Introduction and Welcome

Hello,

For those who have reached this Blog through our other blog, NewlifeinNorthernScotland, or through Powerswitch, you will know about my background and our "downsizing" move to Scotland.

For everyone else reading this, welcome and thank you for taking the time to read this.  Let me take a few moments to introduce myself and explain what this Blog is all about.

My name is Mark Janes.  I have been married to Carol for 29 years and we have three (adult) boys.  Following a career in the sales-and-marketing area of the Corporate World, I founded a learning and development company 16 years ago.  Riding the early "boom" years of New Labour, business was easy and I lived my own little entrepreneurial dream.  As time went on, I found myself feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the way things were going; notably the rising debt levels, the increasing tendency for large companies to kick sand in the face of the little guy, and the way we were trashing the environment and storing up enormous problems for our children (my children!).  Frankly, I'd had enough and wanted out.  For me, the solution was forestry.  I'm an "outdoorsy type" and enjoy nothing more than tinkering about in our woodland.  Am I any good at it?  Well, that's a whole different question!

Carol provides on-line advice on child-rearing to new parents.  She can work anywhere there's an internet connection.  We pretty much had the opportunity to go where we wanted.  So, in 2012, we packed up and headed to Northern Scotland, where we have acquired a 200 year old ex-croft house and 60 acres of conifer woodland; Tarrel Woodland.

Tarrel Woodland is a Noble Fir conifer plantation.  It was established in the early 90's for the specific purpose of yielding foliage boughs for the festive decorative industry.  The product is a very attractive blue/green foliage which is used for Christmas Wreaths, table decorations, garlands, etc.  We acquired it as a "going concern" from the original owners; a Danish Christmas Tree company.

The woodland is a classic example of "Industrial Agriculture" (or, in this case, Horticulture).  The trees are nearly all of one type, planted close together.  The large quantity of foliage taken out each year means the trees are permanently under stress.  They require high inputs of fertiliser and herbicides, and are susceptible to attack from insects and disease.  In the past, upwards of 100 tonnes of foliage has been taken out each year, trashing the ground and damaging trees near the extraction routes.  Right from the start, my intention was to change this and move the woodland towards a more sustainable, organic management model.  In fact, the first thing we did was to reduce production by about two-thirds and give the trees a chance to rest.

We've had the plantation for four years.  Before we moved here, we were managing it by "remote control", through occasional visits.  As a result, we tended to stick with the previous business model for the woodland, and inertia kicked in.  However, a recent visit to The Sustainability Centre in Hampshire, together with reading Ben Law's book on Sustainable Woodland Management, has focused our minds once again on the task of transforming the woodland.

Ben Law's book has given me two important insights:

1.  Although it takes time for a woodland to develop and mature (generations, in fact), there are nevertheless results to be had over a shorter timescale (10-15 years).

2.  Local, indigenous plants, shrubs and trees will establish themselves and grow with little intervention.  It's just about providing a favourable environment.

So, I've set myself a target of 15 years to get Tarrel Woodland well and truly on the path to a sustainable future, so that whoever comes after me (one of our children, or a new owner, or the local community) can enjoy the benefit of a diverse range of products from the wood while nurturing a thriving eco-system.

I was advised to make copious notes about everything I do (I'd like to write a book at the end of the process), so I've decided to make this blog the actual place to write my notes.  If you follow it, what you'll see is the raw, unedited story of our day-to-day work at Tarrel.

Coming next...About the woodland, and plans for the future.