Replanting after timber harvesting and planting new areas of woodland.
designing and planting new woodlands and restocking after timber harvesting
Woodland owners who have previously harvested a timber crop will be only too aware that the bare ground now has to be restocked within a timeframe specified on the felling licence.
This work is usually done from three to five years after harvesting.
It is all too easy to defer this aspect of the timber cycle until the last possible moment but there can be good reasons for doing the work sooner rather than later.
Cost-wise, the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) does not offer much in the way of financial support to reduce the financial burden of restocking and, where site are small or complex, the cost of an application alone can leave little or no spare grant afterwards.
Nonetheless, there is at least some money available from the SRDP to help woodland owners at present, although it is fair to say that this is steadily diminishing with each iteration of the grant programme and the longer one waits the less chance there is of any funding being made available.
All told, while there are indeed individual circumstances where an owner would benefit from waiting until the last possible moment to restock a felled plantation, most would do well to consider expediting the matter.
In addition to replacing felled trees, landowners may also wish to consider planting new woodland in accordance for a variety of reasons.
First and foremost, such activity is presently generously supported by the Forestry Grant Scheme element of the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) thus the work can make a positive contribution to the balance sheet even after all costs have been incurred.
Even smaller schemes that lack the usual economies of scale to achieve a positive cash flow immediately after planting can be worthwhile in many circumstances, particularly if some aspects of the planting work can be undertaken in-house of if the forestry consultant is willing to keep fees reasonable and fixed.
As for my services, I would be pleased to help with all or any aspects of restocking and woodland creation, including:
An initial free-of-charge scoping of the restock site to produce an indicative cash flow and to identify design options.
A free of charge assessment of bare ground within your ownership to identify woodland planting opportunities.
Developing a planting plan that delivers your objectives and reflects modern forestry practices.
Providing professional digital maps and design plans for internal and external use.
Selecting tree species and supplying planting stock at trade prices.
Liaising with regulatory authorities (Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, local government etc).
Obtaining grant support.
Presenting plans to the community and other stakeholders.
Budgeting, cash flows and cost/benefit analysis (i.e. deer fencing vs. individual tree protection).
Implementing the plan, including the appointment of contractors and managing the work.
Post establishment management, including the periodic inspections of deer fences, weed and pest management, the ongoing assessment of stocking and the replacement of dead trees.
Developing remedial plans with fully costed work programmes for young woodlands that are under stocked, choked with weeds or are otherwise in need of some care and attention.
Obtaining woodland insurance for fire and wind damage.
As with all my work, initial consultations are free and I always ensure that the customer knows at what stage charges will be incurred. I provide written estimates and can work to a fixed cost in some circumstances.
Please use the buttons on this page for some further suggestions as to how I might help. This is not an exhaustive list, so I recommend using the contact details here to let me know of your specific requirements. I will respond shortly after.