Thinning
Taking out weaker, damaged and competing trees so the best ones have the light and space to grow on into quality timber.
Woodland management Healthier woods, for the long term
From a small copse to a working woodland: survey, thinning, safe felling, timber extraction and replanting, planned around the wood, its wildlife and what you want from it.
Next free quote visits, live from our diary
Free visits Monday to Thursday and Saturdays.
- 5.0 on Google, 50+ reviews
- NPTC, City & Guilds & Lantra
- £5M insured
Woodland management in short
Clearcut manages woodland for estates, farms, landowners and private owners across Dorset, Hampshire and south Wiltshire. We survey the wood, mark trees for thinning or felling, carry out the work with qualified teams, extract the timber with fast tractors and trailers, keep rides and access tracks open, deal with ash dieback and storm damage, and replant gaps with species suited to the site. Timber is sold on or recycled, around 96% of it into firewood.
- Survey
- Trees, health, access and what you want from the wood
- Thinning
- Weaker and competing trees out, so the best grow on
- Extraction
- Timber out by tractor and trailer, with ground protection where needed
- Ash dieback
- Affected trees near roads, paths and buildings assessed and felled
- Replanting
- Native and climate-resilient species in the gaps
Survey, thin, extract, replant
- 1
Survey
We walk the wood with you, look at species, age, health, access and wildlife, and agree what you want: timber, amenity, shooting, biodiversity or safety.
- 2
Plan and permissions
A work plan and price. We advise whether a Forestry Commission felling licence is needed and help prepare it.
- 3
Mark
Trees to thin or fell are marked, and the rest protected.
- 4
Fell and thin
Qualified teams fell and process the marked trees, working outside the bird nesting season wherever possible.
- 5
Extract
Timber is extracted by tractor and trailer along the rides, with ground protection on soft ground and away from watercourses.
- 6
Replant and aftercare
Gaps replanted, guarded and checked, and rides and edges managed for wildlife.
What we do in woodland
Ash dieback
Ash dieback is killing ash trees across the south. We assess affected trees, prioritise those near roads, paths and buildings, and fell them safely before they fail.
Rides and access
Rides, tracks and glades cut back and kept open for access, fire breaks and wildlife.
Storm damage
Windblown and hung-up trees made safe and cleared, including dangerous work on leaning and tangled trees.
Timber extraction
Timber moved out with fast tractors and trailers, stacked for collection, or taken for firewood.
Planting and restocking
New trees planted after felling or to extend woodland, with guards and aftercare.
Felling licences and the rules
In England, felling more than a small amount of timber usually needs a felling licence from the Forestry Commission.
As a rule, you can fell up to 5 cubic metres of timber per calendar quarter without a licence, as long as no more than 2 cubic metres of it is sold. Larger amounts, and most woodland thinning, need a licence, unless the work falls under one of the exemptions, such as dangerous trees or work covered by planning permission.
Trees with Tree Preservation Orders, or in conservation areas, also need the local council's consent or notice.
We tell you on the survey which permissions apply, and help with the paperwork.
Woodland management questions
Anything not covered here? Ask us and we'll give you a straight answer.
Do I need a felling licence to thin my wood?
Usually, if more than 5 cubic metres of timber a quarter is felled. We check on the survey and help you apply to the Forestry Commission.
When is the best time for woodland work?
Autumn and winter, outside the bird nesting season and when the ground is firmer. Dangerous trees are dealt with whenever needed.
What happens to the timber?
It can be sold, kept for your own use, or recycled. Around 96% of the timber we handle becomes firewood.
Can you deal with ash dieback?
Yes. We assess infected ash, prioritise the trees that pose a risk to people and property, and fell them safely.
Do you work on small woods as well as estates?
Yes. From a small copse at the end of a garden to estate woodland.
Do we cover you?
Based in Ferndown, covering all of Dorset, all of Hampshire and parts of Wiltshire.
Check your postcode
Five stars, every time
What customers across Dorset and Hampshire say after the job is done.
5.0
50+ Google reviews
Tree down? Call now.
Storm damage, fallen trees and dangerous limbs. Fast response across Dorset and Hampshire, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Book your free quote visit
Choose the job, pick a time from our live diary and tell us where. No payment and no obligation.
- You pick a timeOnline, in about a minute. Visits run Monday to Thursday and Saturdays.
- We visit and look properlyA qualified arborist checks the trees, the access and whether any consent is needed.
- You get a written quoteA clear, fixed price with no hidden costs. The price quoted is the price you pay.
- NPTC
- City & Guilds
- Lantra
- £5M insured
- BS3998
Want to ask something first? Send us a message and we reply within 24 hours.
Contact usTree down or dangerous? Call 01202 022560, 24 hours a day.
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