Ready to clearfell

anon99

Hello,
I am currently getting quotes to clearfell 14 acres of sitka spruce. The prices we have got from two harvesters (completely unrelated) have come very close to each other, but both seem extortionate to me! €14 per tonne to harvest plus 3 different prices to haul depending on where it's going (€6 pulp to local, €10/€12 for pallet & sawlog).

So they've also given us an estimate of 2,000 tonnes of timber which means €28k to the harvester and approx €16k to haul (using average of €8). So before we even allow approx €15k for replanting, we are already down €44k..... Does this seem a fair price or are we being totally ripped off? It will take approx 8-9 days to harvest.

Thanks in advance for any info.

$kilkenny

Could you give us some details on the site please?
Size of timber, species, how many thinnings, is it steep or boggy, it's age and distance to stacking area?

These are all factors when it comes to the harvesting rate.
Haulage seems fine to be honest, that all depends on distance to market and ease of access.

anon99

Thanks,
Good access, 30 years old, mix of sawlog, pallet and pulp. Hard to tell the ratios. Approx 2200 tonne timber. Not boggy. Sitka spruce. Stacking at entrance to the site.

$kilkenny

€14 for harvesting for that ease of a Site would seem possibly high.

_Brian

What do you expect to be left with after paying everything and replanting?

fergus1001

have you had a forester out to look at the site to give their opinion, some of them tender the forest out to every buyer and act as a sort of mart for trees, I'd also get a quote from them for the replanting of the site as you will have to do that as per the conditions of your felling licence