The Costs and Future Profitability of Small Scale Farm Forestry in Scotland : 19th IUFRO World Congress

1990

S. 272-284

13 Tab., 1 Anh.

Unselbständiges Werk

200085969

Britain, one of the least afforested countries, traditionally manages forestry and agriculture separately. In 1988 grant schemes were introduced to encourage tree planting on farm land. A survey of the establishment costs of 39 Scottish farms planting woods under the new Farm Woodland Scheme showed that total costs per hectare were 1450 Pfund (319-4671 Pfund/ha). Costs were reduced by using farm labour and cheat fencing, while high costs involved the use contractors. Fencing was a considerable cost 100-1077 Pfund/ha for materials and inclusive of contractors labour 133-1972 Pfund/ha. Farmers gave amenity and recreation as their primary reason for planting. The potential profitability on a lowland site for a full rotation was calculated over 50 years for Sycamore and Sitka spruce and 62 years for Scots pine. The mean cash flows give an estimate of profit, comparable to the Helsinki working groups guidelines, were 131 Pfund/ha, 379 Pfund/ha and 245 Pfund/ha respectively. If discounted at 6% and expressed as an annuity, the convention in Britain, these were - 60 Pfund, 11 Pfund and 39 Pfund/ha respectively. When the new Farm Woodland Scheme planting grants and annual payments are included the annuities become 185 Pfund/ha, 179 Pfund/ha and 123 Pfund/ha respectively. Only in the case of Sycamore, for which the planting grant is higher did these equal the mean cash flows. The lack of tradition in and perceived profitability of farm forestry in Britain may explain the lack of woodlands on farms.