Fencing

[pete]

Hi everyone, I'm just in the act of the conveyancing for my first woodland (10 acres), which I'm buying in the knowledge that there's "an obligation to stockproof fence" a short section of the boundary with a neighbour's field....... I think about 30 yds. At the moment there's just rough hedge.

Questions: 1. Will I have fulfilled my legal obligation by planting a new hedge from whip plants next Winter, allow it to mature a little and then 'laying' it ? 2. If not, what's the cheapest method of making stock-proof fence, and could I build it myself? Thanks.

[DaveTaz]

Stock fencing isn't difficult providing you know what you are doing and have the right tools/materials.

May be more efficient to get a contractor in.

You may need to wait 10 years before a new hedge is any where near ready for laying

Also worth talking to your neighbour, he may have the means of putting up the fence and you could provide the materials and extra labour

[woodbodger]

I think it's a bit cheeky really: I don't see your trees escaping from your wood and running amuck in your neighbors field, I know I am opening up a can of worms here but I think you would fullfil your contractual obligation by putting up 2 strands of barbed wire. Your neighbor has a legal obligation to secure his field so that his cattle do not stray into your wood. What does everyone else think?

[Darren]

i'm with you on that Woodbodger. If one of my fell into a field and damage the farmers field I would pay for the repair but in the up keep of the whole fence.

I found out by accident when making stakes for tree guards that Hawthorn re roots really easily. Might make it cheaper for you.

[pete]

Thanks very much to Darren, Woodbodger & Davetaz for those helpful comments. But I suppose there must be established case law on fencing. Maybe I'll just play it by ear because they seem like a nice supportive community of farmers around the wood. But guess who the tenant farmer's landlord is who wants the boundary fenced.......... the University of Oxford!!!!

[MartinD]

If you are in receipt of, or applying for, a woodland improvement grant, you may be able to get a grant towards stock proof fencing. I think the going rate is £4.50 per metre, for cow /sheep, more if it is for deer, and you will get 50% / 80% of that rate depending on the basis of your grant. From the FC perspective, if they are paying for maintenance of the woodland, the last thing they want is damage caused by animals, especially sheep (or even worse, goats)

[pete]

Thanks Martin.......really useful!

[splodger]

we do our own fencing

we make the posts out of chestnut - then we just get appropriate wire to staple on

but you may need to make straining posts if you are using heavy duty wire / mess

we had to put up deer proof fence along our boundary that borders the road - and that was hard work as there was only me and my father doing it - and that boundary measures about 700 ft

if you need deer proof mesh - then try and find a supplier that will sell you it in 50m rolls as they usually come in 100m rolls - and they are too heavy to handle - if working without machinery