30,000 acres per year for trees 2024.

kiwi pom

Member
Location
canterbury NZ
The rules might prevent it but land is not "gone forever" if you plant trees on it.

What sort of ground are these trees being planted on? Is it profitable (without subs) if its used for Ag?
 

curlietailz

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Sedgefield
Google says:-
Land. The agricultural area used is 23.07 million acres (9.34 million hectares), about 70% of the land area of England. 36% of the agricultural land is croppable (arable), or 25% of the total land area.

So 30000 ha a year tree planting
It will take 311 years to cover the whole of England
 

Danllan

Member
Location
Sir Gar / Carms
Was chatting with our AI man a few weeks ago, we were discussing land prices and then we went on to the future of farming generally... he knows loads who are very close to despairing, they simply cant see a way forward with the prospective changes in everything from herbicides, fert' and slurry storage.

It certainly is bleak from some perspectives, but I know others who are looking to expand their businesses, as are we; so back to land prices again... if more can be got from forestry we know where that will lead.

For me the bleeding obvious question is: what's wrong with (even heavily) wooded pasture?
 

kiwi pom

Member
Location
canterbury NZ
Dont be silly, land planted in trees cant be brought back without huge costs.
The trees are certainly not profitable without subs
There's a lot of forestry blocks here, that have been trees one year and a dairy farm the next. Its not that hard to do but I'm guessing the UK stuff is on less productive land?
Why not grow all the timber that's being fed into Drax in the UK?
 

glasshouse

Member
Location
lothians
There's a lot of forestry blocks here, that have been trees one year and a dairy farm the next. Its not that hard to do but I'm guessing the UK stuff is on less productive land?
Why not grow all the timber that's being fed into Drax in the UK?
And that wasnt cheap i bet, stump grinding all yhose trees
Whats the carbon footprint of that?
We are only 60 % sufficient in food, we cant afford to lose more land to trees.
Drax should burn coal as it was designed for
 

Anymulewilldo

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Cheshire
Google says:-
Land. The agricultural area used is 23.07 million acres (9.34 million hectares), about 70% of the land area of England. 36% of the agricultural land is croppable (arable), or 25% of the total land area.

So 30000 ha a year tree planting
It will take 311 years to cover the whole of England
How much of that is the likes of the Highlands and Snowdonia though? Vast areas of land that can support sheep (granted they’ve cut most of them now) but it doesn’t matter how much you try, trees will not grow up there?! I know of several very productive lowland farms/estates that the landowners are taking the green sub and planting too trees! It’s fecking criminal. Marginal land, yes fine. Let us stock the rest of the ground sensibly too make up for it though. 25-30 years land tie up for trees too get too a harvestable stage. And then have you seen the mess the forestry commission make on a clear fell?? It will cost thousands too revert it back too pasture.
 

jg123

Member
Mixed Farmer
Was chatting with our AI man a few weeks ago, we were discussing land prices and then we went on to the future of farming generally... he knows loads who are very close to despairing, they simply cant see a way forward with the prospective changes in everything from herbicides, fert' and slurry storage.

It certainly is bleak from some perspectives, but I know others who are looking to expand their businesses, as are we; so back to land prices again... if more can be got from forestry we know where that will lead.

For me the bleeding obvious question is: what's wrong with (even heavily) wooded pasture?
Know of 1 and been told of 2 other farms, all good productive cropped farms, that have been bought in the last 8 weeks in the county by non farmers to plant trees to offset thier industrial enterprises. Also heard of a farmer who planted just a few acres of trees for a grant and now he cant cut them down without planning as they have exceeded a certain diameter and the land has been changed from agricultural use to forestry/woodland or simular so he would need to try and change it back to include it back into his farm.......
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
Was chatting with our AI man a few weeks ago, we were discussing land prices and then we went on to the future of farming generally... he knows loads who are very close to despairing, they simply cant see a way forward with the prospective changes in everything from herbicides, fert' and slurry storage.

It certainly is bleak from some perspectives, but I know others who are looking to expand their businesses, as are we; so back to land prices again... if more can be got from forestry we know where that will lead.

For me the bleeding obvious question is: what's wrong with (even heavily) wooded pasture?

flies

excellent cover for when (not if) lynx and other large predators are introduced.
 

nick...

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
south norfolk
We planted a few acres of trees under the original stewardship scheme 20 years ago.they all look great in little blocks but will get left forever I’d imagine.we only got paid for the 10 year period of the scheme too.we also planted lots of hedging and done arable reversion and took out various corners etc under the scheme so really have no idea what more we can do if we do the new schemes and with what I keep reading it’s pretty much a non starter anyway.I really have no idea about the future and it worries me a lot.
nick…
 

Bald Rick

Moderator
Livestock Farmer
Location
Anglesey
I want to know how many trees will kneed to be planted to replace all the Ash trees that are going to die !That is a real time disaster that government didn't give a f**k! about!

Sudden oak death
Dutch elm disease
Sudden Pine needle drop

And those are here now. Lot of potential tree diseases waiting for a warmer UK climate.

Fantastic
 

B'o'B

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Rutland
Sudden oak death
Dutch elm disease
Sudden Pine needle drop

And those are here now. Lot of potential tree diseases waiting for a warmer UK climate.

Fantastic
Plus saplings will be imported to plant this 30,000Ha p.a. bringing new diseases in. If its going to happen it should be a requirement that the trees are all sourced from within the UK!
 

egbert

Member
Livestock Farmer
Dont be silly, land planted in trees cant be brought back without huge costs.
The trees are certainly not profitable without subs
And that wasnt cheap i bet, stump grinding all yhose trees
Whats the carbon footprint of that?
We are only 60 % sufficient in food, we cant afford to lose more land to trees.
Drax should burn coal as it was designed for

I should take more water with it Glasshouse.
There's currently a whole lot more cash generated from an even-aged managed softwood plantation than there is in sheep.

And saying we should be burning coal to make electricity?
Untouchable.

We know you hate trees, seeing them as tied up with wicked landlords and sitka monocrops.
But i would ask you to step back from your personal experiences, and see a broader picture.
They should be another crop we consider.
Gov would do well to listen to the comments here, and ask how to remove the obstacles to farm scale productive forestry.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 77 43.5%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 62 35.0%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 28 15.8%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.7%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.7%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 4 2.3%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,286
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
Top