Working neglected woodland

[Two Acres]

Thanks for that Wood wasp, interesting. How about giving a 4.5 year old a little hatchet for making kindling, supervised of course. What do you think?

[Two Acres]

Same here, and happily that attachment has filtered down to the two weans.

 

May be a conflict of interest in future though. The fella is 21, currently studying for an honours degree in sportsturf science at Myerscough and has just been awarded a scholarship with the R&A, the lass is 19 and studying for a degree in agriculture. Nearest neighbour says that he wonders in 10 years time whether the rest of the place will be a dairy farm or a golf course!, I just say that by then I'll be in the woods and they can sort it out between them!

 

Well, thats the age old problem with land isn't it. My Dad, whose in his early seventies, is now wanting to hand over his arable land to me and my sister (46 and 44). Trouble is his land is only twenty acres because the original 40 was divided between him and his sister. Doesn't take many generations before you end up with those weeny strips they had in the middle ages

[the village idiot]

Well, thats the age old problem with land isn't it. My Dad, whose in his early seventies, is now wanting to hand over his arable land to me and my sister (46 and 44). Trouble is his land is only twenty acres because the original 40 was divided between him and his sister. Doesn't take many generations before you end up with those weeny strips they had in the middle ages

 

20 acres would make another lovely new wood;)

[timbernut]

So you're a Suffolk boy, you should have said Probably my favourite part of the world and if it wasn't for all the roots I have up here I'd be living south of the Waveney myself.

 

 

 

I've been to many events at Gressenhall but don't believe I've ever come across Felix, he sounds interesting

 

 

It's funny cos I never see myself as a Suffolk boy more Norfolk, which is where I've spent most of my time.

Woodguy's hit the nail on the head as were custodians for just a blip in time really and the ship sails on, you're also lucky your daughters following in your footsteps and will hopefully continue your good work. Despite being brought up in a wood, although they appreciate what we have, they don't have the enthusiasm for woody works. But that could change and I now hav two granddaughters so here's hoping😄

[timbernut]

Well, thats the age old problem with land isn't it. My Dad, whose in his early seventies, is now wanting to hand over his arable land to me and my sister (46 and 44). Trouble is his land is only twenty acres because the original 40 was divided between him and his sister. Doesn't take many generations before you end up with those weeny strips they had in the middle ages

 

 

That's why the landowners of the past handed down to the eldest son (pro genitas I think?)

[Wood wasp]

4.5 might be bit young, we were always rough and tumble youngsters but thankfully at that age you seem to bend and bounce rather than break.. Though that did happen too! Anyway my point is by time we were 11 onwards we'd been around machinery and stuff for good few years so had healthy respect for how easily things can go wrong. Due to number of machines and cutters in woods in those days (plus far less h&s) accidents and fatalities were fairly regular occurrences.

 

If he's really keen things like bagging kindlers, loading small bits into car etc will keep him involved. Get him to help you map out what you're going to do etc

[wrsni]

I just say that by then I'll be in the woods and they can sort it out between them!

 

I did say that rather tongue in cheek, in fact they're both hoping to get well paid jobs, buy up some of the neighbouring land in future and extend things rather than shrink them, but all that is conjecture.

 

I hope they've both been reared well enough to realise that co-operation always beats discord.

[Wood wasp]

Get him one of these

 

[ame]

[/ame]

 

*courtesy of forestmachineoperatorjobs

[Ambisawrous]

First post on here,and I've enjoyed reading through this thread. I have some unmanaged woodland on the farm here, about 30 acres in 4 woods which are all quite different. I've not really thought much about the woodland until recently, we just cut up enough fallen timber to satisfy our own firewood requirements. We have had a few wind blown trees last winter, more than I can use myself so thought it would be good to sell some firewood as its all good quality oak, ash and beech. We still have quite a bit to get out including a huge beech which is hooked up at the moment.

This has all got me thinking to try to actively manage the woods. One wood I think is ancient woodland so this may possibly be best left alone. Another is half old hazel coppice that hasn't been touched for a long time and half mature beech(some are huge), oak, cherry etc(really need to learn more on the different tress). Hoping to coppice the hazel aiming for maybe 1 in 8 rotation.

Another wood has a lot of oak in an this is the one which I am least sure about. A lot of the oak is around 18-24' size, and they are pretty tall so I think should be high quality. I would like to use this wood for milling for projects round the farm, which I have plenty of. Also have a cabinet maker in a business unit on the farm which could come in handy!

I would like to manage the wood for the long term and plan is to do a small woodland management plan and get felling licence. I have spoken to Forestry Commission and chap seemed to think I could get a thinning licence easily. Just wondering if thinning the oaks is going to be sufficient to allow remaining trees to grow further or are they too large/tall already and maybe small amounts of clear felling and replacement over a number of years would be better? I don't want to clear fell large areas, but equally it would be a shame not to use this oak if it is prime grade.

Am also considering a mobile mill if we are able to extract enough justify it as I think we can utilize a lot ourselves in replacing oak framing on some buildings, new porch for farmhouse that is shot, new floorboards, lots of feather edge required, oak post and rail and I have a keen youngster working on the farm with Cs 30,31 and I could start offering mobile milling services. We are in AONB and might be able to get a grant for equipment for small scale extraction/milling. Anyway I'm rambling now, if any ine has any thoughts I'm all ears...

[spandit]

I hope my relatives have the same thoughts in 40 years time when my woodland is grown!