Case Study: Managing Ash Dieback at Campden House Estate
- Izzy Harris
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
Turning a Forestry Challenge into a Sustainable Opportunity
Ash dieback continues to reshape the British landscape, forcing landowners to confront the loss of one of the country’s most common native species. For private estates, the challenge has two parts. First, we must remove diseased trees safely and efficiently. Second, we need to prepare woodlands for long-term health.
SDL Solutions was recently hired to carry out a large ash dieback clearance at Campden House Estate. This estate is located just outside Chipping Campden in the Cotswolds. The project was spread across multiple woodland areas. This required more than just tree felling, it demanded careful planning, sensitive handling of historic and ecological features, and a commitment to leaving the estate in better condition than before.
Why were SDL chosen for the job?
What makes SDL different is our closed-loop approach. Unlike most contractors, who leave felled brash to rot down on site, we remove every grade of material, from sawlogs to fine brash. These are fed back into productive use, from sawn products to renewable energy production and biomass wood pellets. This not only eliminates waste but creates a sustainable fuel source for our biomass CHP system, generates additional revenue streams for landowners, and leaves sites clear and workable for replanting.
Over the course of the works, SDL deployed specialist machinery, graded and extracted material into multiple revenue streams, repaired and stoned estate tracks, and ensured that the sites were left fully clear and ready for replanting. What could have been an expensive and disruptive process, became a sustainable and cost effective project for the landowner.
About Campden House Estate
The Campden House Estate is a traditional Cotswold estate with multiple woodlands spread across hilly terrain. Like many across the region, the estate has been heavily affected by ash dieback.
Two felling licences were secured by Nicholsons to address the issue:
Licence 1– authorising clear felling in three compartments (102b, 105b, 110b), covering 3.18 hectares with an estimated standing volume of 535 m³.
Licence 2 – authorising clear felling in two compartments (127, 132), covering 3.06 hectares with an estimated standing volume of 540 m³.
In total, more than 6.24 hectares of woodland and approximately 1,075 m³ of standing timber were licensed for removal.
The site presented a number of complexities:
Steep, uneven ground with difficult access.
Ancient semi-natural woodland features.
A Scheduled Monument (the Kiftsgate Stone) within one of the compartments, requiring a buffer zone and strict adherence to Historic England guidance.
Restocking conditions requiring diverse species mixes to ensure long-term woodland resilience.
The Challenge
For the estate, ash dieback posed immediate safety concerns and long-term woodland management issues. The estate needed a contractor who could:
Implement an experienced team to operate swiftly and efficiently.
Carry out licensed felling across multiple compartments.
Handle steep and sensitive terrain.
Respect ecological and historic constraints.
Ensure that the material removed was not wasted, but instead provided financial return.
Repair and reinstate tracks so future management and replanting could proceed without delay.
Where others leave waste behind, we create value. This is why SDL Solutions was chosen, due to our integrated forestry model with biomass inclusions and a reputation for leaving sites in a condition that exceeds expectations.
Planning and Permissions
Working Within Felling Licences
The two licences (expiring in 2030) specified clear felling in five compartments. They also imposed restocking conditions:
Licence 1 requires replanting with:
20% oak
20% wild cherry
20% common alder
20% mixed broadleaves (native and non-native)
20% open ground, achieving at least 1,600 stems per hectare.
Licence 2 requires replanting with:
20% oak
20% wild cherry
20% sweet chestnut
20% mixed broadleaves
10% Douglas fir
10% open ground, again achieving at least 1,600 stems per hectare.
Both licences emphasised careful handling of ancient woodland features and the retention of ash showing tolerance to dieback.
Sensitive Features
Ancient semi-natural woodland: operations had to reflect Forestry Commission practice guidance, ensuring no damage to characteristic features.
Kiftsgate Stone (Scheduled Monument): a replanting buffer of ~20m x 13.5m was established to protect the monument from encroachment.
Commercial Framework
SDL purchased the standing timber at auction, taking responsibility for both the harvesting operation and the onward sale or use of extracted material. This allowed the estate to benefit directly from a well-organised, zero-waste clearance without having to manage the commercial complexities.
Our Approach
SDL brought together our forestry and site clearance teams to deliver a comprehensive solution:
Deployment of Machinery
Harvester: Tracked harvester, Doosan 225 with Komatsu head for efficient felling and on-site measurement.
Forwarder: Komatsu 840 for timber extraction across steep ground.
Support: chainsaw team to support with some of the felling.
Phased Operations
Careful sequencing to manage slope and access.
Use of brash mats where required to protect soils.
Coordination with estate management to minimise disruption.
Material Grading and Allocation
Sawlogs: separated and stacked for sale into the milling market.
Cordwood: extracted and sold to a private client, creating a revenue stream for the estate.
Firewood: lower-grade material reserved for SDL’s firewood stream.
Brash: removed and delivered into SDL’s biomass CHP system, converting residues into renewable energy.
Track Repairs and Stoning
SDL reinstated extraction routes, repairing ruts and drainage.
Imported and compacted stone across tracks.
Left the estate with access routes in better condition than before the works.
Final Site Condition
All brash and residues removed.
Clear, tidy landings.
Compartment areas left fully workable for planting contractors.
Project Outcomes
Through this project, SDL delivered:
Volume harvested:
Sawlogs: 434.34m3
Cordwood: 150t
Firewood: 618 tonnes.
Brash/biomass: 393 tonnes
Commercial results: Cordwood sales to a private client, sawlogs into the milling sector, firewood for SDL, brash powering CHP- ensuring no waste and multiple revenue streams.
Infrastructure gains: Stone laid, leaving durable access tracks and tidy landings.
Environmental benefits: Sites cleared for replanting with diverse species as per licence conditions; brash and residues contributing to renewable energy; diseased ash safely removed.
Compliance: Full adherence to Forestry Commission licence conditions, Historic England guidance for the Kiftsgate Stone, and UK Forestry Standard best practice.
Timing: Approximately 30 days.
Looking Ahead: Replanting and Biodiversity
While SDL’s remit covered harvesting, extraction, and reinstatement, the estate has engaged Nicholsons to lead on replanting. Both licences specify diverse mixes including oak, wild cherry, alder, chestnut, Douglas fir, and other broadleaves, with open ground incorporated for structural diversity.
The cleared and reinstated sites now provide a clean slate for these works, maximising the chances of establishing a resilient, biodiverse woodland for future generations.
Why Work With SDL Solutions?
This project demonstrates the benefits of working with SDL:
Zero-waste forestry: Every grade of material is allocated to its highest value use, from sawlogs to brash, nothing is wasted.
Attention to finish: Tracks are stoned and reinstated, landings are cleared, with sites left tidy and workable.
Capability on complex sites: SDL have extensive experience with steep terrain, scheduled monuments, and ancient woodland safeguards.
Integrated model: From auction purchase of standing timber through to final CHP biomass utilisation, SDL manages the full cycle.
Where others might leave brash piles or rutted tracks, SDL ensures estates are left in a better condition, ready for replanting, biodiversity, and long-term stewardship. The team are experienced in a wide range of forestry projects and always exceed on client expectations.
The Outcome
Ash dieback clearance is more than just felling trees. At Campden House Estate, SDL Solutions turned a serious challenge into a sustainable opportunity. By managing over 6 hectares of licensed felling across multiple compartments, we:
Delivered safe, efficient harvesting.
Maximised commercial value.
Removed all residues for renewable energy.
Improved infrastructure.
Left sites replant-ready for biodiversity restoration.
This case study reflects SDL’s commitment to professionalism, sustainability, and attention to detail. Our integrated model ensures that landowners facing the challenges of ash dieback can not only manage risk, but also unlock value and prepare their woodlands for the future.
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