Doing own forestry work

It's possible, whether it's worth it is another thing. You would still need a forester for the paperwork.

We had 3-4 acres burned 30 years ago.

My father decided to replant it himself father than pay someone.

Never again he swore and he is a man that is made for hardship.

Hi Cute Geoge,

I fear I must disagree, perhaps I need my head examined?

From where comes the idea that only "poor land" is suitable for growing trees?

Is it perhaps an idea that farming is somehow more profitable/better than forestry?

Maybe its because we can easily imagine what to do with farmland, but struggle to imagine how to manage forested areas, we do not have the cultural experience of this after all.

As with many types of plants, different species of trees prefer to grow in different climatic conditions and on different soil types.

trees suited to "poor land" as you call it are not suited to better/reasonable land, and trees suited to better land.... you get the point

Fortunately for foresters in Ireland one species which grows on fairly poor land is quite profitable (Sitka).

Unfortunately for small forest owners it is difficult to add value to sitka before sale and you are tied to a few large sawmills as customers, and dependent on mechanical harvesters which make operations expensive. This has the result of making smaller parcels much less profitable to harvest and sometimes uneconomic.

If however a woman wanted to plant a different species to sitka on the same poor land she could too, she might perhaps choose willow and alder and supply coffin makers with materials for basket coffins, alder for the base and top boards and willow for the weave.

If however a man wanted to plant better land he'd have a much wider species choice, higher yields, and many more opportunities for non timber yields from the forest.

My Father (deceased) and I have backed up these ideas with action, we planted quality land (100 ac)(planted 1996,2001,2004,2012), we have 31 different varieties and species (hard and softwoods), we have many non timber outputs from our forest. We strive to add value to all timber products after harvest and before sale (for example Larch thinnings turned to fenceposts rather than sold cheaply for pulp)

tim

For reasonable land 500ha is on the lower end of rent.

And forestry crushes the value of the land per acre.

So short term extra money. But long term potentially less value.

Did my own planting here,6ha, no mounding, ripped it myself, planted, then had to remove 9000 ash for dieback, and replanted, and would do it all again if I had more land to plant, don't wreck yourself planting, plant 500 a day and then leave it till the next day, I welded a piece of 1 inch box iron on top of the spade to push against and put a point on the spade also, it made a big difference, tis well worn now