Maybe the UK should plant more....

[spuddog0507]

14 minutes ago, Big J said:

I'm sick to the teeth of harvesting on ground that is second rate, stupidly steep or has terrible access. As such, we only plant on drivable, lower level, fully accessible sites. 

Yes i know where your coming from here, but unfortunatly when the UK started the big push just after the end of WW11 it was only land that was deemed as unfit for farming or food growth that was planted with softwoods, One site we have worked on for many years was planted in the late 40s early 50s and back then it was some 300 acers but now has been increased to 800 acers, there is some very steep slopes on this site with some being 60-70 degrees which is not good ground to work on, One guy who used to cut with us his uncle (now deceased) was involved with the creation of this site and was telling us one day that he ploughed it all with a ex army catterpillar and just winched his self and machine back up the hill after he had done a furrow down hill, this is something i can not see being done in this day and age, but it was done, we have worked on these bankins over the years and some are hard work to stand up on yet alone go up and down on with a tracked machine ploughing all day,

[devon TWiG]

2 hours ago, Paul in the woods said:

It's just a few acres of amenity woodland, not a plantation. But it does highlight many problems.

 

I'm not convinced pine martins are the answer to grey squirrels everywhere, they may well eat them but they also eat a lot of other mammals, birds, eggs etc. Also not sure how many decades it'll take to eradicate greys from places like Devon.

 

With regard to fire, even it wet Devon you do get extended dry periods where fire does become a worry when you're living on the edge of woodland. Not sure if Euc is any worse than gorse and pine though.

 

I'm seriously thinking of putting in a acre or so of Euc, just for our own firewood. Something to diversify away from the ash that's coming out elsewhere.

 where in Devon is your woods ?   I have a few acres near Ashburton ......

[Paul in the woods]

2 minutes ago, devon TWiG said:

 where in Devon is your woods ?   I have a few acres near Ashburton ......

I own a few acres acres around our house which are on a fairly steep south slope and a few acres a couple of miles away that is fairly flat. Both to the NW of Holsworthy.

 

Both quite different although both are likely to need restocking with something after a fair bit of ash is removed.

 

Something I can get a harvest from within a decade is certainly appealing.

[Stubby]

2 hours ago, Mr. Ed said:

I can speak to pine martens doing for greys. Not a one here, but some reds. And pots of voles and birds too. this clip might show our resident charmer:
 

https://maggs-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/p/ed/EeTEDnU_IK1MvcMhdCF1le0BoS4K2_tN6_9ZG_EHYinnYw?e=WOwDfb

 

 

I had a polecat/ferret cross that looked a bit like him .

[Jack.P]

Anyone know how successful growing rosewoods in the uk might be ...I’m intrested in trying to grow some into a thin straight pole for chairs . 

[Khriss]

15 minutes ago, Jack.P said:

Anyone know how successful growing rosewoods in the uk might be ...I’m intrested in trying to grow some into a thin straight pole for chairs . 

Might have a wait on yr hands 😉 k

[Stere]

Alot of species to choose from called rosewood so which one for UK climate?

 

 

Quote

List of rosewoods

From Dalbergia species

• Amazone Rosewood, Para Rosewood (Dalbergia spruceana)
• Bahia Rosewood, (Brazilian) Tulipwood, Pau Rosa, Pinkwood, Bois de rose (Dalbergia decipularis), (Dalbergia frutescens)
• Black Rosewood, Nicaraguan, Mexican or Panama and Central American Rosewood (Dalbergia retusa)
• Brazilian Rosewood, also Bahia or Rio Rosewood, Jacaranda, White Rosewood (Dalbergia nigra), german Rio-Palisander
• Brown’s Indian rosewood (Dalbergia brownei)
• Burmese Rosewood (Dalbergia oliveri) Chingchan also as Asian or Laos Rosewood, (Dalbergia bariensis), (Dalbergia cultrata, Dalbergia dongnaiensis, Dalbergia fusca)
• Chinese Rosewood, Fragrant Rosewood, Huanghuali (Dalbergia odorifera) also as Bangkok Rosewood
• Closeflower Rosewood, Camotillo (Dalbergia congestiflora)
• Granadillo Rosewood (Dalbergia granadillo)
• Grenadill(a), Bombay Rosewood, African Blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon)
• Guatemala oder Honduras Rosewood (Dalbergia cubilquitzensis)
• Honduran Rosewood (Dalbergia stevensonii)
• Laos Rosewood, Burmese Rosewood, Burmese Blackwood (Dalbergia cultrata)
• Laotian Rosewood (Dalbergia lanceolaria)
• Madagascar Rosewood (Dalbergia baronii, Dalbergia greveana) also as French Rosewood, and Bois de Rose (Dalbergia maritima, Dalbergia louvelii), (Dalbergia madagascariensis, Dalbergia monticola, Dalbergia trichocarpa etc.), for all Dalbergia-species from the population of Madagascar.
• Mexican Rosewood, Palo Escrito (Dalbergia paloescrito)
• (East) Indian Rosewood, Indonesian or Malabar, Bombay, Rosetta und Black Rosewood or Sonokeling Rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia)
• (North, East) Indian Rosewood, Sissoo, Sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo)
• Siamese, Siam Rosewood, Thailand Rosewood, Reclaimed Thai Rosewood (Dalbergia cochinchinensis)
• Yucatan Rosewood, Guatemalan Rosewood (Dalbergia tucurensis)

