Arniston Firewood.
Sustainable, locally sourced firewood
About the estate
Arniston Estate comprises over 8000 acres incorporating a mixture of ancient broadleaf and commercial conifer woodland. We are located in the heart of Midlothian near Gorebridge. All our firewood is sourced locally from within the Estate and makes up key part of the estates forestry management and replenishment plan. At Arniston we are committed to the development of sustainable woodlands that enhance the landscape and have developed our own 25 year forestry plan to replenish and grow the woodlands on the estate.
We practice what we preach
At Arniston we installed a Biomass woodchip fuelled boiler in Jan 2008 to provide heating for the historic house and an infrastructure footprint for the future. This system allows us to be fully self sustainable in heating as well as making significant savings in our costs and importantly we have reduced our carbon footprint by over 90 tonnes per year all by replacing LPG with Wood fuel!!!
Why use firewood?
Firewood is environmentally friendly because using it results in virtually no ‘fossil’ carbon dioxide being added to our present environment and thus helps minimise the effects of climate change as compared to fossil fuels such as gas, oil or coal. Firewood supply creates local employment in areas which may traditionally struggle. Most importantly Firewood is a renewable resource and it can be used by us and our children and grandchildren if managed correctly.
At Arniston we have re-established our Firewood supply business through reinvigorating our traditional woodland management. This means that firewood can be harvested from thinning, coppicing, and windfall usage undertaken in an environmentally sensitive and sustainable way.
Seasoning and storing logs
Because trees contain a lot of water, freshly cut logs will contain around 50% water and are difficult to burn without some drying or seasoning taking place. Wood felled during one winter should be seasoned over the following summer and burnt the next winter when they should have around 33% moisture.
At Arniston we will only sell you seasoned logs, unless you specifically ask for fresh or green wood to season yourself. Logs are best stored outside but under cover where air but little rain can get to them. If possible bring your next weeks supply into the house and store somewhere warm like near but not next to the fire, stove or boiler.
Burning logs
Some types of tree make better firewood than others. Broadleaved trees (Hardwoods) are denser than softwoods such as pines and provide more heat per similar sized bag or trailer load. In general ash, oak, beech, birch, sycamore, hornbeam are all first class firewood’s. All conifers such as pine, plus sweet chestnut, and turkey oak are liable to throw sparks but can be used if very dry in a closed wood burning stove or boiler.
Contact us to discuss your Firewood needs
Arniston Estate Office
Arniston House
Gorebridge
Midlothian EH23 4RY
UK
Tel/Fax: +44 (0) 1875 830 515
Email: info@arniston-house.co.uk
