how much work is involved in managing a small woodland

[smojo]

Before I commit to buying a woodland I'd like to know how much time and work is required. On the surface it would seem like it should look after itself, after all they've been around for millions of years. But someone on here commented that it was surprising how much time was needed for even a small woodland. I'm 62 and not fantastically fit (arthritis and slightly overweight) so I don't want to give myself something I can't cope with. I just want to enjoy getting away for a bit of wild camping and bushcraft and enjoy nature and feel connected to it. Would I be making "a rod for my own back"?

[oldclaypaws]

how much time and work is required

As much as you want to put in, somewhere between endless and zero. Many woods are totally unmanaged, others are highly 'groomed'. A compromise is keep a few paths and clearings clear, then let the rest go 'wild' or tend to as you feel able. Most heavy work is done in the winter, spring can be used for chopping logs, tidying, summer is for barbies and relaxing, Autumn for gathering fruit and mushrooms. Consider it a 'green gym' without membership fees!

[Dexter's Shed]

I'll second that, when we started looking, we were looking at 2 acre sized plots, then 3's then 4's, most of the smaller plots had evenly spaced trees, and you could easily pitch a tent and camp from the off,

[Wendelspanswick]

We recently purchased 16acres, half mature woodland and half meadow. None of which has been maintained for years. The woodland seems to have looked after itself, whereas the meadows are succumbing to bracken, brambles, thistles, gorse and ants nests.
Mind you I am not complaining, hacking at brambles and gorse and then burning the trash is great therapy and its given me the excuse to buy new toys. Looking forward to making hay this summer and having a go at charcoal making.
Having a source of free heating for the home is an added benefit.

Having to maintain hedges can be time consuming as can footpaths and gates if there is public access although you may be entitled to help from the local authority, our LA provided us with two brand new wooden gates to replace the dilapidated old ones. We had to fit them but this gave us the chance to replace the posts and field gates as well.

[SitkaSpruce]

As much as you want! I own about 3 hectares- it seems about enough for me to manage but I have no previous experience and am working. It would be easy to spend a lot of time there, but most tree management is done in winter. Summer is for exploring, watching wildlife and just sitting in the woods. As you say the trees usually look after themselves. There's great pleasure to be had though- my other half has discovered the stress busting activity of thinning trees. In some ways not going too often is better for wildlife as you are not disturbing it. There are responsibilities however. you will need to take out insurance. you have to consider the safety of the public, particularly on boundaries and on paths so trees need to be safe and you may need to take care of walls and gates etc. You could always get a professional to manage it if need be.

[smojo]

Thanks for replies everyone. Yeah boundaries and falling trees are something to consider aren't they?

[oldclaypaws]

There's a bit of a contradiction on 'unsafe' trees. If you have a footpath through, having half dead old trees overhanging walkers is not a good starting point and needs to be made safe. On the other hand, if you don't have 3rd parties wandering through, standing dead wood is a very valuable ecological resource for bugs, bats and birds. If in doubt you can always fell it and leave it around in safe heaps to decay on the ground. We have quite a bit of standing dead wood, but just don't wander round the wood in force 8 gales.

None of it is too daunting, a bit of reading, advice from pros, and common sense and you'll be fine. Most of us started clueless and are now coping pretty well.

Better to not have footpaths through and well defined boundaries such as hedges, walls or ditches, although they can always be created over time after purchase.

I'd say the key things to look for are the physical 'bones' of the wood- location, drainage, access, size, incline, boundaries, public access. - and price

[Bearwood]

I'd say the key things to look for are the physical 'bones' of the wood- location, drainage, access, size, incline, boundaries, public access. - and price

I couldn't have summarised it better myself.

When we purchased our plot, the last two were the real clinchers. We didn't want the public to be walking through while we were working, and the price is obviously a huge governing factor for most folk.

As most have already explained in detail; you get out what you put in. If you clear a few spots for camping, it sounds like you'll benefit in terms of bushcraft, however, before you know it you'll be doing so much more!

[oldclaypaws]

I'd say the key things to look for are the physical 'bones' of the wood- location, drainage, access, size, incline, boundaries, public access. - and price

I'll explain briefly a summary of the other 4 woods I put bids in for, the price they went for, and why I'd have paid even more than the top end price we paid to secure ours. They are useful 'case studies' to show what to look at.

Wood 1) 14 acres, 1 mile from home. Mixed conifer and deciduous, well drained, good access, flat, reasonable boundaries, no Public access. Cons- not far from encroaching suburbs, commercial conifers on large part so lacked character, some road noise. Bid £70k to Cleggs, but wealthy investor put in £250k bid for all three of the vendors woods shutting us out.

Wood 2) 3.5 acres on a hill top 10 miles from home. Ancient deciduous, well drained. degree of slope, awesome views. Lots of character. Problem- No Access, narrow lane with steep sides meant it was only a walk-in wood. After initial £22k bid, we withdrew due to the unresolved access problem. Eventually sold to London buyer for £42k who wanted a source of green oak. Interesting, as there wasn't a single oak tree on it.

Wood 3) 3.5 acres 'Arboretum' feel with some specimen very old yews and chestnuts. Level, drive straight in, secluded. 25 miles from home. Offered £50k but it went to auction and sold for £68k. Cons; too far, too expensive.

Wood 4) 2.5 acres. Incredible location. Hidden in a 'secret valley' 16 miles from home with a to-die-for small river with waterfalls as one boundary, and a Mill leat as the other, caravan parked in it, very narrow and long. In effect a River bank recently planted. Bid £25k but withdrew when it was getting silly, and it was really a River bank, not a wood. Sold for £42k after final bids invited.

Wood 5) Ours; 5.3 Acres, 3 Miles from home. Ancient with 150 magnificent Oaks up to 400 yrs old. Quiet location served by a lane. Well drained. Excellent drive in access off road with 1/3 acre hard standing. Surrounding ditches, woodbanks and hedges make it feel like a private walled garden. Every visitor says its the prettiest wood they've ever been in. No public access. Perfect. Visited every day for a month before auction, fell in love and had decided it was ours. Held hand up at (hotly contested) auction until we got it and would have paid more. That was the first time the wood had been sold as an individual plot in the last 1300 years, previously part of large 2000 acre estate. Now realise with the timber value the £72k was actually a bargain, would never sell. Visit every day. Bliss.

[The Barrowers]

Hello 15 acres,100 Miles from Home, no public access. good woodland neighbours, Nice mixed trees, seasonal stream, everything good. Used to run up and down with wheel barrows 5 years ago BUT think carefully as the golden years of life approach who in their right mind want to walk up hills, Flat is good.