What would you do with 30 acres of woodland?

[santaman2000]

Those that have mentioned keeping livestock - what would be the end goal behind that? I'm assuming pigs could be sold for meat, is there much of a market for goat or deer? Coincidentally the woodland on the opposite side of the valley to us has a heard of goats in it, have never thought about what they do with them though. Would livestock have an impact on wild camping, I have visions of campers being attacked by pigs! Or pigs being let free and running riot!

As FYGT said you could charge a small fee for stalking deer IF the herd will sustain it. More likely the deer would be for your own consumption.

You guessed the market for pigs but only profitable if you maintain a larger herd than you likely want. However that does leave them for your own consumption as well or if allowed to go feral you could possibly charge a stalking fee for that as well (somebody here on the forum needs to advise on the UK legalities concerning that enterprise please) Be advised however that hogs can be destructive to land and other wildlife if the population gets too large.

There are two different types of goats:
1. meat goats and 2. dairy goats.
I have no idea what the market value for them would be in the UK but the market's growing here due to immigration trends. As always you can always keep the herd small and use for your own consumption. One of the advantages of keeping goats is that they'll keep the underbrush in check. That can also be a disadvantage depending on your ultimate goals.

I keep pigs for my own meat pays for it self and give me low cost very high quality Pork /Sausages bacon etc
and no you don't just release them into a wood you would never catch them again

Deer would be naturally occurring and you can charge a reasonable amount to lease the shooting rights to a stalker depending on whats there (may not be any) 30 acres isnt massive

if your going to manage the woodland you may need to Control the deer any way they like young trees etc
its a good source of meat if you do it your self etc or the odd one to do a deer skin and butchery course followed by Tanning the hide etc

ATB

Duncan

 

[santaman2000]

Thanks Duncan. Our neighbours have a small holding (minus the woodland) and have just reared pigs. Some of the tastiest pork I've ever had, so definitely worth some consideration. I may try and find someone locally with the knowledge for tannery, skinning and see if they would be interested in perhaps leasing some land. Having no knowledge of that sort of thing myself I don't think it would be viable for us to attempt it!

You might be surprised how easy raising just one or two for personal consumption is.

 

[British Red]

For sure with 30 acres your domestic heating bill should be zero from now on!

 

[Robson Valley]

No livestock. They forever alter the natural understory of the forest.
If you like it wild, pigs and goats will destroy that.
Do put the composting toilets downstream (who's downstream from you?)
Is this stream potable water? (who's upstream from you?)

Manage the forest for the wood. Random chopping for bed and camp frames will
lay waste to the stand structure. Wood for carving seem such a premium in the UK,
there's some coin in that. Firewood collection across Africa has sure made a barren mess of the forests.

Please, please limit the human population. Here, the Bowron Lakes canoe loop is restricted but it's still a zoo of poo.

 

[Noobie]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Lots for us to think about.

Think we will definitely start by exploring the wild camping avenue and take it from there. Not sure how many of the ideas are compatible with the camping, although definitely interested in the possibility of running courses etc if we can find someone locally who would be able to run them.

 

[santaman2000]

.....Manage the forest for the wood. Random chopping for bed and camp frames will
lay waste to the stand structure.......

Of my 73 acres only about 35 or so is woodland. Yet my family and I managed to make a fair profit by having it logged every 10 to 20 years as long as I can remember (I'm 58 now) and it certainly hasn't been lain to waste. Still many, many trees centuries old and the type wildlife that only thrives in old growth forests (fox squirrels among others) as well as an abundant deer and wild turkey population. And we also cut our own firewood from it and keeping herds of livestock on it, mostly beef cattle and saddle/plow horses.

But that's when managed properly. A constant presence of campers/crafters collecting daily, or even weekly, will indeed likely strip it quickly.

 

[Robson Valley]

+1 santaman. Land management for whatever landscape values you prescribe.
I believe that's why popular campgrounds in parks look the barren way that they do.

 

[bearbait]

I'd suggest you contact your local wildlife trust first, either for a formal or informal survey. They can give you a good idea of the richness of the biodiversity (if you're into that, of course) and that and they can give you some guidelines as to how intensively you should/could manage the woodland with the various schemes suggested in the thread.

If you've just acquired the woodland I also suggest you do nothing for a year or so. Just visit, walk around, look what's there, what appears and disappears with the seasons. Just get a feel for it. If you have access to a trailcam or two set them up at some appropriate places.

Also consider the place and role of your woodland in the surrounding landscape.

Mostly, enjoy it! You are fortunate.

 

[santaman2000]

I'd suggest you contact your local wildlife trust first, either for a formal or informal survey. They can give you a good idea of the richness of the biodiversity (if you're into that, of course) and that and they can give you some guidelines as to how intensively you should/could manage the woodland with the various schemes suggested in the thread.

If you've just acquired the woodland I also suggest you do nothing for a year or so. Just visit, walk around, look what's there, what appears and disappears with the seasons. Just get a feel for it. If you have access to a trailcam or two set them up at some appropriate places.

Also consider the place and role of your woodland in the surrounding landscape.

Mostly, enjoy it! You are fortunate.

