In recent years there has been a growth in the number of smaller private woodlands for sale. These tend to be between 5 and 20 acres and are purchased by private individuals for leisure purposes, many wishing to return to Mother Nature.

Small woodlands are bought for a wide variety of pursuits including woodland walks, picnics, archery, badger watching, treasure hunts, woodworking, mountain biking, paintballing, bird watching, and tree climbing.

Having your own small woodland also provides a safe, natural environment for all your family and friends to enjoy.

There are also very good ecological reasons for buying and replenishing woodland. You are able to reduce carbon footprint by putting something back, and help stop the erosion of natural habitat that is happening so fast in the UK.

It gives you the chance to put your money into woodland management such as coppicing, tree planting, harvesting and logging in a sustainable way. Also something to think about is a ‘green burial’ which is now seen as friendlier to the environment and more natural than cremations!

If you are looking to make an income from your private woodland, then you need to look at your figures carefully and do some research. Normally only larger woodlands yield any substantial revenue from timber sales, and on most woodlands there are limits on how much can be felled per annum and the majority of the trees must be replenished.

There are some revenue generating opportunities with woodland that may be worth looking at, like charcoal burning, selling mature timber and hiring out the woodland to various groups.

Woodland can be a good investment, but it has to be in the right location. It’s unlikely that any woodland would ever obtain planning permission to build a home on the land, so if you decide to sell your woodland in the future, it would be to someone buying the land for pleasure and enjoyment.

You can put non-permanent structures such as sheds or tree houses in woodland and you can also camp in a caravan for up to 28 days per year.

Below are a few companies who have private woodlands for sale:

• Woodlands4sale. Specialising in the sales of small woodlands in England and Wales for recreation, wildlife conservation and investment. Website: www.woods4sale.co.uk
• Woodlands. A small family business, whose objective is to help people to find woodlands of a manageable size. Website: www.woodlands.co.uk
• Lochaber Estates. They make it simple for you to purchase a Scottish woodland site, and purchase a piece of Scotland, forever yours. Website; www.scottishwoodland.com