Questions to ask at viewing?

[Kentish Man]

Hi there - I think I'm going to pluck up the courage soon and arrange a viewing of some woodlands for sale. As a complete newbie to the idea of owning a small woodland, what are some of the questions you would ask - perhaps with some of those things, as woodland owners you would have like to have known in hindsight.



I can think of the following so far:



1. Freehold / Leasehold?

2. Any coppicing or felling to take place before sale completes?

3. Any TPO's in effect?

4. Any diseases present in the trees?

5. How old are the standards?

6. What is the age range of the coppice and is the woodland divided into ranges?

7. Who are the owners of the woods and the fields surrounding the woodland?

8. Who owns the mineral rights in the land?

9. Does the woodland come with any conditions or covenents attached?

10. Has there ever been any flooding in the area?

11. Has there ever been any illegal timber felling in the area?

12. Are there any rights of way or other public access to the woodland?

13. What species of trees are there?

14. What animals have been spotted in the woodland?

15. Who is responsible for maintaining the woodland access track to the wood?

16. Are there any problems with deer / squirrels?

17. What is the soil type?

Thanks in advance!

[tracy]

They look like interesting questions. Remember that you will need to go and look at the wood first, on your own. That will give you a good chance to mooch about.

On soil types, watch this

http://www.woodlandstv.co.uk/videos/watch/34/simple-soil-tests-in-your-woodland

A very good way to test it yourself.

Deer and squirrel are likely to be in any wood - and so are some tree diseases.

Biggest question to ask yourself: Do I like the wood? Can you see yourself in it, enjoying it? That is the most important thing.

Have fun!

[Keith Williams]

sporting rights; problems with travellers; CROW access

[Kentish Man]

Thanks tracy - I watched that video a few weeks ago and used the soil test when I went to the woods I've got my eye on, on my own and it indeed worked a treat! I bought a basic soil moisture and pH tester from Wilkos in a sale today for £2 though!



You're right as well, the feeling that the wood gives is vital, the other questions come second.



Thanks also to Keith - I'd never heard of CRoW access before and now I've googled it, it shall indeed be on my list of questions, along with the sporting rights.



Any more important ones I've missed out?

[jillybean]

I know its not a question, but Id check to see if its facing a nice south westerley direction, a north facing sloping wood is a lot colder. i viewed some in Lenham and they were in the shade most of the day during winter.

[MartreCycle]

Question to Ask - May be provided on sales pariculars -

Fencing - who is responsible for what -

- If you have to maintain it - good - its in your control,

- If someone else has to maintain - why is it in their interest to maintain ? - If they have livestock - that will not be welcome in your wood - will they care if their stock get into your wood -

[Kentish Man]

Thanks for the responses once again.

The woods in questions have other woodlands adjoing them to the left and right and in front (with a crop field on the other). I don't think there has ever been fencing on any part of the woodland and I'm not quite sure whether this is of benefit or detriment! The overall woodland looks as though its one, which I would like to keep as is, if I were to buy - fencing seems unnecessary, although I'm not quite sure how the borders are meant to be outlined without a continuous presence of posts throughout the woodland - which currently there is - but I'm wondering what if someone moves them!

[tracy]

No one will remove the posts - don't worry - and you can always put a little paint on the border trees if you wish. You would soon get to know your own boundaries.

[Stephen1]

I couldn't agree more with Jillybean - aspect makes such a difference.

I'd say one other question to ask yourself is what you hope to get from the experience, and what you hope to acheive. If you buy an already beautiful few acres of high biodiversity and environmental value woodland, then don't imagine it's fate was going to be a negative one if you hadn't stepped in with the best of intentions. Expensive small lots of woodland marketed to the amenity market are in many ways pretty safe.

If however you choose an initially less visually attractive wood, perhaps a wood that was once all native species but then was planted with conifers - yet still has many broadleaved trees present amongst the conifers- then you can really do something special. The overall cost will probably be about the same; The initial purchase price will be less (visual attractiveness is a key determinant of value in the amenity woodland market), the money left over in the budget can then be spent on transforming the woodland in many positive ways.

I suppose what I'm blathering about is think about whether you just want to enjoy a wonderful already safe (protected by legislation against development, and market forces against felling - as the value of the timber on these small woods is negligible compared to the amenity value of them with the trees standing)or a truly creative woodland conservation project.

Hopefully that doesn't sound too preachy - it wasn't meant to be, just food for thought! If you're anywhere near North Wales feel free to come and see what you can do in a day with a chainsaw on a so called conifer Planted Ancient Woodland Site.

http://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/fr/INFD-5Z5GJ8

Good luck whatever you choose!

[Kentish Man]

Don't worry Stephen1, it doesn't sound like preaching to me - just good advice. I'm partly taking an interest in the whole "world" of woodlands, specifically buying one as I would love to learn more and to understand how nature works as much as I can, in order to learn how to best protect and help it develop where possible. Therein lies the problem I guess, as Nature seems to be the best thing at keeping things going, rather than Human intervention - so part of me thinks I shouldn't really need to do anything!



On the other hand, I understand that generally speaking the environment is at danger overall, so would like to think by getting personally involved, I'd be learning more and potentially helping more. I understand that because I don't yet know very much at all, that whatever ideas I might have at present, may potentially damage fragile systems that are currently thriving too, so I'm doing a lot of thinking and research at the moment.



I was almost going to buy a large field some time ago in order to follow a few conservation type ideas, but concern at the practical realities of managing it all by hand took over and when woodland popped up as a thought and having read parts of the marvellous book 'Badgers, Beeches and Blisters', decided that as the woodlands would have been fine without me, that should I for one reason or another, not be able to spend more time doing things in the woods, they would of course, carry on just fine without me.



That seed planted is now starting to grow roots! Hence all the questions!



As far as buying "ugly" forest to improve goes, there's not a great many woodlands for sale in my area to choose from unfortunately, but that said, the chestnut coppice wood with standards that I'm interested in, is rather delightful. I feel that there's not much in the way of wildlife in it though apart from the odd squirrel and occasional butterfly, so would be keen to expand on ways of getting more creatures into the woods through following good advice and good practice.