Maybe the UK should plant more....

[Rough Hewn]

From the point of view of timber production, it's a total waste of time. 
 
Firstly, establishment of native broadleaf species in the UK is made extremely difficult with grey squirrels. Substanstial and sustained control measures, for a period of 40 years is required. 
 
Secondly, growth rates are glacial. A plantation of oak will do about 6 cubic metres per hectare per year in these parts, if that. Eucalyptus nitens will do over 50, and will achieve a standing density impossible for native broadleaves. 
 
Thirdly, it is all about the money. Growing timber as a crop is farming on an extended timescale. In order to do so, the financials need to make sense and there is no scenario in which planting NB is economically viable without extensive capital and ongoing grant funding. I'm restocking most of my clearfell sites with eucalyptus now because when I show the landowners (who are typically 50-65 years of age) the stand of nitens, they can see that not only will they have an established woodland back again in just 5 years, but that they'll see another income from it.
 
Fourthly, planting broadleaves is very expensive. £1.60 for the tube, £0.45 for the stake, £0.45 for the tree, £0.85 for planting. That's £3.35 per tree. The nitens costs £0.90. So NB is £6700/ha (at 2000 stems/ha), eucalyptus is £1800. I can plant 4 hectares of euc for the price of 1 hectare of NB.
 
Fifthly, whilst you may be involved (as I was) in the supply of high end timber for specialised uses, the vast bulk of the timber requirement in the UK is as fuel and low grade milling products. So wood chip, wood pellet, firewood, pallet timber, fencing, construction etc. Planting Oak plays no part in supplying these demands. Or do you prefer importing all your timber from Scandinavia and Germany? Or eucalyptus chip from New Zealand to power the Drax plant in Kent? 
 
Sixthly, if we're restocking a clearfell with eucalyptus, it's only replacing conifer. We wouldn't be allowed to clearfell broadleaves in anything other than exceptional circumstances (ash dieback as an example) and we'd be required to replant with broadleaves. In the case of new plantations, is a plantation of fast growing trees such as eucalyptus or spruce not better than an arable field?
 
Seventhly, the demise of UK industry has got nothing to do with the demise of UK forestry. The low point of forest cover in the UK was 1919 (at 5% coverage) and since then cover has increased by 2.5 times nationally by planting short rotation crops. 
 
There is little to no commercial demand in the UK for timber products from NB products. It's important to have native woodlands, and I support their planting on difficult to access/work sites, but commercially viable woodland sites ought to be the preserve of commercially viable timber crops. Native broadleaves are rarely that.

So,
We should just **** the whole lot off.
Plant euc and concrete the rest?
J I’m so disappointed you see it this way.
Or are you messing with me?
Commercial forestry in the uk is a massive problem.
Short sightedness is not the way forward.
What do actually think should be done?

[Rough Hewn]

That’s a very long answer.
In brief, it’s greed.
But I appreciate the effort and thought in your previous posts,
So let me get back to you this evening.[emoji106]
(Got some high end broadleaf to move today)[emoji6][emoji108]

[Stere]

I reckon  euc may make a a good  nurse crop and for shelter belts for broadleaf plantings, as often broadleafs seem to suffer on exposed sites you end up loads of stunted  "bonsai" like trees etc.

 

 

 

[Khriss]

When you see the fvvk up of conifer planting in UK,  Jons method is unanswereable. Norway spruce just don't turn out as well as it does in Scandinavian plantings. Am very eco motivated in my end of this profession, but the cash has to be in the trees to make people bother. 

 

I would reforest most of UK if only to piss off developers  😈 K

[Silverhooker]

Round our way there are a few willow plantations on wet crap ground, they get harvested every 3 years or so by a specialist machine that spits out giant hay bale like blocks of willow that goes as a fuel. It seems to grow like weeds and they don't have to replant as the root stool is left behind. Was alway lead to believe that coppice was good for nature, is this mechanised coppicing good too ???

[Khriss]

@Big J  you forgot abt flooding being eradicated 😊 too. K

[Khriss]

3 minutes ago, Big J said:

That would be nice. It would help if developers stopped building on floodplains though.

Same motivation, the money !!!! Frankly tho, timber cropping has a long  future whereas the flat pack crap housing will only be good fr a couple of decades when the mortgage is paid on it. K

[Rough Hewn]

I was promised a full explanation of what is wrong with commercial forestry. Still waiting! 🤣 [emoji13]

I’ll get there [emoji6][emoji106]

[Rough Hewn]

Ok let’s start at the end user.

I get told regularly after explaining the provenance, that no one gives a shit it’s all about price.
This J is the crux of the issue.
It’s NOT about money.
It’s a lack of knowledge and understanding.
IF.....
We educated all children on the importance of the natural world.
IF...
We valued the natural world above our own greed.

We need a real change in thinking.

We need a change in people’s motivations...

What happened to ideaology?

We are the ones who can shape the future of our industry.

Genuinely, I believe this is achievable.

And you’ll be a part of it J.
[emoji106]

[Rough Hewn]

What’s wrong with forestry....
It’s madness.
It’s about economic benefit for the few not the many.
Most forests in the uk are privately owned.
Lots of big estates.
It’s a tax loophole for inheritance.
You can pass on £millions without paying any tax.
🤷🏽‍♂️