Mechanised forestry

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We are close to some woods here and this winter the owners have instigated a big ‘management plan’, in other words they are chopping lots of the trees down, especially ash because of the fear of trees affected by ash dieback dropping onto paths or falling on nearby houses. Once they have cleared a swathe along the edge they plan to replant with smaller species. Although I’m sad to see the trees go, I’ve also been fascinated to see the work in progress. No need for a team of people – there’s just one man driving this machine with which he gets hold of the tree, cuts it at the base, then carries it to the log pile and cuts it into sections. Each tree takes just a few minutes to chop up as if it was a sapling. Hydraulics is almost ‘old technology’ nowadays but I still find it fascinating. All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2026.