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.
0.34 hectares – area of site
183 tonnes – amount of timber harvestedAgriforest was approached about harvesting a small mixed woodland strip directly next to farm buildings. The trees were over mature, with several having shed limbs recently which meant that precise planning was needed to enable a safe operation.
Although a small site, less than half a hectare, work at Nether Stewarton required some detailed planning due to the size of the trees and the proximity of both farm buildings and an access track.
A small strip of Sitka Spruce was felled first, followed by the larger broadleaved trees. Only one machine was required for the whole process – one of Agriforest's two Doosan forestry excavators with a hydraulic grab – which worked alongside a team of two chainsaw operators. The work took a week to complete which included sorting through felled material and stacking the timber at the roadside.
The 183 tonnes of timber was sorted into four sizes and sold to different buyers which meant the customer received the best price available. After felling and timber extraction, branches were rowed up and a mulcher was brought in to mulch all residue leaving the site ready for replanting.
Agriforest carried out the winter replanting using a mix of native broadleaved trees.
Over 2,000 tonnes of timber harvested from steep site
When Agriforest was asked to combine two difficult harvesting projects at different sites, within the same property, it was more than prepared to meet the challenge.
The work at Braidlie Farm was initially made more difficult due to the fact that it involved removing diseased Larch (Phytophthora Ramorum) on a steep hillside as well as the removal of further Larch and Sitka Spruce in a nearby compartment. Additionally, the Larch was partially wind blown, which meant that harvesting was going to be slow and awkward.
The steep ground was overcome by creating shallow tracks on the hillside with Agriforest's excavator working alongside contractor IH Forestry's harvester. An appropriate extraction route was also created for the forwarder to use. Any areas not accessible to machinery were either felled uphill or downhill with a chainsaw; the harvester then processed the trees.
The landowner had prepared and upgraded timber haulage routes within the farm with stone from a nearby quarry. As access was unsuitable for articulated lorries, haulage firm JA Dayson provided two 'lorry and drag' configured units to haul the timber along a restricted route.
It was necessary to restrict daily load counts to a figure that had been agreed with the local authority in order to reduce any damage or disruption to the local road network. Timber haulage was successfully completed with over 2,000 tonnes being produced from the property, far exceeding the customer’s expectations and reaping them a healthy financial reward.
In 2020 Agriforest were tasked with undertaking a long term forest plan renewal (LTFP) of the woodland resource at Glen Estate, Peeblesshire, in the Scottish Borders.
The estate covers 3,500 acres of which 540 acres are woodland or commercial forestry. With some damage caused by Storm Arwen in November 2021 it was decided to undertake a phase of clear felling to catch up on over mature commercial stands once the LTFP was approved. Clearing wind blow and removing timber from some of the trickier areas of the estate which had been put off from previous years was also a priority.
The work had been meticulously planned with extensive consultation with the local residents (30 + residential properties are within the estate) to minimise disruption. Being home to Pine Marten, Red Squirrels, and Badgers the wildlife was also worked around to cause minimal impact. With the landscape of the estate varying from ancient parkland to steep valleys, a variety of machinery and skills were required to allow the work to be completed.
The timber harvested across all areas came to over 13,000 tonnes. Agriforest undertook the bulk of the remedial works where required although the estate roads held up incredibly well considering the bulk of the work was undertaken over winter months. Ground preparation was carried out in 2024, with planting being carried out in early 2025. A programme of maintenance across restock sites along with ongoing management of other woodlands is in full swing and we are delighted to be forming part of Glen Estate's long history in looking after and investing in the land.
