Buying woodland

[Gelert]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this so I apologise if it doesn't belong here, but trees seemed like the nearest thing.

I am planning to buy a few acres of woodland, hopefully sometime during the next six months or so. It would be a place for me to care for and spend time in. I know very little about buying land, particularly woodland. I have friends who know plenty about tending woods who will help and teach me and share the wood, but like me they've never bought any either.
Before you get the idea I'm wonderfully rich, by the way, I'm selling my house to do this and will be living an a van on someone's drive

I'd be grateful for any advice about what I should look out for/be aware of. Are there hidden pitfalls I need to know about?

I've seen a couple of beautiful places, but not in the part of the country I'm after.
I realise this is a very general question but any advice at all will be gratefully received

[naturelover]

hi gelert a warm welcome to you from me,enjoy the site.

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by Gelert

It would be a place for me to care for and spend time in. ...............I'd be grateful for any advice about what I should look out for/be aware of. Are there hidden pitfalls I need to know about?

You need to be very clear about rights of access - that is do you have any ?

Perhaps the Woodland Trust might be a good place to start:

The Woodland Trust

CM

[Gelert]

Thanks for the link CM

[honeybee]

My friends recently bought a few acres down in Devon to run eco-hols from. On my way down to cornwall there were big estate agent signs up purely for buying woodland, sure it would come up on google.

[eeyore]

two good books that give a lot of info on this are "living wood" by mike abbot ISBN 0-9542345-0-2 and "woodland way" by ben hall (unfortunately my copy is out on loan to someone so i cant give the isbn for that) between them they give pretty much all the advice you are going to need.

also check out the association of polelathe turners and green wood workers Bodgers both mike and ben (and me) are members and you will find loads of people who have their own woods and are happy to help new people get started

[Adam Cheeseman]

Hi Gelert,

Try woodlands.co.uk This site has loads of sites available all over the country. All details and restrictions are listed per site. On average you can expect to fork out at least £35-40k for a small woodland.

Cheers,

Adam

[Gelert]

Hi Adam, that's one of the sites I've been looking on, and my favourite.. As you say, the information's clear and thorough and they seem more affordable than some other sites I look on (which is saying something )
I've seen some beautiful places actually, but I'm biding my time in the hope I won't have to compromise too much on the part of the country I buy in.

I'm looking at deciduous or mixed woodland and trying to find somewhere with a water supply - a beck running through or a river along one boundary, so it could take some time. I'm really learning as I go along though so worried I'll miss something basic. It's one of the reasons I like that site - it's very reassuring!

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Gelert

I'm looking at deciduous or mixed woodland and trying to find somewhere with a water supply - a beck running through or a river along one boundary, so it could take some time.

depending on where you are it is possible to sink a borehole for a water supply - costs for this vary in norfolk we paid arround £2k , while a freind of mine paid arround £3k in the rockingham forest area of northampton.

Without mains services your biggest problem will be sewerage but it is possible to build a composting toilet. (more info here Introduction to Compost Toilets - Water

Power wise ( you will need electric to pump a bore hole if nothing else) mains supplies can be brought in relatively cheaply if you do all the ditch work yourself , which assumes you can handle a minidigger , or you can buy second hand army surplus generators of the type you tow behind a truck relatively cheaply (though it is important to secure it - easiest way being to remove the wheels - to make sure it doesnt get towed away when your back is turned.)

[Paul mabbott]

One thing that worries me about this whole idea is why do you need to "care for ... " the wood? Natural woods are, by definition, self-contained succession habitats which are self-sustaining .... human interference will only disrupt the natural processes. Great if you can buy a bit of woodland and save it from developers, of course!

Great to buy a wood, great to live near it and enjoy it but, especially if it's old woodland, please don't interfere with natural processes.

Have you thought of buying a bit of old farmland - far cheaper - and growing your own wood, thus contributing to Nature?

The Woodland Trust might be able to give advice?

Originally Posted by Gelert

I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this so I apologise if it doesn't belong here, but trees seemed like the nearest thing.

I am planning to buy a few acres of woodland, hopefully sometime during the next six months or so. It would be a place for me to care for and spend time in. I know very little about buying land, particularly woodland. I have friends who know plenty about tending woods who will help and teach me and share the wood, but like me they've never bought any either.
Before you get the idea I'm wonderfully rich, by the way, I'm selling my house to do this and will be living an a van on someone's drive

I'd be grateful for any advice about what I should look out for/be aware of. Are there hidden pitfalls I need to know about?

I've seen a couple of beautiful places, but not in the part of the country I'm after.
I realise this is a very general question but any advice at all will be gratefully received