The Logistics Of Moving Timber

By Jonathan Plowe, Forestry Manager

One of the aspects of woodland management that is often over-looked is the transport of timber. We harvest around 4000-5000 tonnes each year and it all has to be moved from the estate woodlands to the estate timber yard for processing into fi rewood, or wood chips.

The very nature of a lot of woodland is that it usually doesn’t have a lovely wide tarmac road through the middle of it (wouldn’t it be awful if it did!) and it is often located off minor public roads. Woodlands have what are termed as ‘forest roads’ for timber movements; these are roads made up of crushed stone just wide enough for a lorry. 

It might surprise people to learn that we have over 20km of forest roads running through our woods, mainly for the purpose of getting lorries in to move timber. However, the sunbaked stoney surface is a favourite place for lizards and snakes to bask.

Timber haulage means having to get specialised lorries into places most regular hauliers would refuse to go. As a result sometimes onlookers can get irritated when they come across a large lorry that is squeezing down a narrow lane, or blocking forest roads while it loads timber. Hopefully, most people can see this local movement of timber is a necessary part of sustainable woodland management. We try to plan haulage routes to minimise inconvenience for the public and always repair forest roads after the timber has been moved.

All the above work means that we can continue to supply your firewood.

Deliveries have now commenced; to place an order please visit www.boughtonfirewood.co.uk.