Silvicultural Instructions - looking after your trees in the future
Foresters
learn from experience to be rather undogmatic folk. There
are many answers to any situation and there will usually
be merit in quite different points of view. However, here
are some simple rules of silviculture about which we are
quite clear. The landowner will ignore or postpone them
at his peril if he wishes to create a valuable woodland
in the shortest possible time.
Weeding
Twice a year, winter and spring/summer, for the first three years--6 operations only--will ensure a good start. Neglect this and the growth will diminish as the roots of weeds and grasses choke the root development and moisture uptake of the young tree. Half a metre radius around each tree with an approved herbicide is aII that is necessary; do not strim around the tree. It is not necessary to mow or clean between the rows.
Pruning
Why use time and space to grow a bad tree? When for the pleasure of an evening stroll in your woodland with one of our various and vicious Japanese pruning saws you can select out the leader and prune away unnecessary side branches. It is relaxing and mentally stimulating for all members of the family. A former President of the Royal Forestry Society has personally identified the very best of the Japanese 'Samurai' technology. Now both we and his estate are stocking the Foxley selection of pocket, hip and telescopic saws.
First select your leader after Year 2 to 3 and prune away side branches much more severely than your first inclination. Side branches and forks inhibit stem growth and ruin the potential of the tree for veneer quality. They must be cut away while the tree is still young. Aim to grow what the timber trade calls 'Clears' which is straight knot free timber. Your ideal 'Clear' is 8m as this will give 2 x 4m pieces in the veneer lathes. This will involve pruning the stem twice between years 5 and 10 to approximately 6.5m. A few years later complete the process with one high prune touching up any epicormic growth on the bole and removing any crown lower branches to ensure your 8m clear stem.
Don't be afraid to stump a deformed young tree back to ground level, reguard it and so give the tree another chance. Don't prune woodland edge trees. Prune at any time of year except when the sap is rising in April/May. The only exception is Cherry and Walnut which should be pruned in July/August to avoid diseased wounds.
Don't listen to the view of the upland coniferous forester in close spaced trees self pruning themselves--it only happens with conifers and very tightly grown Oak or Beech. What suits certain conifers in some situations will never suit the lowland landowner growing quality and well balanced light demanding broadleaves. See pages 41 for pruning accessories.
Spacing and Selection
There is an intimate and linear relationship
between the crown of a tree and its stem diameter. Without
a well balanced crown, stem growth will always be poor,
however good the site. A site can only support a certain
number of thriving stems. Numbers of trees on the site must
be reduced as the girth of each tree thickens. The removal
of overcrowding trees becomes the process of mid and final
selection. Overstocking is the typical hallmark of a degraded
and neglected woodland. Overthinning such woodlands may
also leave a wood vulnerable to windblow.
There is a strong relationship between DBH and crown diameter. We can therefore predict with confidence the area of ground a tree will occupy and stems per hectare.
DBH = Diameter at Breast Height
Woodland Improvement, Grants, Management and Advice
Our sister company, Woodland Improvement Ltd offers a comprehensive forestry service to those who wish to create new plantations or manage existing woodlands. They offer professional advice on all aspects from woodland planning and establishment through to the felling and marketing of timber.