Who gets paid?

[The Stig]

OK, new ground for me. A woodland owner is looking to get some thinning work done. It's a mix of broadleaf.

As I understand it there is an FC rate of £1K per hectare to thin and extract which he would have to pay if access is good, less any value in the timber (firewood in this case).

I also understand that people buy standing hardwood ie they have to pay to cut and extract.

In this case the access is poor and it wood be a case of borrowing a tractor and buying a winch to extract up a very steep hill to a point where it can be loaded. The trees are a mix of hardwood and vary up to 4' DBH.

 

So who should be paying who and at what rate?

 

I want the timber for processing into logs for resale but if I have to buy it I'd be better off buying in delivered roundwood.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Chris Sheppard]

Even if the site's not the nicest, you'd be doing very well not to be paying anything for it, especially if the timber is of a good size.

 

Think of it like farming; you'd not likely find a farmer who'd let you go harvest his crop and pay you for the privilege.

[Mark Bolam]

I was about to disagree with you there Chris, then I realised I had misread the original post as 'up to 4" dbh'!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

[farmer rod]

I was about to disagree with you there Chris, then I realised I had misread the original post as 'up to 4" dbh'!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

 

It makes quite a difference, :001_smile:well thats what I tell the girls

[ben_inthewoods]

In your position I would argue that the woodland owner will probably get what he pays for. There is a real opportunity to select good quality stems at this point in a crop. And also set up access racks etc to aid future thinning with machines.

 

Respacing a crop at this stage should be thought of as an investment - but only if it is done well. Done badly and the woodland owner will not get a decent return later down the line.

 

Perhaps post a few photos would help?

[Arbtech Tree Services]

We've taken out some decent size Horse Chestnut (3' dbh) from a woodland, the landowner pays us to fell them (some already windblown) and has no interest in the wood so we can extract at our cost if we choose or leave for habitat. If left though the timber fairies come in and make one hell of a mess

[ShooTa]

its thinning work -

landowner should be paying you.

however all the wood is his.

however if your taking wood in turn for the work then usually its wood for work and no one pays anyone anything. , due to the nature of thinning etc -BUUUUUUUUUUT that is assuming there has been correct marking done on either the cull or the leave trees , with emphasise on removing dead,dying,deseased,deformed first and then thinning the rest according to a sensible basel area reduction (30% maybe for a first thin)

 

anywhosal thats how i do it here .... iam the landowner.

[doobin]

We've taken out some decent size Horse Chestnut (3' dbh) from a woodland, the landowner pays us to fell them (some already windblown) and has no interest in the wood so we can extract at our cost if we choose or leave for habitat. If left though the timber fairies come in and make one hell of a mess

 

You may as well leave it as it's bugger all use for anything else. Timber fairies are welcome to it!

[Arbtech Tree Services]

You may as well leave it as it's bugger all use for anything else. Timber fairies are welcome to it!

 

I know that and it did make me chuckle that they all thought they'd struck gold however you should see the bowl a local guy turned from it, I was quite surprised.

 

Regards,

 

Steve.

[The Stig]

Many thanks all for the replies.

Had a preliminary chat with the guy today and wood for work for the first thinning is ok with everyone, just waiting for a date to 'go down to the woods' to see exactly what's there.

Apparently it's listed as a commercial woodland.