trees planted on coal tip sites

[Dean O]

Hi guys does anyone have any advice or anecdotal evidence/ opinion on forestry trees planted on disused coal tip sites.

 

does anyone out there have any experiences from working on such sites?

 

do they succeed. whats its like to manage them, work with them?

will replanting be succesfull

 

is ph of substrate influencial on species selection

 

looking at a site which seems to be sitka and logepole pine (25-30 year old). lots of dead and windblown. and wondering whever the site will ever be succesfull and how.

 

if the site wont sustain large trees would replanting with broad leaf coppice species be comercial viable/succesfull

 

thanks for any input

 

Dean

[Graham]

The only ones I've been involved with were always planted with pioneer and nurse spp. Predominantly Alnus incana (Italian alder?) for its nitrogen fixing and birch (pendula and pubescens) with a small proportion of hazel, mountain ash etc.

[detritus21]

Birch of any description are what have colonized most of the coal tips around Wigan

[Fungus]

1. any advice or anecdotal evidence on forestry trees planted on disused coal tip sites. does anyone out there have any experiences from working on such sites? do they succeed. whats its like to manage them, work with them? will replanting be succesfull

2. is ph of substrate influencial on species selection

3. looking at a site which seems to be sitka and logepole pine (25-30 year old). lots of dead and windblown. and wondering whether the site will ever be succesfull and how.

 

Dean,

1. In The Netherlands we have some experience with either spontaneous or managed (re)forestation of disused coal tip sites. At first, the sites are dominated by Betula, Salix, Populus tremula and/or Alnus, followed by Sorbus aucuparia, Prunus padus and Sambucus nigra with bird spread seeds and an odd Quercus robur "planted" by gays. When managed, the sites are planted with other poplar species and/or Pinus sylvestris, which are "harvested" after they have reached the proper age for processing in the wood industry.

2. Yes it is. Spontaneous "forest" development with birch, willow, alder and aspen goes through certain phases of tree species specific ecosystem and soil food web succesion with generalistic pioneer ectomycorrhizal macrofungi as symbionts. With extreme acid pH levels of 1 or 2, only one species of macrofungi associates with the seedlings of these tree species : Pisolithus arhizus (= P. tinctorius). Once the soil acidity diminishes, other pioneer symbionts, such as Laccaria species, Inocybe species, Hebeloma species, Alnicola species, some Cortinarius species, Thelephora terrestris and Scleroderma citrinum, take over until the phase of blossoming and fruiting of the trees is reached, after which ectomycorrhizal macrofungi of the following phases in the tree species specific life cycles of the trees colonize the tree roots.

3. See the end of 1. "When managed ... wood industry."

[coppiceer]

The National Forest Company planted a test woodland on an ex-colliery site at Desford Lakes in Leicestershire. They produced a booklet: Woodland Creation - Experience from the National Forest - Technical paper 27.

 

nationalforest.org | Contact us

 

Or try Gary Kerr c/o Forestry Commission (one of the authors).

[Dean O]

thanks for the replies guys.

i would idealy like to fell and replant with hardwood.

the site fronts onto a steep bank with "ancient" oak woodland

and backs onto forestry commision land.

 

what I'm worried about is clearing what is currently there and failing and repeating the process.

I have the feeling that the trees have just been allowed to get too big for the site soil conditions as the root balls on those that have lifted are very compact.

 

Fungus:

great reply thank you

what part of the wood industry would the timber be aimed at for processing?

 

would the best bet be to restock and fell prematurely? rather than allowing the site to over mature

[Fungus]

what part of the wood industry would the timber be aimed at for processing? would the best bet be to restock and fell prematurely? rather than allowing the site to over mature

 

Dean,

In the old days, poplar was used for wooden shoes, matches and the paper (and cellulose) industry, pine was used for supporting the mine galleries (stutbalk) in the years ago closed nearby coal mines. Nowadays, there is not much use for the wood anymore, so the spontaneous woodlands have taken over the sites.

[Daniël Bos]

Dean,

1. In The Netherlands we have some experience with either spontaneous or managed (re)forestation of disused coal tip sites. At first, the sites are dominated by Betula, Salix, Populus tremula and/or Alnus, followed by Sorbus aucuparia, Prunus padus and Sambucus nigra with bird spread seeds and an odd Quercus robur "planted" by gays. When managed, the sites are planted with other poplar species and/or Pinus sylvestris, which are "harvested" after they have reached the proper age for processing in the wood industry.

2. Yes it is. Spontaneous "forest" development with birch, willow, alder and aspen goes through certain phases of tree species specific ecosystem and soil food web succesion with generalistic pioneer ectomycorrhizal macrofungi as symbionts. With extreme acid pH levels of 1 or 2, only one species of macrofungi associates with the seedlings of these tree species : Pisolithus arhizus (= P. tinctorius). Once the soil acidity diminishes, other pioneer symbionts, such as Laccaria species, Inocybe species, Hebeloma species, Alnicola species, some Cortinarius species, Thelephora terrestris and Scleroderma citrinum, take over until the phase of blossoming and fruiting of the trees is reached, after which ectomycorrhizal macrofungi of the following phases in the tree species specific life cycles of the trees colonize the tree roots.

3. See the end of 1. "When managed ... wood industry."

 

 

Gerrit, waar gaat het heen met ons land, als homo's ook al bomen gaan planten? :lol:

[Dean O]

the site has had trees present for 25-30 years

unfortunately there has been little diversity so there is bareley a layer of moss covering the spoil.

it would be preferable for the site to be comercially viable if at all possible.

any ideas welcome

[Fungus]

waar gaat het heen met ons land, als homo's ook al bomen gaan planten?

 

Daar zou ik op zich niets op tegen hebben, maar toch bedankt voor het wijzen op mijn spelfout, die ik onmiddelijk ga herstellen.