Page 12 - FDMAsia Jan/Feb 2026

10 MARKET BEATS JAN/FEB 2026 FDM ASIA | www.fdmasia.com

Mr Mahony noted in the report that two exceptionally England (£15,000/ hectare) and Wales (£15,000 to £16,000/
large landholdings—Griffin in Perthshire at 4,000ha and the hectare) were stable, partly due to higher land grades being
Caledonian Portfolio numbering 15 forests extending to more sold for planting south of the border.
than 2,000 hectares across Scotland—would drown out every “The commercial forestry market is evolving,” said Jon
other transaction “akin to counting Buckingham Palace as part Lambert, partner at Goldcrest Land & Forestry Group. “2025
of the London housing market” and show a false pricing lift. was marked by a shift in the age of forests coming to the

“This is not the reality we have observed,” he said. market, caution among buyers and variations in sale success.”
Therefore, these two properties have been excluded from He said many more young crops changed hands this
the pricing data in order to provide a more realistic picture year, often where original planting sites had been harvested
of the market. For reference, the next largest property was and restocked.
in the hundreds of hectares. Some sites comprised trees less than 10 years old, the
Mixed woodland listings were subdued, down 40 percent result of woodland creation schemes and some offering
to just £11m. Properties were about 20 percent smaller than carbon credits.
in recent years with an average value of £380,000 and an The market was characterised by “caution and selectiveness”
average size of 30 hectares. which “has moulded an unusual collection of sale results”,

The value rose three percent to £16,200/hectare in England, he said.
six percent to £13,700/ hectare in Wales and 16 percent to “Generally, the overriding market theme is one of variation.
£10,200/ hectare in Scotland. Some properties sold competitively, generating high prices;
Sales of land with commercial forestry planting potential others, which we would consider comparable, have stuck on
were relatively scarce. In Scotland, the price continued to the market and not sold.”
fall and ranged from £7,000 to £11,000/ hectare. Values in He emphasised that forestry, like any property, was a long-

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