James Jones own a diverse portfolio of 5,750 hectares (14,200 acres) of woodland and land over 22 sites in Scotland. These woodlands, some of which have been owned by the company since the 1950s, comprise a mix of commercial woodlands of mixed age classes, broadleaves, land for planting and managed open space.

Whilst this is an extensive portfolio in a UK context, in reality the woodlands will only offer 4% of the groups 1m tonne per annum timber requirement on a sustainable basis and are owned for a wide number of reasons as listed below:

  • Timber harvesting for strategic timber supply to our mills
  • 2 million tonnes of potential timber supply over the next 50 years
  • A Carbon “store” forecast to offset 400,000 tonnes in the next rotation
  • An opportunity for our staff and students to practice forest management
  • A planting programme of 400ha per annum for the next 5 years
  • Exemplar woodlands for demonstration to our clients and other stakeholders
  • An opportunity to understand woodland management in general and lobby accordingly
  • An opportunity to “put our money where our mouth is” through the new planting and sustainable management of commercial woodlands

A planting programme of around 400 hectares per annum until 2025 is being targeted to establish further areas of new woodland. These woodlands will be planted to UK Woodland Assurance Scheme standards to achieve truly sustainable timber production for the groups sawmills in 35-40 years’ time. In addition to this, these areas will offer a significant carbon storage opportunities through the initial rotation and subsequent timber processing thereafter.

Our woodlands are certified to the UK Woodland Assurance Scheme through various group schemes and are manged in house and through other contract arrangement by Scottish Woodlands Ltd, and others.

James Jones & Sons continue to seek to increase this portfolio through further acquisition of both established woodland, including mature commercial crops, and land for further planting. The aim is to increase the groups woodland portfolio ownership to 10,000 hectares by 2025.