Re-pollard of ancient Willow

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Gerrit,

I have only been a member of this forum for a short time but already it is clear that you are a champion of trees and ecology with authority and demanding respect. Your generosity of passing on your knowledge and learning is great and I hope you will continue to answer my posts in the future even if you find them tedious.

I have recently rediscovered the joy of education and I must admit that the more I learn, the more obvious it becomes that I have an enormous amount to learn.

 

1.Are you suggesting that the trees in your photos should be pollarded at 2m?

 

2. If they are cut at 2m, what will the physiological outcome be, if it can be predicted with assurance?

 

3. How will such drastic removal of biological growth effect the lifespan of these trees?

 

The revised BS3998 strongly recommends keeping cross sectional area of pruning wounds to a minimum. This seems to go against the grain somewhat although it is what I would consider traditional. Just trying to get to grips with current best practice advice versus other more commonly seen practice that can be construed as incorrect.

 

Cheers.

 

I agree with Gerrit on the subject of pollard maintenance, the ones illustrated are poor to say the least.

 

BS 3998 is a document that i am still to fully digest ( I really must sit down tommorow evening and get it all down pat, a few dull evenings ahead!) but certain that still doesnt take into account the art of pollarding and i dont mean those started when young.

[Treecreeper1961]

I agree with Gerrit on the subject of pollard maintenance, the ones illustrated are poor to say the least.

 

BS 3998 is a document that i am still to fully digest ( I really must sit down tommorow evening and get it all down pat, a few dull evenings ahead!) but certain that still doesnt take into account the art of pollarding and i dont mean those started when young.

 

I am not disagreeing at all. The examples he has posted are 'wrong'.

 

The initiating of pollards on mature willows at a height of 2m, or even below first unions, must create tremendous dysfunction within the remaining tree/wood, enabling/allowing prime conditions for colonisation. Does that matter? I am trying to understand whether this is acceptable or worthwhile. What will the long term result be?

What will long term be for trees treated in this way?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I am not disagreeing at all. The examples he has posted are 'wrong'.

 

The initiating of pollards on mature willows at a height of 2m, or even below first unions, must create tremendous dysfunction within the remaining tree/wood, enabling/allowing prime conditions for colonisation. Does that matter? I am trying to understand whether this is acceptable or worthwhile. What will the long term result be?

What will long term be for trees treated in this way?

 

I would not advocate below union cuts?

[treeseer]

"I am not disagreeing at all. The examples he has posted are 'wrong'. "

 

Depends on followup. if as we are told there is none planned, that changes everything. Hard to understand how pole pruning from the ground with a 7m tool cannot be done though...

 

"The initiating of pollards on mature willows at a height of 2m, or even below first unions, must create tremendous dysfunction within the remaining tree/wood, enabling/allowing prime conditions for colonisation. Does that matter? I am trying to understand whether this is acceptable or worthwhile. What will the long term result be?

What will long term be for trees treated in this way?"

 

that was my question too. 2m would be below that first union, it appears. Hollowness of trunk and resultant instability seem inevitable, as viewed from waaaaay over here. but Gerrit's prognosis would be more experienced.

 

So the Tree Foundations can sue the other government agencies to change tree practices? Tree Boards in the US would not even dream of such power--awesome! :big grin: don't let it go to your head...

[Fungus]

1. Are you suggesting that the trees in your photos should be pollarded at 2m?

2. If they are cut at 2m, what will the physiological outcome be, if it can be predicted with assurance?

3. How will such drastic removal of biological growth effect the lifespan of these trees?

 

1. No, I'm not, I said that they would (probably) be pollarded at 2 metres, which was the traditional Dutch way of pollarding willows in "grienden" (see photo 1) and alongside meadows used for domestic and "industrial" purposes, if the trees were to collapse again, because they were not pollarded correctly the first time.

2. The outcome would be, that they had to be cut every two to three years, which nowadays mainly is done by volunteers of Dutch nature organisations.

3. If they are cut at a regular interval, they can get very old and be(come) a habitat for lots of animals, plants (photo 1) and macrofungi (photo 2).

[Fungus]

1. "The initiating of pollards on mature willows at a height of 2m, or even below first unions, must create tremendous dysfunction within the remaining tree/wood, enabling/allowing prime conditions for colonisation. Does that matter? I am trying to understand whether this is acceptable or worthwhile. What will the long term result be? What will long term be for trees treated in this way?"

that was my question too. 2m would be below that first union, it appears. Hollowness of trunk and resultant instability seem inevitable.

2. So the Tree Foundations can sue the other government agencies to change tree practices?

 

1. See my answers to Treecreeper's questions.

2. They can, because they are non-gouvernmental organisations operating outside the political system and they even have their own specialized lawyers representing them.

[treeseer]

Very cool. That first pic with the ferns in the tree is a classic! Thank you for the pics and also the patience.

 

In that other, more open location I would much rather see a larger tree, but Salix does not seem very capable of delivering size and stability when so exposed, unless trained early and the core kept solid.

 

Good on the supporters of the NGO to pay to retain attorneys! We in the US have broader environmental groups like that, but few that are tree-specific.

Edited December 5, 2011 by treeseer

[Fungus]

1. That first pic with the ferns in the tree is a classic!

2. In that other, more open location I would much rather see a larger tree, but Salix does not seem very capable of delivering size and stability when so exposed, unless trained early and the core kept solid.

 

1. That willow is characteristic for the managed "grienden" in The Netherlands.

2. You mean pollarded willows like these, of which we may have several hundred thousands in The Netherlands ?

[Fungus]

Some other documentation of old willows pollarded the Dutch way I photographed today.

 

1. Veteran willow.

2. Row of old willows in the evening sun.

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[DLG]

Sorry for reviving such an old thread.  It sounds like there are a number of willow experts on this forum.  I have a question from Canada.  I have a large willow in my backyard that is growing very large.  I bought the house because I loved the tree and I've had local companies come and prune it every two years.  Despite that, the tree has continued to increase in size.  From what I've heard, the tree was topped many years ago.  It is around 14 feet in circumference at the base and forks into two trunks at around 10-13 feet.  The tree is from the 1950s (from previous owners) and is one of the sole survivors from before the subdivision in the back went up.

 

I'm curious to see what type of recommendations can be made to bring this tree to a more manageable size (I don't want to cut it down).  Would pollarding be an option?  I'd like to keep the majesty if possible, but make it safer for the houses behind me, as well as anyone standing underneath it.  I will of course also get advice from the arborists in my area, but interested to hear of any suggestions on this forum.

 

I can provide more pictures if needed.

 

Thanks!