Most property markets are on hold but the commercial forestry sector has wasted no time in offering woodlands for sale in what they insist is a buoyant marketplace.
Specialists John Clegg & Co have put nine Scottish woodlands, including Newhall Wood, near Aberfeldy, up for sale amid what they say is “accelerating interest” in carbon trading and a focus on the benefits of natural capital.
The 83-hectare Newhall Wood extends in part along the Tay and is for sale as a whole for offers over £995,000.
Meanwhile, the largest property on offer is Badvoon Forest, a 728-hectare commercial conifer forest near Ardgay in Sutherland, which is on the market for offers over £5,750,000.
According to Clegg’s senior director Jon Lambert, the commercial conifer market is robust with demand ranging from institutional and private investors to the end users of timber.
Mr Lambert added: “Many asset classes have seen at least a temporary devaluation during the Covid-19 pandemic but there has so far been no evidence of this in the prime forestry sector.
“Commercial conifer woodlands are attracting extremely strong interest with demand outstripping supply; prices are expected to continue to rise in the second half of 2020.”
He said there was continuing interest in planting land opportunities, but they were “few and far between and highly competitive”.
