Coillte buying your trees service

evoke · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 30 Sep 2008 Posts: 21

Hello,
Does coillte have a service where you can call them to cut down your trees. Like if you have an acre of Oak. Would they come around and give you a price for the oak. Then cut it down for you and take it away.

I know they have that in england.

Does anyone know about this for coillte?

Thinking about doing oak but it will take so many years to be worth anything. Maybe some thing faster like willow or pine. Anyone got an experience with coillte?

Thanks

Sive · Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2009 7:23 pm Post subject:

I was watching a TV repeat of Grand Designs yesterday, not sure how old it was, but the presenter was talking to a man who was cutting and supplying oak for timber frames, and he was selling 150-year old trees for about £150 each. I was shocked at how little the trees were worth.
Check the market for ash.....I think we are short of the wood and it's needed for making hurleys.

Belfast

medieval knievel · Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 5:02 am Post subject:

interesting that they pay more for beech - is it more expensive to plant beech? or is the grant based on the eventual value of the crop?

jimmy mac · Rank attained: Hawthorn Tree Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 82

Can anyone explain to me about these afforestation grants.Does it mean that coillte have rights to the trees when they are mature.Or are they owned by the landowner.Im sure that i understand where they get their money back

Belfast · Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 11:20 am Post subject:

evoke · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 30 Sep 2008 Posts: 21

Thanks for the reply. I am trying to get my uncle to plant trees on his land. The grants would a great incetive for him to do it.

For oak the total grant is €6348. Is that what you recieve over 4 years or one year of the 4 years?

Do you get to sell your trees after 4 years or is that what the grant pays for?

You grow the trees for 4 years and then chop them down. Then you can start again. Correct?

Thanks for the replies.

jimmy mac · Rank attained: Hawthorn Tree Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 82

Thanks for that belfast but it doesnt answer the question.What does Coillte get out of the deal .Thanks , Jimmy mac

Liparis · Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 3:10 pm Post subject:

I don't think they get much out of the deal. I imagine it's similar to the funding other countries get from their Forestry Dept. It's there to encourage re-forestation.
I would think the trees are yours, it's a grant, not a purchase. I doubt if you would be selling trees after four years though, perhaps twenty or so, longer for the oaks and other hardwoods. I wouldn't be handing over a hectare of my land for a minimum of 25 yrs for a mere €6,000 or so, not to get anything back a the end of the day, I'd want the wood. It's a long-term crop, hence the grants. You may find that it's similar to the UK, you can get the grants, keep the trees, but if you plant quick crops like softwood a percentage have to be mixed hardwood and left in place when you crop the softwood. Quite a good plan I think.
Bill.

medieval knievel · Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 8:27 pm Post subject:

coillte were coming in for criticism for their concentration on softwoods a few years back, so there is more of a focus on hardwoods.

i'd be interested to see how much 'green' hardwood fetches compared to 'green' softwood - is the return on hardwoods better than on softwoods, over a long enough period?

Belfast · Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 11:39 pm Post subject:

Belfast · Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 11:43 pm Post subject:

jimmy mac · Rank attained: Hawthorn Tree Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 82

Thanks for that Belfast .I will look into that

jimmy mac · Rank attained: Hawthorn Tree Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 82

I just read some of that link Belfast.From what i gather the farmer keeps 80% of the profit from the thinnings and 55% of the value of the mature felling value.The work is divided in fairness , mostly undertaken by coillte.However from what i figure this takes the decision making out of the landowners hands which is where it doesnt suit me.My idea was to plant broadleaves on a permanent basis.I was thinking that it was too good to be true that coillte would pay towards the plantation of what in reality would be a private wood. unless i am missing something which i doubt.Also if I was to go this commercial route ,being a non farmer the payments would be greatly reduced which i think is very unfair.So it is back to private planting for me On the plus side i reckon i can plant my 3 acres relatively cheap with saplings.I reckon about €1000 will get me about 1200 plants .Ok the workload is definitely greater than the other way but at least all thedecisions will be mine.Thanks again for the advice and the link Jimmy mac