How Do I Manage My Woodland?

Managing your woodland can seem complicated and daunting, but it doesn’t need to be. It can be difficult to know where to begin, so we have put together a step-by-step approach that can guide you through the process from planning woodland operations, through timber extraction and selling, to restocking. This will make sure you don’t get bogged down in the complexities, and can continue to see the wood for the trees.

At a glance

• There are many under-managed woodlands in the UK, meaning there is a lot of opportunity to improve woodland condition and increase timber resource across the country, through planned harvesting interventions.
• Effective timber harvesting is one of the best ways of managing your woodland whilst also generating income.
• Harvesting and managing woodland is a cycle,that typically begins with planning and continues through to restocking and maintenance of new trees. We outline seven key steps along the woodland management process, and the main points to consider for each one to ensure a sustainable and safe harvesting operation
• Partnering with experts is a great way to ensure compliant, effective and efficient operations.

Tomorrow’s Forests manages the entire process, so you can unlock value while meeting environmental and legal obligations. Contact us on 07824 673239 or office@tomorrowsforests.com for a free desktop timber opportunity check and to book a woodland management assessment visit.

Introduction

Only 44%of woodlands in England are sustainably managed, which seems surprising given that well-managed woodlands are more productive for both timber and biodiversity. When it comes to looking after our woods, timber extraction through felling and thinning can be an effective tool to both improve the long-term health and growth rate of the remaining trees but also provide an income from the sale of timber. What are the factors preventing woodland owners from managing their forests more effectively?

One of the factors in preventing better woodland management is that harvesting is a complex process. Before machines or chainsaw operators can begin work on the ground, there are many processes that need to be considered, including forestry legislation, licences, operational logistics, health and safety, market considerations, weather, ecology and liaising with contractors. This level of complexity can act as a barrier for farmers and landowners to considering timber harvesting as an option and prevent them maximising the revenue potential of their woodlands.We have compiled an easy step-by-step guide to support woodland owners in navigating this process, and we can assist with advice and recommendations at every stage.

Step 1: Planning

As the saying goes, failing to plan is planning to fail. When considering harvesting your woodland, the best place to start is with your objectives. Why do you want or need to remove trees? Is it a question of windblow risk, enhancing biodiversity, or to create space for natural regeneration? Is it to make an income, to improve habitat, or both? Is it because of tree disease, or health and safety concerns? There are many priorities to consider, and they are not mutually exclusive, so outlining the objectives of the intervention is the first step towards making a fit-for-purpose plan that suits the needs of both the landowner and the woodland itself.

Step 2: Assess what you’ve got

The second step is to determine exactly what it is you have in your woodland – what is the species mix, age class, yield class (a measure of the amount of timber the stand of trees grows each year), where are the boundaries between different species (compartments), and what is the volume of trees to come out. There are online tools such as Magic Map, which will allow you to identify other constraints like scheduled monuments, protected sites, landscape character and watercourses, which all need to be checked prior to planning works.

You also need to consider access to the site – are there tracks, can a lorry get there, is it on the edge of a cliff or the top of a mountain, where are the watercourses, powerlines and underground gas mains? These factors combine to give a better indication of extraction routes, exclusion zones and machine choice, and will also affect timber selling price. Once this baseline is taken, you will have a clearer picture of the work that needs to be done, and any potential obstacles that might affect how your woodland is best managed and how to proceed with timber harvesting.

Step 3: Timber felling licence application or WMP

A timber felling licence is required for most tree‑felling operations. It outlines where your woodland is, how much timber you are going to extract and when, as well as any restocking conditions for the site. You may fell up to 5 m³ of growing trees on your property per calendar quarter without a licence, provided no more than 2 m³ are sold. However, if you intend to fell more than this, or if you plan to sell more than 2 m³, you must apply for a licence from the relevant forestry authority (Forestry Commission in England, Scottish Forestry, Natural Resources Wales or the Northern Ireland Forest Service).

A woodland management plan (WMP) outlines everything that you will have already found out in steps 1 and 2, but also specifies a felling plan over the next ten-year period, with estimated volumes of timber to come out, and restocking plans. Licences usually permit felling over a five‑year period and are extended to ten years where an approved woodland management plan is in place.

Step 4: Speak to the experts

With your timber felling licence in place, you can start operational planning. This is the time to engage with forest management companies such as Tomorrow's Forests, if you haven’t already, who can support you at every stage of the process, from planning stacking areas and haulage routes to harvesting, extraction and the eventual sale of the timber. Harvesting, marketing, and selling timber is a specialised operation, and now is the time to talk to experts in the field (or forest, as it were) about how to carry out the works effectively, efficiently and above all else, safely.

A professional forest manager or harvesting contractor will:

• Design your harvesting plan and schedule operations.
• Identify health and safety hazards and prepare risk assessments.
• Advise on sale method (standing timber vs roadside timber), produce sale documentation, advertise your timber and vet potential buyers.
• Coordinate haulage, ensuring compliance with agreed routes and weight limits.
• Ensure compliance with the UK Forestry Standard, the legal and best practice requirements for forestry operations in the UK. The UKFS contains guidance on everything from working near watercourses to preserving historic features, preparing for climate change, and considering the landscape impact of operations.

