Hello From Ross-shire, Scotland

[Tarrel]

Hello, I just joined the forum, although I've been aware of SWOG for a while. We have an area of woodland on the Moray Firth coast in Ross-shire. My wife and I moved up here as part of a general down-shifting change to our lives.

The woodland is a plantation of Noble Fir, which was planted, and has been managed, for foliage production. The product is used in the festive decoration trade, to make wreaths, etc. It is 25 years old and we have had it for six years. For most of that time we have managed it as "business as usual', although on a smaller scale compared to the previous owners, who drove it quite intensively, with a lot of inputs from artificial fertilisers, herbicides, etc.

During our ownership I've had a chance to observe and have a good think about the woodland's potential. We have a 15 year plan to diversify it, both from species and product viewpoints. I'd like to introduce some native broadleaves and end up with a range of outputs, including fruit, nuts, timber products, fungi, etc. I envisage coppicing the broadleaves. The ultimate aim (when it's time to hang up the chainsaw!) is to compartmentalise the wood into four sections, each of which is capable of yielding this diverse range of products, so that they represent a potential livelihood for someone who wants to make their living from working a wood. At this point, we'll offer the compartments for lease, rent or maybe croft them. I'm 55 and would like to get to this point by the time I'm 65-70. I think it will always be predominantly conifer, but just want to "tip the balance" slightly, without going in too heavy-handed.

Our immediate projects are to:
- Thin the existing plantation by about 10%
- Establish a tree nursery so that we can transplant and "bring on" some of the naturally regenerating seedlings in the wood
- Expand some of the natural glades and start edge-planting these with coppice and shrubs.

We've just recruited a labour-force of hens to help us clear areas in preparation for planting!

When we bought the woodland we were completely new to woodland management. We've been on a steep learning curve and still have a l o n g way to go! Looking forward to chewing the fat and exchanging ideas.

Regards Mark (tarrel)

[Dexter's Shed]

welcome to the forum, surely pigs would do a better job than hens

[Wendelspanswick]

What sort of area does your plantation cover?
And welcome!

[oldclaypaws]

Greetings Tarrel, sounds a worthy project. If you have a mo to flick over my 'cunning plan' post you'll find we've a similar approach to life; pedal off the fastlane gas, coppicing, craft, chickens, woodland restoration. We're getting there. 55- an excellent age, the prime of life.

http://www.swog.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1600

Be interested to know which species mix you're going to coppice up there, they'll be different to the choice available to 'softy Southerners'. The optimum varies by Region and climate. In the SouthEast, Sweet Chestnut and Hornbeam are common but I don't recall seeing any in my native Northumberland. Here in the Southwest it can be Hazel and then Willow in the wetlands areas such as the levels. Its a harder climate up your way so I'd expect slower annual growth and a need for hardier species. From memory trees which thrive and naturally regenerate North of the border would include Ash, Birch, Rowan, Beech and Maples (Inc. Sycamore) and Hawthorn. Obvious long term question mark over Ash. You'll be familiar with that amazing 100ft high Beech 'hedge' North of Perth at Meikleour.

Dexter- Pigs are great at clearing, but they eat the lot, including all saplings, wild flowers and roots. They'd leave an almost 'blank canvass'. I considered them but think they might be 'the nuclear option', they're a bit like walking glyphospate. Chickens scratch around and eat a lot of ground greenery, but don't dig down as much and 'rotivate' like porkers. Chuckies are surprisingly an Asian woodland species, but we tend to associate them with domestic farmyards. I'd consider having an area of the woods for chickens but there are so many predators, and you need to be there to let them out and put them to bed, so ours are at home.

[Rankinswood]

Hi,

The best way to choose trees for your woodland is to look around at neighbouring woodlands to see what is growing in the area. I seem to recall that places like the Black Isle suport mixed native deciduous woodlands containing beech, oak, ash, alder, etc.

One also has to be careful in understanding the reasons for planting conifers in a given area e.g. like Culbin where pines are being used to stabalise the soil (sand). Check with The Forestry Commission.

You will also need to give some thought as to what you will do with the trees that you propose to cut down. Noble fir is not particularly durable but it does produce exceedingly large cones that people like to use for home decoration purposes.

Rankinswood

[Tarrel]

Hi Folks,

Thanks for the welcomes and responses. OK, to respond to a few of the questions and comments:

The area is 60 acres. It's on the Tarbat Peninsula, which has quite a benign microclimate compared to its latitude. It is surrounded by lowland agricultural land. Very different from what you'd find further west (or even south) on the higher ground.

Native trees that thrive here are Scots Pine, Birch, Rowan and Alder. Our block of Noble Fir is surrounded by a shelterbelt of mixed species, including oak, alder and whitebeam. They all seem to do OK. Many of the local farmers and crofters are planting willow as a fast-growing biofuel crop. Some of the naturally open areas that I want to open up and replant are in relatively low spots. I wonder if the ground is damper here, and maybe that's why the Nobles haven't thrived so much in those areas. I'm targeting Alder and Willow for these.

I'd like to try Hazel and I'd love to grow Chestnut. I know we're out of its range but wonder whether things may be different in 5-10 years with climate-change. Apparently the oldest tree in Britain is a sweet chestnut in the grounds of Castle Leod, not far from us!

Sycamore is also very common, and I have an impromptu "seed bed" in my gutters and all over the gravel drive. Needless to say, I'll be planting these out.!

Regarding the chickens / pigs question, we did consider both. I've visited a couple of places that have used pigs successfully. However, we have no experience with livestock, and I know there are a few hoops to jump through if you keep pigs, with regard to tagging, how to get them slaughtered, etc. No such problem with hens. We've had them less than a week and they already seem to be making a visible difference to the ground.

Thanks again for the welcomes and observations, which are very useful and food for thought.

[oldclaypaws]

The Chestnut at Castle Leod is the oldest recorded PLANTED tree, from 1550, making it a relative 'sapling'.

The oldest tree is indeed up your way, but its a Yew at Fortingall. I've seen it and it looks a bit sad. Quite a few people have pulled bits off as souvenirs (People !! ) There are two other Yews of similar age, they are all around 5,000 years old.

Thats quite an 'estate' you've got at 60 acres, most of us have 'amenity' woods, the average is probably in the range 3-8 acres (Think I'll create a seperate thread to ask for comparisons). There should certainly be sufficient space to generate a viable pension to live off in your dotage. Jealous of 60 acres, who, me?

[Tarrel]

Thanks for the info.

We used to live in Hampshire, and our initial idea for a woodland was something that we could travel to on a day trip, maybe 5-6 acres, for recreation, camping, etc. the place in Scotland came to our attemtion. It was a lot bigger and more expensive than we had in mind, and obviously further away! However, it had an ongoing income attached to it from the foliage sales, so it meant we were able to raise finance. Separately, I became aware of the whole peak oil, limits-to-growth agenda. We were at a point in our lives where we were able to make the change, so here we are. We bought a cottage in the local town, about six miles away. Put in a wood burning cooking and heating system, which has worked out well.

60 acres is a lot, and it seems daunting sometimes. The "lightbulb" moment for me has been to recognise that one doesn't have to do everything at once and, if you plod on one step at a time, you eventually achieve what you want. We have found having a plan and future vision is important, as it puts the word one does in the woodland dy by day into some form of context.

[SitkaSpruce]

Hi Tarrel

Welcome

That's a very interesting use of woodland.

Some of the National Trust estates in northern England are being "cropped" commercially for foliage which helps manage invasive plants and under storey