Pollards, the forgotten art-discussion

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

But the genius bit about pollards is you get multi-purpose land use. Since medieval wood pastures, and before, these trees have grown on land which could also be grazed by stock, even sometimes underplanted with crops. AND you could get honey, fruit, other 'non-timber forestry products'.

 

It's a relatively recent phenomenon (and particularly north European) for there to be such distinction between agriculture and forestry. Imagine around 50 pollards per hectare in a field. You're not going to lose an appreciable amount of grass, you've also got a sustainable source of fuel, carbon sequestration, catchment management tool, etc.

 

your preaching to the converted mycoman, but glad you said it.

[lowerforest]

"im planting several this spring, an oak an ash and a beech"

 

hamadryad - home grown from seed, by any chance?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

"im planting several this spring, an oak an ash and a beech"

 

hamadryad - home grown from seed, by any chance?

 

of course, and well selected seed at that:thumbup1:

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Its a rare occasion when I get to do work that I know will outlast me and I feel good about doing to the point of spiritual connection with nature. Today I was dragged in to sort two old ash trees, one that I had assesed a while back as imminent, but we didnt get to it in time as the jan winds had her but the other halfs future is assured for another 100years now. The first one was in a right state, and seemed worse once entering the crown. The torsional crack or dysfunctional column is subject to Kretschmaria AND also the wound ribs are infected with ash canker. Inonotus hispidus also evident in the limbs, and an overall "corky" (thanks Jammy dodger for that term, its a spot on description) feel. with a churchyard and visitors carpark within reach it was time to address the issues and as Ben put it (I also love this expression) "cut the worry out of it".

 

Two trees that will now stand in the face of adversity for the rest of my natural, I cant wait to see them in 5 and then again in 20 years time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lowerforest]

fingers crossed for you, then!

 

I've got a similar (sort of) project underway here - may possibly have a few 'spares' you may be interested in if the sowing programme comes to a successful fruition.

 

Email for you.

[Ben Ballard]

great work as always tony you realy done them ash some justice and was a pleasure working with you thankyou:thumbup1:

[Matthew Arnold]

Just taken on a new site in town. Its got a fine Hornbeam pollard which was hacked last year and some nice old hedge Beech Pollards.

[Marsh Monkey]

talking pollards i've just bee asked to pollard a dyke edge of willows my initial feeling was to say wait till october to do the work am i right i don't really want the work to go to someone else but don't wanna hurt the willows feelings....for once

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

talking pollards i've just bee asked to pollard a dyke edge of willows my initial feeling was to say wait till october to do the work am i right i don't really want the work to go to someone else but don't wanna hurt the willows feelings....for once

 

are you getting plenty of rain, how big will the cuts be? and will you be able to retain any saprisers/foliage at the terminations?

[Foord]

It's a relatively recent phenomenon (and particularly north European) for there to be such distinction between agriculture and forestry. Imagine around 50 pollards per hectare in a field. You're not going to lose an appreciable amount of grass, you've also got a sustainable source of fuel, carbon sequestration, catchment management tool, etc.

 

Crop rotation. You don't always want to keep land in pasture and its a bit of a bugger to try to plough around 50 odd trees.

 

However having just gone through a fair few pages of this thread, our tree officer is going to be getting asked a few questions. (because he knows more than me )