Example Projects
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Auchineden Estate
Auchineden is a 765 hectare Estate to the north of Milngavie, Glasgow. RTS have been engaged as Forest Managers on Auchineden for a number of years and deliver a wide range of activities and operations.
We have undertaken over 300ha of New Woodland Creation, both commercial and native woodland. Given the proximity to Glasgow, Auchineden provides valuable public access to hill ground, the woodland creation schemes were carefully designed and implemented with this public access in mind.
Over 50,000 Christmas Trees are grown and harvested annually on the Estate including large trees for shopping centres and Town Squares. RTS plant, maintain, harvest and market these trees.
Auchineden has a number of high quality stands of timber which RTS have been harvesting and marketing. The sawlogs cut are of notable quality and sought after by a number of timber mills, RTS are independent of any end users and consequently can maximise the return to the Estate.
RTS were involved in the construction of a 100KW hydro scheme, this scheme will provide a reliable financial income to the Estate for years to come and contribute to the Scottish Governments renewable energy targets.
Pitlochry Estate
Since 2014 RTS have been delivering woodland operations for Pitlochry Estate, a diverse estate within a highly appreciated scenic area.
Our initial involvement was the delivery of Spardon Wood, 75 hectares of new native woodland.
Since 2014 we have carried out timber harvesting to provide a continuing timber supply for the estate’s own biomass system and to improve the opportunity for natural regeneration in the sensitive larch forests, for which the upper Tay valley is renowned.
A strategic review of the estate forests identified an area of commercial woodland overlooking the Queen’s View which was inappropriate in the landscape and Forestry Commission consented to replace this at an alternative location. Our landscape assessment identified that a larger woodland fitted and met the client’s requirements, creating a diverse, commercial asset, and a positive revenue.
Given the location and the complexity of the site extensive consultation was required to ensure that permissions were received.
Four ground preparation techniques ensured the trees were provided with the best start and to meet landscaping requirements.
Deer fences were marked to prevent bird strikes. During the setting out process three archaeological sites were located and preserved.
Maintenance activities are ongoing to ensure that the trees establish and the significant potential of the woodland is realised.
Wathegar Windfarm
In conjunction with our Joint Venture Partner MW Herdman RTS were engaged to clear 120ha of woodland from Wathegar II Windfarm, Caithness. An active Windfarm construction site.
20ha of this site was conventionally harvested with timber harvester/forwarders and the resultant timber dispatched to a range of markets.
On the remaining 100ha the tree size was too small to conventionally harvest. The client expressed a desire to avoid whole tree mulching, so an innovative whole tree harvesting methodology was developed by RTS/MWH, utilising our owned equipment. The resultant 10,000t+ has been marketed into the biomass supply chain dispatched from site at 1000t/week. Both external chipper contractors and the RTS Jenz chipper were deployed to deliver this operation.
Kilgallioch Windfarm
Kilgallioch Windfarm is one of the largest windfarms in Europe encompassing over a thousand hectares of woodland clearance and subsequent restocking.
In conjunction with our Joint Venture Partner MW Herdman RTS were engaged to clear over 100,000t (600ha) of timber from both the privately and FC owned sections of this site.
On a proportion of the site tree size and ground conditions rendered conventional harvester/forwarder clearance impractical. RTS/MWH worked with the client to secure a licence to undertake over 50ha of mulching. We also deployed our whole tree harvesting biomass operations to meet various statutory requirements.
The client expressed concerns regarding the potential forest road damage that may be caused by the dispatch of 100,000t of timber (4000 wagon movements). RTS/MWH deployed specialist Low Ground Pressure in -forest vehicles to transport the timber from the windfarm to the edge of the forest road, ensuring the windfarm road network remained in excellent condition and minimising interaction with the construction operation.
This project required careful integration of the construction and forestry operations. At the clients request we deployed one of our specialist SMSTS trained site managers for the duration of the works to lead this integration.
Cairnsmore Peatland Restoration
Under the Peatland Action Fund and on behalf of SNH, RTS and our Joint Venture Partner MW Herdman undertook the restoration of blanket bog habitat at Cairnsmore of Fleet NNR, Newton Stewart.
The key to the successful delivery of this operation was the deployment of the correct equipment, and experienced operatives. RTS/MWH deployed two LGP excavators and provided skilled experienced operators and a full time works manager to deliver against the exacting specification.
The operation involved both the reprofiling of peat hags, and ditch blocking. At the completion of the operation we provided GPS data of works undertaken and productivity information to aid the clients budgeting for future works.
Scoor Estate
Scoor Estate is located on the Isle of Mull in the particularly scenic area of the Ross of Mull. The Estate combines a working farm together with 360 Ha of commercial conifer forest.
Forest ownership on Scottish islands presents its own particular set of challenges and in conjunction with neighbouring estates RTS were involved in the securing of a floating pier to facilitate the shipping to market of over 100,000 tonnes from Scoor. This project involved accessing Scottish Government Timber Transport Funding to support the significant expenditure on both new roading and the pier.
Over 2km of forest road was constructed to access the forest and facilitate harvesting operations.
The replanting of the Scoor forest is now underway, growing the next crop with over 150ha of young trees planted to date. This replanting operation is focusing on the re-establishment of commercial forestry, combined with the Estate owners wish for improved deer stalking and the objective of creating a more diverse woodland structure through good forest design.
10,000m of deer fencing has been constructed to protect the young growing trees. A a programme of maintenance activities is underway including weevil protection and weed control.
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Contact RTS Forestry
Crieff 01764 652 858 Hexham 01434 611574 Inverness 01463 592655 Inverurie 01339885335
