The vital role that horses play as a method of timber extraction
is now recognised within the woodland and forestry sector.
An environmentally sensitive management
technique, horse drawn timber extraction offers the woodland manager
and owner a viable low-impact alternative in situations where
the use of machines may either be inappropriate or uneconomic.
Natural Traction is part of ‘Sylvan
Environmental Enterprises Ltd’,
a company dedicated to the goal of sustainable land use. With
many years practical and research experience in the field of sustainable
woodland and countryside management, we offer a range of services
from felling and extraction to management planning, grant applications
and habitat creation, restoration and management.
The Natural Traction team offer a professional,
efficient and versatile timber extraction and
woodland management service.
Horses provide a means of timber extraction
that minimises:
> damage
to regeneration
> damage to stools and standing
crop
> compaction, ruts & damage
to woodland floor
> noise and fuel pollution, and
fossil fuel use
As with mechanised systems, horse
drawn
extraction outputs are reliant upon a number of important operational
considerations;
> access to timber
> extraction distance
> site topography
> presentation of felled timber
> product type
Given the above factors single horse
drawn extraction output can vary between 7 and 20 tonnes per day.
Late in 2005, Frankie applied for a
grant to expand the business from the Forestry Commission's 'Woodland
Harvesting, Processing and Marketing Grant' Pilot Project. The
grant contributed 30% of the capital invested, allowing her to
purchase a second horse, a horse-drawn forwarder and a horse lorry
for transport.
You can find out more about Frankie's
project on the following 'Woodlots' page: Frankie
WHPMG
An evaluation of the WHMPG pilot scheme
can be found here
on the Forestry Commission's website
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Using tractors and sprays
to eradicate bracken is expensive and undesirable on many sites
The horse drawn bracken bruiser crushes the stem of
the plant in several places and causes the sap to bleed. This desiccates
the plant and weakens its ability to store nutrients for the next
year's development.
Bruising is carried out after the growing season from
the end of June to August, and has many advantages such as:
> weakens the plant
far more than cutting
> is chemical free
> breaks up the deep litter layer,
speeding decay
> is not dependent on weather conditions
> is particularly cost effective
on rough, sensitive or inaccessible sites ·
Studies have shown that regrowth is limited by 50-90%,
although this varies according to site conditions. A three to five
year bruising regime may be required for total elimination on bracken
covered sites. One to two hectares (2.5 – 5 acres) can be managed
in one day.
Sylvan also offers a consultancy & management
service. Whether you’re a new or experienced landowner we can
visit and work with you to identify and achieve sound management
objectives for your farm, woodland or amenity site.
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For more information
contact:
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Frankie Woodgate
Telephone: 01233 850418
Mobile: 07929 202 963
Email: frankie@sylvanenvironmental.com
Natural Traction has received grant
aid from
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If you are interested in learning to work with heavy
horses, we can tailor courses to suit your needs and experience.
From one-day introductory sessions to five-day courses in ‘Working
Horses in Woodlands’, we offer training events in our own ancient
semi natural Woodland or can provide similar courses on your own
land.
| Natural Traction
is run by Frankie Woodgate who has a BSc in Countryside Management
and spent a number of years researching the role of horses in
UK and European forestry. With a longstanding practical background
in woodland management and working horses in forestry and woodlands,
Frankie manages her own ancient semi natural woodland (ASNW)
with horses and has written a number of articles on horses in
forestry.
References for Natural Traction
are available from private landowners, the Forestry
Commission, the National
Trust and the
Woodland Trust.
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Fully insured and NPTC chainsaw
certificated
Member of the British
Horse Loggers (BHL)
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