Working neglected woodland

[woodyguy]

Wow Ambisawrous, now I'm jealous. That's a lot of wood and a lot of interesting habitat. I'd suggest, if you're not an expert, that you get some advice and draw up a proper management plan. Sounds like you already have some outlets and directions you wish to go in, which is a good start. Keep us posted on how it goes.

[john k]

For that reason is there really any such thing as truly "neglected woodland", maybe a more fitting name would be "unworked woodland" or dare I suggest "natural woodland"!

 

We don't really have any truly natural woodland, hence the common use of the description "Ancient semi natural woodland" or ASNW. Most of what we might consider "natural" only exists because it has been managed in some way over hundreds of years.

 

Whilst unmanaged woodland will come to no harm it will tend to become darker, more even aged and less ecologically diverse. Good management will tend to improve both amenity and biodiversity.

 

It could be argued that unworked woodland is neglected. It doesn't really make it natural though.

[agg221]

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?

 

Have you considered a small froe and beetle?

 

Alec

[Two Acres]

20 acres would make another lovely new wood;)

 

Yep, you're right Village Idiot. The thought has crossed my mind, but the land is let to a farmer on a long term agreement. He's planted trees that adjoin the existing wood in two different areas. They're maybe 15 years old so the wood is growing:thumbup: I think legally the situation with those areas of land that I would own the land but the famer would own the trees hes planted

 

There are also a couple of other areas of woodlland that join mine. I have wondered about investigating whether I could buy some of that land. Problem being that with three small children I don't have the spare cash to play with

 

The best thing I think is that 'my' two acres don't exist in isolation, they are part of a bigger whole

[Two Acres]

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

 

Trouble is the women aren't too keen on that system

[AHPP]

the land is let to a farmer on a long term agreement. He's planted trees that adjoin the existing wood in two different areas. They're maybe 15 years old so the wood is growing:thumbup: I think legally the situation with those areas of land that I would own the land but the famer would own the trees hes planted

 

I'll be pretty surprised if that's true. Got a source?

 

Good thread btw.

[Two Acres]

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

 

Thanks for that Wood wasp, I think you're right. I grew up mucking about on farms - looking back we got up to some risky stuff. I remember making tunnels right through haystacks, digging 'caves', climbing across the roofs of barns, leaping off combine harvesters into piles of straw - basically all sorts of great fun that would give h&s types nightmares

 

I guess that my three are too young for anything much but I do like to get them involved. At the moment we have to have a rota for whose turn it is to help me light the woodburner. They love screwing up the newspaper, cleaning the glass, putting the kindling in and so on. Obviously they don't light it yet, but they are keen. Most recent question from young Joel, as he watched me put a fresh log on top of some glowing embers, 'how does the fire break down the log Daddy?' ...ummm:confused1: I think thats great because it was the woodburner that got me interested in getting back outdoors and into the woods. I hope it will,do the same for them.

[Two Acres]

I'll be pretty surprised if that's true. Got a source?

 

Good thread btw.

 

Sorry AHPP, I haven't got a source but I'm pretty sure I've read it somewhere. Probably worth 'Googleing'. I could be completely wrong of course. It would need advice from a legal type to clarify, and thats not cheap.

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence in the thread - I've enjoyed it and got lots out of it too:thumbup:

[Two Acres]

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...

 

Sounds great Ambisawrous - can we have some pics? I know I haven't done my own photos yet but they'll be coming soon

[Two Acres]

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

 

Thanks Spandit,

 

Thats a positive sentiment - and if they don't feel inclined to do anything with the wood in 40 years then maybe their descendants will in 80 years time! My Dad doesn't have the slightest interest in the wood, hardly ever sets foot in it, but that isn't a problem, I can go play instead

 

Hats's off to you for planting a wood by the way