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Woodland Management

An ongoing relationship with you and your woodland.

Our advisory woodland management service supports you as you develop your woodland asset, with a tiered service available from occasional support to full hands-on management.

We can discuss with you what you need, and draw up a structured plan. Our Woodland Management service covers land in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset.

Your Woodland Partner

What is ‘Woodland Management’?

‘Woodland Management’ is the umbrella term covering everything that your woodland needs to thrive, and achieve what you want for it. We draw on our specialist areas of expertise, and our in-depth knowledge of how woodlands work, to prioritise areas of work and co-ordinate schedules according to the seasons. We begin by getting to know you and your woodland, so we aren’t just applying theoretical knowledge. 

woodland management timber harvesting logs

We will talk with you about timber harvesting and marketing operations, to ensure that these are timed optimally to benefit your woodland, objectives and in line with timber market demand. 

woodland management grants and funding opportunities

We have in-house experts who can discuss with you grants and funding opportunities, and the regulations that govern these.

woodland management aerial survey and mapping

We undertake our aerial survey and mapping in-house to support management decisions and grant applications.

What this can look like for you

  • You have ideas, around timber and an income from the woodland, wildlife and ecology, and other uses for your woodland, but are unsure how to balance them. We can help you draw up a strategic plan to ensure a balance between nature, leisure and business.
  • You’ve inherited or bought some woodland, and are new to managing this kind of land. We can support you with ongoing advice as you find your feet.
  • You own woodland but lack the expertise and/or time to do it justice. We can partner with you to fill in the gaps, and maximise your woodland’s potential.
  • You have plans for your woodland, but don’t have the capacity to be ‘boots on the ground’ to make sure it is running smoothly. We can offer day-to-day management of your development operations, ensuring everything is well-co-ordinated.

Getting started

How we work

For all our potential customers, we begin with a free, no-obligation visit, to talk with you, and look around your woodland. There is no pressure to take things any further than this, but we can discuss any questions you have, and look at how our Woodland Management service could work for you. The most important aspect of any support for you is our ongoing relationship with your woodland.

We will visit regularly (according to the agreements we draw up with you) and get to know it, as much as we get to know you.

Ask us a question
woodland management with SW Woodland Management staff

Ways we can help

Levels of our service to
suit you

From the occasional telephone catch-up to regular direction of woodland management work and close liaison with you or your team, we are able to offer all levels of involvement. We are also experienced in working with estate or farm teams, sporting tenants or others you may have involved in your woodland.

Discuss how we can help you
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close up view of acorn tree
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Why Us

Why choose South West Woodland Management

The team here at South West Woodland Management is small – but that’s great, for you. It means that you are always working with the same people here; we know you, and your woodland, and we care about it. We are qualified professionals, and between us we have a wide range of expertise, so can advise on a variety of areas of woodland management.

Our professional connections are also extensive, so we can call on external specialists where necessary.

Find out more
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Services

Our Woodland Services

FAQs

The answers to your questions

Explore our frequently asked questions about logistics services, policies and procedures.

What is a Woodland Management Plan? 

A Woodland Management Plan is a structured guide document which outlines the future intended management of a woodland against a set of objectives. Normally drafted by a qualified forestry professional, it is bespoke to the woodland in question. It will articulate the woodland’s vision, aims and objectives, operations, monitoring activities and threats to the woodland over a 10 year period or more.

It is a good starting point for bringing woodlands back into management, or for new woodlands when they reach 15 years of age or more. Woodland Management Plans are renewed once their term expires, and objectives are revised during this process to meet the needs of the owner and the woodland.

In most cases, Woodland Management Plans are grant fundable and can open doors to further Forestry Commission grant funding. 

What sort of species should I be planting?

The key to establishing a successful new woodland, or diversifying an existing woodland, is to choose the right species. This should not only be suited to your certain management objectives, but it is also vital to suit species to the site characteristics too.

Due to increasing threats to woodlands in the UK from a changing climate, pests and disease, woodland owners and planters are encouraged to diversify species to increase resilience today and in the future. Threats to woodland habitats include:

  • Global temperature rises due to climate change, suiting tree species from warmer climates used to milder winters
  • Existing and new pests and diseases weakening and causing damage to or death of a wide range of tree species
  • Increasing populations of grey squirrel and deer, damaging native trees in particular
  • Increasing demand for timber as the human population increases 
Why do woodlands need management?


Over recent decades, there has been a decline in the condition of woodlands and their associated biodiversity. Today, between 40-50% of England’s woodlands remain unmanaged, according to Forestry Commission figures. Methods of management can vary, but benefits include improving access into the woodland, timber production, increasing biodiversity, improving habitats for wildlife, introducing light for flora to flourish, and increasing the woodland’s future resilience to pest and disease.

If you would like some advice on managing your woodland or would be interested in a quote for a Woodland Management Plan, to begin or guide you in the process of managing your own woodland, do get in touch.

What grants are available to help me manage my woodland?

There has never been a better time to invest in the management of a woodland, whether large or small. The first step is to produce a Woodland Management Plan (for woodlands over 0.5 hectares you will be eligible for a grant to help with this process). Once the Woodland Management Plan has been approved, this will enable you to access grants through Higher Tier funding under Countryside Stewardship. These grants will enable you to carry out essential tasks such as squirrel and deer control, as well as controlling unwanted vegetation. At SWWM we can help steer you through this process.

Will my woodland provide a financial return?

Usually, yes. As well as the grants that are available to help manage your woodland, your woodland is a long-term investment that will provide a financial return. Active management is essential in producing good quality timber, whether that is fast growing conifers or long-term broadleaf species for hardwood timber. There is a diverse market for timber products. There are many other income streams available including Carbon Credits (via the Woodland Carbon Code), as well as the value that biodiverse, ecologically rich and quality amenity woodland can provide.

What about the practical work involved?

Whether your wood is an established broadleaf woodland or a young conifer plantation, active management is essential. A woodland is a long-term investment and without active management, tree health and woodland condition will suffer. The work involved in managing a woodland involves using specialist trades, whether that is for initial planting, tree establishment and maintenance, right to up to when the trees are harvested for timber. At SWWM we have access to expert contractors who can perform all the tasks that are essential for first class woodland management whatever stage your woodland is at.

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Ready to discuss your woodland project?

Speak with our expert foresters about sustainable woodland management solutions tailored to your specific needs.

Contact Us