Sycamore

[likeitorlumpit]

i've noticed the smaller branches of celtic maple seem to be a completely different wood to the main stem- the main stem can be incredibly hard wheras the branches are soft and easy to cut

Is there a reason for this anyone knows

[HCR]

Sycamore, still causing debate after all these years

 

1 - it's absolutely not native. Irrespective of pollen records, the fact that it's range is still expanding places a limit on how long it has been here. If it had been here long enough to count as a native it would already be present evrywhere where conditions allow.

 

2 - there is an accepted definition of 'native'; things that arrived here under their own steam before the sea separated England from France are native. Those that didn't aren't.

 

3 - sycamore supports a huge amount of biomass (measured in grams/cubic metre of crown volume) but this tends to be a pretty undiverse biomass. Whilst it can very important for some insectivorous birds, its value is limited beyond this. Host specific insects/fungi/etc that require a native species won't be helped by sycamore.

 

4 - left to its own devices, sycamore displaces other species in a woodland environment, usually to the overall detriment of woodland biodiversity (further suggestion that it is not in ecological equilibrium, and hence a relatively recent arrival)

 

5 - it burns well, grows quickly, turns nicely, makes nice kitchen implements and isn't very fussy about its environment.

Edited April 27, 2012 by HCR

[joeydaniels]

Sycamore is a fantastic nurse tree for ash

[Stubby]

Not got a problem with syc if you are growing it as a crop . It is the least labor intensive fire wood you can get . (IMHO) . Re grows relatively fast from coppice , seasons fast , splits easy peasy and burns a goodun . