Callander Estate - Land Management Services

Biomass

Callendar Estate is a mixed agricultural and forestry estate situated around Falkirk and Denny in the heart of Central Scotland. The Estate extends to approximately 2,630 hectares which includes 563.6 hectares of woodlands ideal for timber and biomass production. With continued interest in renewable fuels the Estate has realised the opportunity to utilise and add value to its lower grade timber resources for biomass production.

With this in mind, Callendar Estate Biomass Ltd was established in 2007 to respond to the growing demand for a reliable source of woodchip fuel for use in biomass boilers. The Estate constructed a biomass fuel storage depot to the South of Greenrig Farm which is ideally located in the heart of the Estate. Our depot is also situated close to our main area of commercial forest which consists of primarily mature Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) ideal for green sawlog production (first class logs), biomass production for the less valuable Red logs (2nd class logs) and the remaining smaller diameter, chip wood material.

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Forestry

The woodlands at Callendar Estate provide the landscape setting for Falkirk and surrounding areas, are an important wildlife habitat and are enjoyed by many as a place to visit and explore. At the same time the woodlands are also a source of timber and revenue. Managing the woodlands for all these competing objectives requires a careful balance and great attention to detail 

The woodlands on the Estate extend to approximately 1,500 acres. Traditionally the Estate reserved the best land for agricultural use and planted the poorer land with trees to provide the timber that we need for fencing materials and for the maintenance and repair of our buildings. Today our woods are managed with three principles in mind, production of commercial forestry, nature conservation and access to the public.

As a result the large blocks of Sitka Spruce are being felled on a planned basis to be replaced with a more varied woodland structure which will still include a significant proposrtion of commercial conifer but also extensive areas of native broadleaves and open space and provide opportunities for public access including an extensive network of cycle trails

In 2006/07 we were fortunate in securing funding through the Forestry Commission and Forward Scotland which has enabled us to accelerate this process, particularly on our four woodlands closest to local communities, at Chacefield Wood in Denny, Tamfourhill Wood, Kilbean Wood in Falkirk and Pirleyhill Wood in Sheildhill. 

Today our woodlands are managed in accordance with a Long Term Forest Plan which is approved by the Forestry Commisson and which outlines the principal woodland activies including harvesting over a 10 year period.

Farming

With over 4,800 acres of farmland the Estate provides the basis of agricultural production for 20 farming families. Many of the families have farmed over succesive generations and their continuing prosperity is vital to the ongoing future of the Estate.

All of our agricultural land is let out to working farming businesses and provides the basis of production, and in many cases these are the homes for the farming families. Our tenant farmers are responsible for the day to day management of their land and it is their expertise which decides which crops to grow and which animals to rear. 

The farms' harvest produces cereal crops such as wheat and barley,oil seed rape, vegetables, milk, beef and lamb

Over the years the Estate has invested in our let farms through the provision of modern farm buildings and the upgrading of properties to ensure that as far as possible our farms are equipped for the needs of modern farming methods. We continue to invest in our farms where there is a sound business case.

Whilst food production will always be an important output from our farms there is an increasing expectation that farms should diversify from this, into other types of business, particularly leisure and tourism.

The Estate is happy to encourage our tenant farmers to explore new business opportunities and will work with them where appropriate to diversify and strengthen their business and ensure a long term future. In particular we are keen to encourage leisure or tourism based enterprises that make use of the extensive network of paths and tracks that the Estate has developed over the years.