
Case studies
Here is a selection of recent timber harvesting and forest management projects:
36.55 hectares – area of site
3,619 tonnes – total amount of timber harvestedAccess issues and the Covid pandemic contributed to a delayed start to a first thinning project carried out by Agriforest in the Dunfermline area.
It took some lengthy discussions with neighbouring landowner, Forest & Land Scotland, before an agreement could drawn up and access granted through its land to Craigluscar Farm in order to perform a first thinning operation.
The sheltered aspect of the site and the good former agricultural ground which the trees were planted on meant that the decision was made to proceed.
Due to the delays, compounded by the Covid pandemic, the work started later than anticipated but the 36 hectare site yielded excellent timber. In total 3,619 tonnes of timber was harvested from the site leaving the owners with a substantially improved woodland, a lengthy access lease for use next time, and the prospect of further income in years to come from a sizeable commercial woodland.
20.03 hectares – area of clear felling site
36.28 hectares – area of second thinning site
8,789 tonnes – total amount of timber harvested
2,032 tonnes – total amount of brash recoveredAgriforest was tasked with returning to a farm site, where it had previously performed a first thinning, in order to complete a second thinning operation and take on a large clear felling project at the same time
After the first thinning operation at Gascoigne Farm the crop had grown back exceptionally well and, as market prices were at record levels, the owner decided to harvest a large 20 hectare area on the farm.
A second thinning operation of 36 hectare was also given the go ahead which provided a useful income and helped improve the final tally to almost 9,000 tonnes of harvested timber.
Brash recovery of over 2,000 tones of material proved to be a great way of clearing the site quickly and, due to the good road access and stacking space, an excellent price was achieved. No ground preparation was required afterwards which was a huge saving.
Agriforest conducted the felling work itself, which meant that the operation started and finished as planned and any last minute changes or requests from the owner were easily accommodated.
5.94 hectares – area of site
3,341 tonnes – amount of timber harvestedFaced with the difficult job of harvesting from a site that was located on either side of the busy A7 trunk road, Agirforest spent a year planning the tricky operation.
Dryden Farm had various shelter belts that required felling, containing many over-mature and wind damaged trees. As the sites straddled the main road the planning of the job was critical and involved discussions with various third parties before the first machine entered the site.
Agriforest had lengthy consultations with BEAR Scotland, which manages the A7, and with Scottish Power. All neighbouring land owners were also contacted to ensure the work went smoothly.
The main issue was the difficult access into the various sites, which meant that double handling of the timber was required, moving the felled wood to a stacking area that could then be accessed by lorries. In order to allow roadside felling, traffic lights were required over seven nights; a digger was on site throughout to enable steeper bits of ground to be accessed and to reinstate areas of field that were crossed by timber extraction machinery.
Where brash could not be moved for practical reasons, it was either heaped up into burn piles, or rowed up. The only area of brash on site accessible to lorries and chippers was extracted by Agriforest’s own machinery to leave the site clear for replanting.
The work took just under two months to complete and over 3,000 tonnes of timber was harvested and sold. All restocking was completed by Agriforest over the following winter.