Forestry Management

Our forest management team works closely with clients to understand the aims and objectives of their forestry ownership. Together we develop comprehensive plans for managing the client’s property. The Scottish Forestry, Forestry Commission, or Natural Resources Wales approve these plans.

Annual Reporting

Once a five-year plan has been agreed upon, this forms a framework for preparing annual estimates for carrying out work within the plan. These estimates are approved by the client and reported against annually, accompanied by an annual report of operations.

Safety and Environmental Inspections

Our managed forests are inspected regularly for condition and security. Once a year, a fuller inspection will occur called a Health and Environment Check. This will identify crop health issues or maintenance issues that may need to be addressed and brought to the forest owner’s attention. Twice a year, tree safety checks are made of roadside trees and any other trees which may form a hazard for the public. This helps protect the forest owner from any claims against him in the event of injury.

Insurance

Fountains Forestry can put insurance arrangements in place and advise the owner on the appropriate crop values.

Forecasting and Valuation

We can undertake financial forecasting and valuations to suit the client’s objectives.

Grant Claims

On behalf of the owner, we can apply for forestry grants to help manage the forestry project.

Planning And Management

The forestry management team works closely with clients to understand the aims and objectives for their forest or woodland. Together we develop comprehensive management and Long Term Forest plans for each forest or woodland; these plans are submitted to the Forestry Commission for approval, as an approved Plan provides both the authorisation for future harvesting and the basis for potential grant applications.

Subjects covered by the forest management plan include the following:

  • Short-, medium- and long-term silvicultural development of the forest or woodland
  • Selection of appropriate management regimes
  • Tree planting, landscape design and maintenance
  • Woodland improvement schemes
  • Harvesting, marketing and management of timber sales
  • Installation and maintenance of roads, tracks and footpaths, including public access routes
  • Management of invasive species and pests
  • Protection and enhancement of native biodiversity and habitat
  • Non-timber income opportunities

If the owner wishes to sell timber, certified as being ‘sustainably produced’ and realise the potential benefits of forest certification, the woodland can be assessed for entry into our Resource Management Group Scheme.

Management of Estate Woodlands

Liaising regularly with owners and their agents, Fountains Forestry manages woodlands and forests located on private estates from Cornwall, through England, and up to the Highlands of Scotland.

Planting and development of existing woodland

Restructuring of Existing Woodland

Fountains Forestry provides crop management services which include:

  • Felling of coupes or larger ‘clear fell’ areas

  • Thinning

  • Planning species, density and spacing

  • Ground preparation and planting

  • Protection of new trees from insect and mammal pests

Creation and development of new woodland

Fountains Forestry has established new woodlands and forests in various locations and settings across the UK. We can design, plant, and manage any type of woodland from native broadleaved through to productive conifer woodland.

New woodland planting is carried out for four primary reasons:

  1. 1 Afforestation for commercial purposes
  2. 2 Landscaping new building developments, landfills, and ex-industrial sites
  3. 3 Establishment of new woodland for amenity and conservation
  4. 4 Carbon sequestration projects

Fountains Forestry offers a comprehensive service in woodland establishment and development, from the inception and consultative stage to grant applications, planting, maintenance, and management.

Timber Harvesting and Marketing

Fountains Forestry provides clients with a comprehensive timber harvesting and marketing service, with access to a wide range of timber production markets. We are independent from timber processing interests which means we can act in your best interest to secure the optimum price for your timber. Our timber harvesting services include:

  • Mensuration
  • Operational planning
  • Tendering of timber
  • Supervision of harvesting operations
  • Roadside sales of hardwood timber
  • Management of firewood production

Certification – Fountains Forestry manages woodlands to the UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS). This enables our clients to offer certified timber for sale, which is very important in global timber markets and helps us achieve the maximum price for timber.

collecting lumber
a clearing in a forest

Tree Safety Management and Inspection

Owners have a legal duty of care to maintain their trees in a safe condition as far as practicable. Fountains Forestry advise on inspection regimes and carry out tree safety inspections for estates, local authorities, housing associations, and landowners.

Our tree inspectors are fully qualified and meet recognised industry standards, including those set by the Arboricultural Association and Royal Forestry Society. Surveys are carried out using hand-held GPS mappers with the reports available either electronically or in hard copy.

trees
planted trees

Surveying and Mapping

Fountains Forestry provides surveying and mapping services, including:

  • Aerial photo interpretation

  • Generation of maps for forest management

  • GIS analysis

  • Forestry landscape and design plans

  • Preparation of maps and plans for property sale

  • Drone surveying

Forest certification to UK Woodland assurance standard (UKWAS)

Sustainability and Forest Certification

Fountains Forestry is committed to responsible and sustainable Forest Management through meeting both the legal requirements of the UK Forest Standard and by managing woodlands to the UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS). This provides the opportunity for managed woodlands in the UK to gain certification under two leading global forest certification schemes – Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®C008961) and Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC™).

