Roadside Dangerous Tree Removal and Forestry Harvesting for a Major Landowner

Objective

Conduct thinning and harvesting of ~2,500tns of Ash, including removal of all roadside trees and vegetation on a road running through the woodland.

Context

The woodland is of significant importance to a high profile landowner and other local stakeholders. The site itself ran along a large escarpment in Derbyshire with multiple Public Rights of Way running through the edges of the woodland. 60% of the site was in an SSSI, as well as containing a large commercial game shoot. Sensitive, safe and quality delivery was of paramount importance.

Delivery

• Completed an initial site survey to scope the project and identify any ecological constraints or considerations
• Created a detailed method statement and harvesting plan with identified extraction routes and stacking areas
• Before starting, we began by improving the woodland infrastructure by creating extended turning areas and improving the forestry tracks.
• Once felling began, it was largely facilitated with our Ponsse Scorpion King forestry harvester, support by hand-felling.
• Utilised winch assist with our Valtra T214 and 12T Uniforest fully remote-controlled winch, due to the steep slopes throughout the woodland.
• Extracted all brash and timber, including firewood and Sawlog using our John Deer Forwarder, also using winch assist where required
• Our client requested an additional roadside clearance to ensure all non-veteran or windfirm trees were removed along with all understory vegetation. The road had a very steep gradient, and the lack of light had made the road treacherous during winter months.
• Operating under a full road closure, all felling of 350m of roadside trees on both sides of the road was completed in one day using our harvester, forwarder, 14 ton and 25 ton long reach excavators.
• All timber tacked on the woodland ride for removal by timber lorry, and brash chipped directly into our walking floor and removed from site within the day. Overall, 50 ton of chip and 95 ton of timber was removed in one day.
• Once this separate project was completed, we switched focus back to completing our harvesting operation.
• Throughout the project, we marketed and distributed all product ourselves. Firewood was marketed to local BSL-registered merchants, delivered in with our FORS accredited timber haulage lorry. All brash from the site was shipped on site with our lorry mounted, crane fed whole tree chipper, chipping directly into our walking floor lorry. All woodchip sold and distributed directly into BSL-accredited clients for production of biomass fuel.
• At the completion of the project, the woodland was reinstated with all ruts being folded and final contaminated brash stacked in windrows to allow planting to take place.

Outcome

1. All ash trees felled and removed from site as per the scope.
2. Roadside clear of all non-veteran or windfirm trees and vegetation.
3. Woodland reinstated, ready for replanting as per the felling licence.
4. The start of a strong relationship with the landowner and their agents, resulting in multiple follow-on projects including another major roadside clearance.