Other than Dalbergia species

• African Rosewood, False Rosewood (Guibourtia demeusei), (Guibourtia pellegriniana) and (Guibourtia tessmannii) (Bubinga), and (Guibourtia coleosperma) Rhodesian Copalwood, also (Pterocarpus erinaceus, Pterocarpus angolensis) also as West African Rosewood or Senegal, Gaboon Rosewood, Millettia laurentii (Wenge), Hagenia abyssinica also as East African Rosewood
• Andaman rosewood, redwood, padauk (Pterocarpus dalbergioides)
• Arizona or California Rosewood (Vauquelinia californica)
• Australian Rosewood Acacia spp.; (Acacia excelsa, Acacia acuminata, Acacia rhodoxylon also as Inland Rosewood, Acacia binervia) and others like (Acacia spania) also as Western Rosewood, (Acacia melanoxylon) also as Australian Blackwood etc.
• Bastard Rosewood, Australian Rosewood (Synoum glandulosum) also as Scentless Rosewood, (Knightia excelsa)
• Bolivian Rosewood, Santos Rosewood, Pau Ferro, Morado, Machaerium spp.; (Machaerium scleroxylon), (Machaerium acutifolium), (Machaerium villosum)
• Brazilian Rosewood (Dicypellium caryophyllaceum), (Physocalymma scaberrimum) also as Amazone Rosewood
• (Brazilian) Rosewood, Cayenne Rosewood, Pau Rosa, Bois de rose (femelle) (Aniba rosaeodora), (Aniba parviflora) and others (rosewood oil)
• Burmese Rosewood (Pterocarpus macrocarpus), (Pterocarpus indicus) also as New Guinea Rosewood or Andaman Rosewood, Narra
• Canary Rosewood (Genista canariensis), (Convolvulus scoparius)
• Caribbean Rosewood (Metopium brownei)
• Cayenne Rosewood, Bois de rose mâle (Ocotea cernua) or possible to other sources (Endlicheria canescens, Licaria cannella, Tetragastris altissima)
• False or Bastard Rosewood; others than Swartzia spp.; (Dysoxylum rufum) also as Hairy Rosewood, (Jacaranda mimosifolia ), (Thespesia populnea, Thespesia populneoides) also as Pacific and Tahitian Rosewood or Polynesian Rosewood, Macawood, Granadillo (Platymiscium spp.)
• Guyana Rosewood, Bastard Rosewood (Swartzia benthamiana, Swartzia leiocalycina), (Swartzia cubensis) also as Northern Rosewood and for (Licaria guianensis) also French Rosewood
• Jamaica Rosewood (Erithalis fruticosa)
• Japanese Rosewood (Myrospermum erythroxylum)
• Mexican Rosewood, Dominican, Mayan Rosewood, Bocote; Barcino (Cordia elaeagnoides), Bojon (Cordia gerascanthus), Freijo (Cordia alliodora), Louro Preto (Cordia megalantha), Ziricote (Cordia dodecandra)
• Patagonian Rosewood (Anadenanthera colubrina)
• Tiete Rosewood (Guibourtia hymenaeifolia), (Guibourtia chodatiana)
• Rhodesian Rosewood (Guibourtia coleosperma) see African Rosewood
• West Indian Rosewood, Jamaica Rosewood, White Rosewood (Amyris balsamifera); also as Lignum rhodium
• Rosewood, Australian Rose Mahogany, Bastard Rosewood (Dysoxylum fraserianum)
• Western Rosewood, Inland Rosewood (Alectryon oleifolius)
• White Rosewood (Chionanthus ligustrinus), (Anthocarapa nitidula)
• (Pau Ferro, Pau Rosa), rosewood substitute, (Machaerium firmum), (Bobgunnia fistuloides), (Bobgunnia madagascariensis), (Berchemia zeyheri)
• Only because of scent; Rosewood oil, Oleum Ligni Rhodii, (Convolvulus floridus und Convolvulus scoparius); also as Lignum rhodium, Lignum cyprinum
• Other rosewoods; Colliguaja odorifera, Erythroxylum havanense

 

French could  grow it  ( in   French Guiana. )

 

They own more  forest area over there that whole of UK forestry.

Edited December 24, 2020 by Stere

[Jack.P]

59 minutes ago, Stere said:

Alot of species to choose from called rosewood so which one for UK climate?

 

 

 

French could  grow it  ( in   French Guiana. )

 

They own more  forest area over there that whole of UK forestry.

Believe most of it came from Hondura up until about  mid 19thc .one example here ,

I’ve seen it for sale around £4 a foot for bigger diameter logs but international trade not allowed . Seems as though in uk a decent board would sell for about double the cost of walnut if anyone could find it

 

 

Edited December 24, 2020 by Jack.P
.

[Mark armstrong]

I should be getting a load of rosewood after the Xmas from a retired fella who bought it many moons ago few different kinds one of them is Rio rosewood 

[MattyF]

Went out for a walk in a FC eucalyptus test plantations in keilder forest this afternoon , interesting lines of eucalyptus all named and numbered but mostly just the rotting trunks of semi mature trees present, they looked like they achieved about 30ft then died in most of the blocks but visibly out of a lot I’m guessing only 3 types survived , unfortunately the tags for these survivors have long rotted away so would be hard to ID , I guess E gunnii does not do to well as those lines where all dead ! To be honest it looks like eucalyptus plantations would be a waste of time in the north.
I’m sure there are more but the Sitka is that fast growing I can’t find the last test plots I discovered 4-5 years back ! It also made me think walking back through that aspen, alder and birch are not far off the growth rate of Sitka in some patches and these are what I would choose over eucalyptus , they are far more fitting with our environment and climate.