Leylandii plantation - cost effective way to remove?

[Zeissman]

Hi all,

 

I am advising a client at a farm in East Hampshire which has a plantation of probably 1200 leylandii that were planted about twenty years ago on some relatively flat pasture. Some of them have been thinned out and some have blown over in recent storms. My clients would like to remove the majority of them so that you can see the amazing view that was once the main feature of the farmhouse.

 

What is the most cost effective way of doing this properly (i.e. so that it can be put back to grass in the next year or two with no stumps sticking out all over the place, etc)? Is there an obvious solution where they could actually make some money? Normal hardwood would obviously not be an issue but opinions seems very split about the usefulness of leylandii for things such as wood chip boilers or charcoal so it is difficult to know which direction to head in.

 

Any ideas gratefully received.

 

All best,

 

Z.

[timbernut]

Hi, are they definitely leylandii or possibly Lawson? If they are the former and have reasonable form (ie straight single stems) they are a very durable and useful wood, Lawson is also reasonable. Both are often better if only lightly thinned in the past due to their habit of producing lots of co dominant stems. Would've thought youd have to dig out the stumps though!

[Johnpl315]

What kind of size diameter are they? I could be interested but 20 years is a bit young, leave them another 20 and they may be worth something...

[Peasgood]

We have a few similar plantations of our own.

We cut some down, pointed the ends and used them as stakes to support our raspberry crop (about an acre).

The posts lasted a lot longer than the raspberry plantation! No treatment whatsoever and knocked in with a post knocker. They have lasted longer than bought in tanalised stakes would of.

[timbernut]

Yep they'll outlast oak/chestnut for estate work!

[Gray git]

Try contacting local racecourse jump builders as they will often pay for a reliable source of foliage for the steple chase jumps. Nothing wrong with the timber as biomass but the bark can produce a lot of fluff in a drum chipper.

[Johnpl315]

In my experience the timber is not close to oak or chestnut however better than a lot of softwoods.

[Zeissman]

Thanks all,

 

They are Leylandii not Lawson and the majority seem to have quite good form. I can't picture the diameter but they must be 35-40+ feet high. In broad terms, if we were going to fell say 800, it looks like we might need to find several niches to offload the wood. Is there a ball park figure to work on for the contracting work for felling and stripping leaving a product that can be left to season for biomass chipping, stake forming, etc? Including stump removal?

 

I ask as the other alternative is biomass self sufficiency to run the house and cottages there. Not sure whether the sap (and bark fluff) is asking for problems if Leylandii is all you run?! Not sure how long 800 trees would last either.

 

Z.

[Tom D]

If they are growing in a stand and you open it up too much you will loose loads more to the wind...

[Ciaran Taylor]

at 20 years old there will never be any profit but even at chip rates it shouldnt be a cost job, if you get it handcut just tip the cutters a couple of hundred each if all the stumps are under 4" (dont get a harvester in, they cut stumps higher than tree surgeons). As soon as the grass grows you will never see them, has to be grazed though as you cant chelsea mow ex forestry. Your issue is brash, that will make it a cost job.