How much work do you NEED to do to manage a small woodland?

[sandspider]

Hi all

 

Like the title says - how much work really NEEDS to be done to keep on top of a small woodland? I'd like a small woodland (5- 10 acres maybe) one day, finances etc. permitting. And I'd like to be able to take a bit of firewood, do a bit of coppicing, make a glade or two, manage it for wildlife, a bit of camping, a bit of shooting and general enjoyment. What I don't want to do is to feel that I have to go there everyday (in the pouring rain) to weedkill, strim, clear, fell, prune etc.

 

I assume that I can leave it wild-ish, and just do a bit every so often (once a month to once a week or so) and still have a pleasant, healthy woodland? (Depending of course on what it's like at the start!) I wouldn't be planning on doing any clear-felling, and would hopefully just get regrowth (on a small scale) from natural regeneration - so shouldn't need to do intensive felling, or large scale tree planting, weeding etc. Am I missing anything?

 

I want it to be a pleasure to go there, not a chore / necessity all the time...

 

Cheers.

[woodyguy]

Good question.

Depends entirely on your management aims. If you want 2 tons of firewood per acre each year and lots of coppice products then you will need to pull it into shape with lots of work.

The things you describe are probably fine going every couple of weeks for 4 hrs or so. I go to mine most weeks but am doing a lot of thinning, mulching brambles and replanting. Logs take less time.

As you imply - just enjoy it.

[muldonach]

You need to:-

 

maintain it stockproof - fence life is variable but about 20 years

maintain the ditches and drainage - typically clean every 5 years

maintain it safe

 

after that it is up to you - 5 to 10 acres is just a big garden

 

Cheers

mac

[sandspider]

Cheers gents. Nothing there sounds too bad - and I wouldn't want to extract lots of timber or anything. (Just enough for a log burner or two). I'm happy to put in a few days of hard graft now and then (I'd enjoy it!) but I'd rather it was on my terms and at a time that suits me.

 

Just got to find the money for a woodland now!