What is the Best Forestry Equipment for Small Landowners?

If you want to do a small-scale logging operation for timber harvesting then you better use the right tools

What equipment do you need to do land clearing or start a small-scale logging business? 

The past few years have seen a lot of hardworking entrepreneurs move out from the city and purchase large amounts of acreage in the country, and new and established landowners are asking how they can make the most out of their land or even make money from it.

In many cases you have mature forests which have never been harvested, or well-managed private forests, or even neglected woodlots which could use a bit of love to get them flourishing again.

There are plenty of small-scale operations where independent property owners run their own timber harvesting, using their own logging equipment and specialized machines to do tree felling, moving logs to their sawmills and processing them for sale.

But what are the best tools for felling trees on your own property and converting them into sales? Let's get into the basics of small-scale timber harvesting and the forestry equipment you'll need.

What are small scale forestry operations?

Small forestry operations can take many different forms. Some of them include:

• • Private acreage owners with mature forests who are clearing land

  • Woodlot owners who manage and curate their forests for the purpose of making money from their trees

  • Large acreage owners who plan large scale clearing to sell whole trees as a small, independent company with a few employees

There are many different kinds of forestry operations of various sizes. Each of these operations requires specialized tools, heavy equipment and will do routine maintenance of their forests for the purpose of eventual harvesting.

Can you make money from small forest harvesting?

Timber harvesting can be a profitable venture as long as you plan your operation out careful. Some of the ways you can make money from forestry include:

• • Profiting from whole log sales

  • Processing and selling firewood

  • Selling trees as a tree nursery

  • Selling bulk wood chips

There are a lot of possibilities on how to make money from your forest, and not necessarily from trees either. Some people forage mushrooms from the forest floor while some people do deer hunting. Some people raise Christmas trees to sell during the holidays.

You don't need massive logging trucks or heavy machinery to do little things to make money from your land and there are great options out there for affordable equipment required to do smaller tasks. Even an ATV with a chainsaw and some personal protective equipment is enough to get you started.

What is the best forestry equipment for small-scale forestry operations?

When it comes to the best forestry equipment available for you as a landowner, you'll need a way to haul logs, process trees, clean up tree debris like loose branches and clear out stumps. Here are some of the best options available.

Portable Sawmills

A portable sawmill is an incredibly useful tool, especially if you own a wood lot with multiple trees that can be harvested for lumber, or you have an easy way of acquiring lumber. These can be excellent for sourcing your own lumber, letting you avoid buying from the lumber yard and getting high quality lumber from your own logs.

Then you can do repairs to your homestead like fixing rotten boards on your patio or milling posts for your fencing all on your own.

Importantly, owning a portable sawmill lets you mill custom-sized lumber to sell to your customers. Find exotic and desirable species and cut slabs for woodworkers or find home builders looking for a local supply of lumber and then set up a supply chain.

For those interested in owning a portable sawmill, we recommend:

HM126 Portable Sawmill

For homestead owners who want to do the whole forestry package, sawing down trees and milling up their own lumber, you can't go wrong with the HM126. This portable sawmill has been a favourite ever since it launched as the flagship product of Woodland Mills more than 15 years ago. If you equip it with a trailer you can tow it across your property to mill large and small trees right where they're harvested. Or you can get an ATV trailer or a log loader and haul logs back to your camp.

If you want the right machinery for turning your wood into lumber the HM126 is an excellent tool for the job.

The HM126 has:

• • 26" Log Diameter Capacity

  • 24" Max Cut Width

  • 9.5 and 14 HP engine options

  • Patented Gas & Go Auto Lube

  • Power Head Compatible

  • Ground Mount and Trailer Mount options

HM130MAX Portable Sawmill

The next size up from the HM126, the HM130MAX is equipped with a FullCut™ sawhead, matches a 30” diameter log capacity with a 30” throat opening. This is a must have feature for anyone looking to mill slabs or cut wider logs on their sawmill.

If you plan on doing custom furniture, or you need to do custom cabinets or other household woodworking projects, then the HM130MAX ensures you have the right equipment for milling all kinds of custom dimensions.

The HM130MAX has:

• • 30" Log Diameter Capacity

  • 30" Max Cut Width

  • 14 HP engine

  • Patented Gas & Go Auto Lube

  • Power Head Compatible

  • Ground Mount and Trailer Mount options

Wood Chippers

Owning a wood chipper is an essential piece of equipment when you own property because there's always cleanup to do, whether it's routine or storm related maintenance. Sometimes you want to make an new access road through your forest stand and you'll need a wood chipper to deal with all the wood waste.

The great thing about owning a wood chipper is being able to have access to fresh wood chips whenever you need them. Not only can they be great bedding for animals but also for gardens and can be used to make soft footpaths across the ground.

If you're setting up a small forestry operation, then turn your wood waste from the forest floor into money by filling bags with wood chips and selling them to your local cottage owners or gardeners.

When it comes to wood chippers here are a few recommendations:

WC46 Wood Chipper

A smaller model of wood chipper, compatible with most compact and subcompact tractors. This is an excellent tool for smaller property owners who want to clean up fallen branches and other wood waste across their properties. It's an excellent choice that balances budget, size and capabilities.

Just attach the WC46 to your tractor, engage the PTO and the hydraulic infeed rollers will pull in material. Maintaining your land is a breeze when you put a hard working wood chipper to use.

The WC46 has:

• • 4" chipping diameter

  • Compatible with 15-30 HP at the PTO

  • Self-contained Hydraulic Infeed System

If you're interested in a 4" PTO wood chipper but want something with more features, take a look at the TF46 PRO, which comes with patented Twin Flywheel technology with increased airflow for more consistent chipping of lightweight and leafy material.

TF810 PRO Wood Chipper

For owners of higher horsepower tractors, the TF810 PRO is the highest capacity wood chipper from Woodland Mills. Equipped with patented Twin Flywheel technology, and capable of chipping material up to 8" in diameter, the TF810 PRO ensures smooth and consistent chipping even when you're feeding in lightweight and leafy material. This chipper is an investment to taking care of your property.

When it comes to wood chippers this is one of the best PTO-compatible options on the market.

The TF810 PRO has:

• • 8" chipping diameter

  • Compatible with 35-100+ HP at the PTO

  • Self-contained Hydraulic Infeed System

  • Patented Twin Flywheel Technology

ATV Off-Road Trailers

There are plenty of reasons for wanting to own a quality ATV trailer that you can haul anywhere across your property, whether you've got to load and haul firewood or are carrying dirt.

It allows you to carry logs easily across your property and streamline your forestry operations across your land.

An ATV trailer is an incredibly useful tool and here's our recommendation for the best one for your land:

Multilander Off-Road ATV Trailer

The Multilander is a strong choice for any landowner considering an ATV trailer. Equipped with a pivoting ball hitch and a tandem walking beam suspension, this ensures the trailer is always following you with as many wheels on the ground as possible. This is great for navigating difficult terrain around any property.

This trailer is a great alternative to dragging logs, since you can easily lower the side rails and use the onboard log-loading ramps and provided winch kit to easily load logs on into the trailer. It also has removable tailgates making it simple to lift and dump the trailer wherever you need it.

The Multilander features:

• • 2,000 lb carrying capacity

  • 2,500 lb winch capacity

  • Laminated Twin Rail Chassis

  • 31.8 cu ft of box volume