Starting a buisness

[chriscant97]

Hi everyone, im in my final year at college doing L3 arb and forestry. I am looking at different employment options when i leave, and like the idea of starting my own business doing woodland management (woodland clearing, thinning, tree felling) and selling the nice timber to the mill, and the rest as fire wood. I have access to tractors and an area too store wood in the dry.

 

Obviously there are a few questions i have before starting up, so any help would be appreciated.

 

-How easy is it to find work doing woodland clearing/thinning and tree felling?

-Any tips/advice for this type of work?

-How to you guys sell your nice timber to the mill? do you just give them a ring before you cut it or after?

-Is there money to be made selling firewood?

-How do you deliver your firewood? pickup?

 

Thanks in advance

[the village idiot]

That is a mighty question Chris, and the answer would have to be 100 times mightier.

 

Where are you based, and do you have an area of woodland already lined up?

[Parker]

Spend some time going through all the old threads on this forum then create a business plan.

 

If you don't already have contacts to get into the woodland work in my opinion it is very hard to get them as most estates use a contractor they trust.

[Hodge]

Why not go and speak to contractors etc, get work experience in the area you want to pursue. From your op you make it sound so easy and it's really a whole different ball game.

[devon TWiG]

There are lots of woodlands out there that are in need of " management " of some sort , and many bodies ( national parks etc ) like to promote coppicing etc .... however very few are willing to pay for it ! The question is can you make it self funding ? and the owner may well expect some remuneration as well , not easy but do - able in some situations , also onerous H&S plus other red tape / legislation make costs unsustainably high in proportion to income derived from such work .... however ..good luck !

[Starscream]

You need ground level experience.. Text books are a great start but there are guys on here who have been doing what you want to do for years. I work for a gardening company and we have college/uni guys turn up, and whilst the theory is all there and they know all their plants, they haven't got a clue how to use the tools effectively let alone get around a garden and make money. .

I have a friend who does forestry work, coppicing hazel and chestnut etc. It's hard, hard graft and long days to earn not very much. You need to see how others do it and how they utilise their time and energy. How much they need to process in a day, felling, splitting, seasoning etc, etc. then you need to find a custom base. Rose tinted glasses spring to mind

[Richard 1234]

I think it's one of those jobs that would make you happy but probably not very much money!! I'd like a small holding but can't make the numbers stack up

Good luck though

[chriscant97]

Would going into tree surgery be an easier root to start with?

[arboriculturist]

Work for a few Tree Surgeons and Forestry Contractors for 5 years or so (ideally 10) - that should give you an idea of the world of work and the very basics of running your own business (successfully) Good luck.

[Mark Bolam]

Work for a few Tree Surgeons and Forestry Contractors for 5 years or so (ideally 10) - that should give you an idea of the world of work and the very basics of running your own business (successfully) Good luck.

 

 

Word.