering whether to coppice is: are there deer present on the site?

 

If there are then you are on a hiding to nothing unless you either fence them out or slaughter them ruthlessly (obviously I meant to say cull them humanely and weep as you do it).

[Stereo]

No deer as far as I have ever seen. People have told me they see the odd muntjack but I'm not sure. We just don't get deer where I am unless you head up onto Dartmoor a bit.

 

If there are, I've got a .308 and find Venison very tasty so it's not a huge problem.

[APC]

Could you perhaps leave some standing dead, for nature and the like?

[Logrover]

All i can say is think of woodland insurance etc the cost of buying then underestimate the timber you will get out of it.......You will initially get a fair return from the clearout then a small return each year, remember coppice is over a 7-10 year rotation assuming the area is large enough to have enough areas for each year, plus the odd standard felling. So its more of a long term project investment than a cash earner, but well worth doing!

[Stereo]

APC the only dead standing I can see is Elm which has had DED. I would have to take advice on what to do with that. I would be looking to run this for the benefit of the critters as well as myself. Mainly for the critters actually, I will benefit from working there. It's a pretty place and would be a shame to see 30 or so scrap cars dumped in the stream in 2 years time.

 

I just need to justify it a bit financially in order to take the plunge. I hadn't thought about insurance etc. They get in everywhere don't they?

[Aaron]

APC the only dead standing I can see is Elm which has had DED. I would have to take advice on what to do with that. I would be looking to run this for the benefit of the critters as well as myself. Mainly for the critters actually, I will benefit from working there. It's a pretty place and would be a shame to see 30 or so scrap cars dumped in the stream in 2 years time.

 

I just need to justify it a bit financially in order to take the plunge. I hadn't thought about insurance etc. They get in everywhere don't they?

 

You asked about income........price of scrap these days :lol: