hi ,
i saw your post yesterday , and have been mulling it over .
i would say that you ought to firmly establish the cause of these 'losses' - 16,000 is a very large 'beat-up ' .
are we talking softwood or hardwood ?
steep , uncultivated land or improved grass ?
could you use the same weed control methods as have been used on the successfully established stock ?(and how old are they , and how many acres were originally planted -to the nearest 100)
any which way , it may be prudent to engage the services of a consultant - the cost would only equate to a few % of the outlay on plant material and labour .
i am 100's of miles away ,otherwise i would gladly visit , and advise , for nowt - in the hope of getting some price-work ,-- other ,local contractors may feel likewise .
and..... i imagine the 16,000 tyres business was just some sort of wind-up , and this grumpy old woodsman ain't taking the bait !