Step 5: Begin timber harvesting and extraction

The time has come to harvest the trees! Make sure that everyone involved is on the same page when it comes to the specifics of the operation, hazards and constraints, health and safety and the measures to be put in place to protect soils, watercourses and ecological features such as ancient and veteran trees.

Harvesting can be done through motor-manual felling with chainsaw operators, with harvesting machines, or a combination of both. The equipment used should be that which is most effective for the type of operation, the location and the type of thinning to be carried out, which will have been determined in the planning stage. For example, mechanised harvesting is efficient on stable ground in uniform stands of trees, and chainsaw operators are more effective in highly sensitive sites. Once timber has been cut, extracted by forwarders and stacked at roadside (if that is how you decide to sell the timber), it’s time to sell it.

Step 6: Selling timber, marketing, and haulage

There are two methods by which you can sell your harvested timber. You can sell standing timber, where the buyer harvests and pays a lump sum, or sell timber at roadside, where you harvest and sell by volume or weight. Sales can be conducted via tender or negotiated agreements, and you should work with your forestry manager to select the right option.

Using reputable buyers and hauliers will ensure that timber is moved quickly, to preserve its value and to minimise damage to roads. Britain’s forests produce over 10 million cubic metres of timber per year, over 90% of which is transported by lorry. Poorly planned haulage can erode profits and cause friction with local communities, so it’s important to collaborate with public authorities, landowners and any other stakeholders to the harvesting project.

Step 7: Restocking

Most felling licences include restocking conditions to ensure woodland cover is maintained, and restocking proposals must be submitted with the felling licence application in step 3. Successful restocking may be achieved through:

• Natural regeneration: Allowing seed from retained trees to colonise the site. This is cost‑effective but may require protection from deer damage.
• Planting: Selecting species suited to soil type, site conditions and climate. Planting a mixture of species is better for creating a resilient forest in the future.
• Enrichment planting and beating‑up: Supplementing natural regeneration with planted stock and replacing failed seedlings (beating-up) to maintain stocking density.

Restocking and maintenance is an essential part of the woodland management cycle. By ensuring that trees are on the ground it not only benefits wildlife but also ensures that in the long-term, you are maintaining the timber asset that the forest provides.

How can Tomorrow’s Forests help with your woodland management?

At every step!

Tomorrow’s Forests offers an end‑to‑end service when it comes to timber harvesting. We do everything from handling timber felling licence applications, creating woodland management plans aligned with the UK Forestry Standard, coordinating timber harvesting operations, sales and marketing, and organising haulage and restocking.

Partnering with us means you benefit from support at every step:

• Full forestry industry compliance: We handle your felling licence application, environmental assessments and restocking proposals, ensuring you meet the UK Forestry Standard and country‑specific regulations.
• Integrated planning: Our team designs management plans that optimise access, protect sensitive areas and create restocking proposals that ensure your woodland is healthy and resilient for decades to come.
• Coordination of harvesting and haulage: We liaise with timber harvesting and haulage contractors to ensure timber is extracted safely, swiftly and to specification.
• Transparent marketing: We prepare professional sale packs, advise on sales methods and contract terms, and work with trusted buyers to secure fair, market driven returns.
• Restocking and aftercare: We organise restocking in line with long‑term management goals and maintain trees for years to come to ensure they establish successfully.
• Clear communication: You receive regular progress reports throughout the process.

If you are a farmer or landowner who is ready to start managing your woodland resource, contact us on 07824673239 or email office@tomorrowsforests.com to discuss your project.

FAQs

Isn’t it better if I leave it for nature?

Most woodlands can benefit from appropriate management through the selection of trees for removal. Left to its own devices, a woodland can quickly become dominated by a single species, experience losses due to pests and diseases, and may not be the best suited to future climate. Targeted interventions can improve resilience to these threats, through adjusting species mixture, creating new woodland structures like open space and edge habitats, and altering light levels to encourage natural regeneration. These actions can also create habitats that better support biodiversity, social or timber objectives.

When is the best time to harvest trees?

There is no “best time”, but factors such as weather and ecological constraints like bird nesting season will determine when the time is that will cause the least disturbance and damage to soils and habitats.

Do I always need a felling licence?

No, but you do if you want to harvest over 5m3 of trees, or sell more than 2m3 of trees per calendar quarter.

What does 5m3 of trees look like?

5m3 can be visualised as half filling the back of a transit van from floor to ceiling with logs. Or the size of about 5 washing machines. Or about 12 of our forester Anna, if she were a perfect cuboid.

I’ve only got a small woodland. How small is too small to break even?

Hard to say, as it depends on the access, the kind of trees, how old they are, what area you are in, and many other factors. You’re better off calling so we can talk about it in more detail.

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