I have gone sale agreed on ten acres of forestry-

HEX Heifer

Well-Known Member
Hi I have gone sale agreed on a 10 acres of forestry, the main reason is its has an existing lane, and with a bit of work that will join my main block to another block we have.

The forest is a mix of young and mature trees, with some huge ash and beech in it too.
I have a romantic notion of being able to harvest the forest (1/2 acre a year) to heat the house, water etc.
We have a big draughty house and its crazy expensive to heat. I have no intention in clear felling the land, and i'm getting no sub on it. The lane is the reason to buy it, I see the firewood as a great bonus.

I wont need to cut anything this year or next as there is a lot of dead fall and i'd pull a lot of that out with a ferguson 20.

Any thoughts, good or bad?
 
You will need to apply for a felling licence if you are harvesting more than a certain amount per year, but otherwise sounds like a grand idea. I love a few trees, 10 acres is more than a few!

Rather than harvesting in blocks you should read up on continous cover forestry which might suit better https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/crops/forestry/advice/Continuous-Cover-Forest-Management.pdf

Also get yourself over to the forestry forum on boards.ie, some real tree nerds in there.
 
You will need to apply for a felling licence if you are harvesting more than a certain amount per year, but otherwise sounds like a grand idea. I love a few trees, 10 acres is more than a few!

Rather than harvesting in blocks you should read up on continous cover forestry which might suit better https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/crops/forestry/advice/Continuous-Cover-Forest-Management.pdf

Also get yourself over to the forestry forum on boards.ie, some real tree nerds in there.

Thanks thats interesting, ccf is a more thought out version of what I'm thinking.

I have a 30kw henley stove i got as a wedding present sitting in a box a few years, it will be roaring come december.

How do i find out the max allowed cut without a licence.
 
Thanks thats interesting, ccf is a more thought out version of what I'm thinking.

I have a 30kw henley stove i got as a wedding present sitting in a box a few years, it will be roaring come december.

How do i find out the max allowed cut without a licence.

If its sika, you'll want to be drying wood almost 2 years in advance. ie Wood that you cut in the first quarter of 2019 shouldn't be burned until the last quarter 2020 - that way you'll have no problem with creosote build up in chimneys. Good luck with it. It's something that I have in mind to do too!
 
If its sika, you'll want to be drying wood almost 2 years in advance. ie Wood that you cut in the first quarter of 2019 shouldn't be burned until the last quarter 2020 - that way you'll have no problem with creosote build up in chimneys. Good luck with it. It's something that I have in mind to do too!

i walked with a mate who is a tree surgoen, its a mix of sika, ash, beech, some oak, alder and some laurel on the boundaries.

It's been there a long while as it appears in old land regsitry maps we have of our place.
 
i walked with a mate who is a tree surgoen, its a mix of sika, ash, beech, some oak, alder and some laurel on the boundaries.

It's been there a long while as it appears in old land regsitry maps we have of our place.

Sounds like an excellent mix for firewood!
 
I walked it last night again with the wife, a lot more trees are down that I thought.
Its going to transform the farm, instead of walking cattle down the road, it will be a one man job to move them.
Sounds like a good buy, when you cut the timber over time will you need to plant more to replace them or can you maybe do like what johnboys thread mentions and use it as agroforesty?
 
Sounds like a good buy, when you cut the timber over time will you need to plant more to replace them or can you maybe do like what johnboys thread mentions and use it as agroforesty?

Its not cheap but it makes the farm, i see the trees as a bonus.
My tree surgeon mate advised me to plant quickish growing native hardwoods.
 
Id advise you to cut anything that is sawlog size and hire in a mobile band mill or take the logs to a mill. If you have oak or larch you have ready made stakes. Only make firewood out of whats not really usable for anything else. I made up a small timber trailer that holds approx. 2 tons,. and makes thinning a joy; rather than opening it all up due to harvesters.
 
https://www.independent.ie/business...-lands-but-there-are-exemptions-36673356.html

its gotten a bit complicated it seems. I dont think felling licences are hard got, more of a paperwork exercise
I had to get an arborist to apply for a licence to cut 11 dangerous trees around the yard. Was told I would have it in 2 months. Took 11 months really pissed me off the whole process, was like getting planning, I lost it one day when the told me it was held up due to checking for pearl mussels FFS.
Arbourist cost €500 plus Vat. I won’t be doing it again in a hurry.
Edit: I am 45 miles from the sea and over a mile from the nearest river. I have no idea how mussels could be near my place.
 
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You should have rang the council "anonymously" to say there was dangerous trees around your yard. They probably would have come out and make you cut them down:lol:
 
I had to get an arborist to apply for a licence to cut 11 dangerous trees around the yard. Was told I would HSE it in 2 months. Took 11 months really pissed me off the whole process, was like getting planning, I lost it one day when the told me it was held up due to checking for pearl mussels FFS.
Arbourist cost €500 plus Vat. I won’t be doing it again in a hurry.

If that wasn't so serious It's an absolute joke. Typical Ireland making jobs for the boys and a mountain out of a molehill.
 
I gave up forestry consulting as I could see the day when a client may take legal action against me for not delivering or for loss of revenue as the forest service can have delays or run out of money. The forest service needs an overhaul. I know staff in it and they are decent honest people but the system the dept ag now run needs to be reviewed.

Anyone can fill out a felling license.
You only need an arborist (like myself) if you need to prove the trees are dangerous, or that other actions are not really viable. This may be part of a planning requirement, or tpo or where the council may require a proper assessment ie roadside trees etc.

You need a forester to fill out a felling license when part of the condition will require a management plan . This is normal for thinnings and drawing of grants.
 
Id advise you to cut anything that is sawlog size and hire in a mobile band mill or take the logs to a mill. If you have oak or larch you have ready made stakes. Only make firewood out of whats not really usable for anything else. I made up a small timber trailer that holds approx. 2 tons,. and makes thinning a joy; rather than opening it all up due to harvesters.
Have you a contact for a mobile band saw as I was in contact with a guy near Enniskerry and he said he would call when in the area doing work. I have a few nice oak to saw up .
 
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