Products certified through these schemes are in demand in the UK and global timber markets as they provide a widely recognised way to inform customers that the timber used comes from a responsibly managed source. Certification also provides woodland owners with improved access to timber markets and often a favourable price premium for certified timber.

Since 2001, Fountains Forestry has operated a Resource Manager Group Scheme, which allows our clients to demonstrate their commitment to responsible Forest Management under both certification schemes. This requires an assessment and audit of the management plan and supporting records to ensure the property fully meets the certification standards’ entry criteria and requirements.

Led by a dedicated Certification Manager, our national network of experienced forest managers help woodland owners maintain compliance to UKWAS requirements, and ensures access to the wider timber market and any price benefits offered for certified timber.

The Resource Group Scheme is independently audited and accredited by Soil Association to the requirements of both FSC® and PEFC™.

Further details and background on the UKWAS Standard can be found by clicking here.

Preparation of Certification Plan

As commercial forests managed by Fountains Forestry approach maturity, they will be certified with the United Kingdom Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS) also meeting the requirements of FSC® and PEFC™.

The standard means that whilst growing and managing forests and woodlands for our clients, we always aim to maintain and wherever possible, enhance:

  • Basic biological productivity of soils
  • Quality of the atmosphere
  • Biological diversity of a site
  • Security of scarce or special species and habitats
  • Conservation of historic and cherished landscapes, important archaeological and historical features

In preparing management plans, Fountains Forestry complies with the UK Forestry Standard for sustainable management and all other requirements of the Forestry Commission. It is becoming increasingly common for the Certification Plan to form an Appendix to the Long Term Forest Plan prepared for the Forestry Commission, thereby avoiding a significant amount of duplication and cost. Fountains Forestry provides ongoing management and maintenance services in accordance with the plan. Several forests managed by Fountains Forestry, chosen randomly, are independently audited by the Certifying Body each year.

Tree Safety Management And Inspection

Owners have a duty of care to maintain their trees in a safe condition as far as practicable to fulfil their legal responsibility. Fountains Forestry advises on tree safety inspections and other forms of inspection regimes. We carry out these safety inspections for estates, local authorities, housing associations, and landowners.

Our tree inspectors are fully qualified and meet recognised industry standards, including those set by the Arboricultural Association and Royal Forestry Society. Surveys are carried out using hand-held GPS mappers with the reports available either electronically or in hard copy.

Growing Timber Insurance

Fountains Forestry provides Growing Timber and Public Liability Insurance for hundreds of forests that we manage across the UK. We can provide quotations for:

• Fire cover
• Fire and storm cover
• Public liability insurance

The insurance is brokered by Marsh and underwritten by Royal and Sun Alliance.

VAT Administration

Fountains Forestry offers a VAT administration service for its clients. Forest and woodland owners should always seek advice from their financial advisor concerning eligibility and the implications of VAT registration in their circumstances.

Wildlife Management

Forests and woodlands provide essential habitats for a wide range of wildlife, including mammals, birds, reptiles, and many rare flora. See Conservation and Creation of Habitats

Licensed Drone Services

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s), commonly known as drones have become an invaluable part of the tool kit available to forest managers. They can collect photographic and other forms of data from forests flexibly, quickly, and at a relatively low price. Through this capability, drones can improve upon and fill gaps in the data commonly available through satellite remote sensing (eg, Google Earth) or more expensive surveys by manned aircraft.

Rotary-winged drones are very stable platforms, which means that high resolution photographic and infra red images can be collected. This enables accurate measurement of both crop and ground conditions to be carried out. At the same time, fly-over videos of forests are visually stunning and can be powerful marketing aids, as well as giving forest owners a clear overview of their forest assets.

Watch Video

Range of Drone Services

Fountains Forestry offers a range of drone services to forest owners and outside clients.

We have a team of qualified drone pilots licensed under the Civil Aviation Authority regulations, and appropriate insurance for commercial UAV operations. We offer the following services to external clients:

  • Forest acquisition surveys and promotional filming: for prospective buyers or agents
  • Surveys of forestry operations eg, timber harvesting, road construction & drainage
  • Site condition surveys, which can be oblique videos/still photography, 360o semi-spherical panoramas, or vertical geo-rectified aerial photographs for use in GIS mapping systems:
    • Ground condition and Crop surveys (Site vegetation and species mapping)
    • Tree health and condition studies and monitoring (Multi-spectral Imaging)
    • Wind throw surveys (for management and insurance uses)
    • Terrain modelling and point cloud 3D analysis

To commission drone services, contact Andrew Clark:

07876 556516

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