Sound advice.

 

[Harvestman]

I'd suggest you contact your local wildlife trust first, either for a formal or informal survey. They can give you a good idea of the richness of the biodiversity (if you're into that, of course) and that and they can give you some guidelines as to how intensively you should/could manage the woodland with the various schemes suggested in the thread.

If you've just acquired the woodland I also suggest you do nothing for a year or so. Just visit, walk around, look what's there, what appears and disappears with the seasons. Just get a feel for it. If you have access to a trailcam or two set them up at some appropriate places.

Also consider the place and role of your woodland in the surrounding landscape.

Mostly, enjoy it! You are fortunate.

I agree this too. You might find you have a rare habitat or even SSSI quality land that it would be a shame to damage. My first thought was what is the tree species mix? I'm half expecting you to say sessile oak dominated, which is pretty slow growing and less tolerant of harvesting than say and ash or willow based woodland.

I'd love to come up and have a look at it from a biodiversity perspective, as I have skills in that line. PM me if you are interested. I'm in South East Wales, but it isn't going to be the first time I've driven to Aberystwyth for a day trip!

 

[Trojan]

Have a look at www.woodlands.co.uk not with a view to selling but lots of info on managing a woodland and I am sure the local rep would chat to you about courses and ideas etc

Also offer it to the local Scouts for camping to - they would not pay much pppn but would be greatful!

 

[Noobie]

We've owned it for three years now and have done very little other than clear fallen trees for firewood and ride the horses around it. Previous owner had a lot more time & machinery than us and kept it very well maintained - it's gotten a bit wilder since we've had it.
Will definitely look at getting in touch with local scout groups & wildlife trusts. Thanks.

 

[santaman2000]

I hadn't thought of the Scouts. They might be able and eager to do more than just the normal camping you'd expect. I don't know about your scouting programs there, but over here the scouts are required (for advancement to more senior ranks such as eagle) to do projects that benefit the public. That might be useful for both you and them if you let the public access the land on a not-for-profit basis.

 

[bowji john]

If you are not a member already - get in touch with the Small Woodland Owners Group (SWOG)

Or join their forum

You will find a great deal of info there

Much of the advice I would give has already been mentioned

I run a similar facility in a smaller woodland than yours - nothing gets cut down - everything (fire wood, hazel ash staves etc) is brought in - otherwise it would be stripped in very short order

For toilets I suggest you use composting loos. Simple gas fired showers if you want to really treat them. The river water at our place looks clean but all water needs treatment before drinking.

Consider providing potable water.

It is a sad thing to have to bring up but also look at H & S regs and Occupiers liability etc. Consider insurance as the operator and as the land owner. Consider the dreaded planning laws !

PM me if you would like further info

 

[EddieP]

If I had a patch like that I'd keep it to myself. 30 acres isnt that big, it may support some deer which could be harvested (1 or 2 a year). I'm looking for somewhere that size for me to play and for my future kids. If I could make it break even with timber etc. I'd be happy. I know that sounds selfish, but once it becomes a commercial venture it'd have to turn over a fair amount to make it pay enough to remove "my personal hideaway".

 

[Klenchblaize]

If I'm to be honest: Install an extremely tall and impenetrable fence around it.

K

 

[santaman2000]

If I had a patch like that I'd keep it to myself. 30 acres isnt that big, it may support some deer which could be harvested (1 or 2 a year). ...

Unless there's a game fence around it, it's irrelevant what the land will support alone. The deer will pay no attention to the property boundaries and will roam as they please back and forth across it and the neighboring properties. If the neighboring properties (within a square mile or two)are good habitat, a tree stand on 1 acre is suitable to harvest several deer per year as they cross in front of said stand.

Unless your deer species have much smaller ranges than ours?

 

[Robson Valley]

Be very wary of any association with the Scouts without the modern view of landscape management.
Their older handbooks for camping assume that they can RAVAGE the forest for every stick and twig
in their encyclopedia of bushcraft.
Whole regions of the USA have been ruined before a stop was put to their handcrafts.

klenchblaize has a useful idea = 6" x 6" posts and an 8' fence.
I suggest a posted number = Bushcraft Camping by permission only.
Your land.
You control the numbers (sensible, huh?)
All the money is yours to defray the disturbances to the landscape.

 

[EddieP]

Unless there's a game fence around it, it's irrelevant what the land will support alone. The deer will pay no attention to the property boundaries and will roam as they please back and forth across it and the neighboring properties. If the neighboring properties (within a square mile or two)are good habitat, a tree stand on 1 acre is suitable to harvest several deer per year as they cross in front of said stand.

Unless your deer species have much smaller ranges than ours?

In the uk we have small isolsted patches of woodland in places, so depending on whats around there may not be the deer about to take.

 

[santaman2000]

In the uk we have small isolsted patches of woodland in places, so depending on whats around there may not be the deer about to take.

Yeah if the property is isolated in an otherwise urban environment deer will likely be fewer and more contained. That said, many species also cross farmland pretty freely. I suppose it's going to depend on the exact conditions and species at the OP's site. In any case small game should be more plentiful.