Description

Bedehouse and East Bennachie Forest is an extensive and productive coniferous woodland, that reaches to about 380m above sea level, wrapping around Mither Tap to the north east, and provides a picturesque outlook of the surrounding area.

The woodlands extend to some 245 hectares (605 Acres) in total and provide an excellent variety of high yielding conifer crops and assortment of attractive broadleaves. The main species are Scots pine, Sitka and Norway spruce and larch, generally planted in single species blocks, of varying age classes.

The majority of the Sitka was planted in 1980 and is exhibiting excellent growth rates throughout, providing a purchaser with a high volume of maturing timber with opportunity to benefit from immediate tax free timber income. The earliest planting of the Scots pine and mixed conifers dates back to 1930 and 1950 respectively with growth rates variable in correlation to elevation. It is anticipated that the amount of Sitka spruce could be increased following felling.

A Long Term Forest Plan (LTFP) has been approved by Scottish Forestry with phased felling and replanting of the current crop planned to start immediately, including 22.5 Hectares (55.6 Acres) of bare land awaiting replanting, which was felled in 2019. The first and second phase is scheduled to start over the next 5 years and includes felling of the mature Sitka and Norway spruce crop.

The forest has suffered from some storm damage caused by Storm Arwen, and subsequent storms, which has not been cleared. It is estimated that approximately 20 hectares of timber has been affected. An amendment to the Long Term Forest Plan has been approved by Scottish Forestry to allow the clearance of the windblown trees in 2022.

A copy of the full LTFP and Arwen amendments can be provided upon request from the selling agent.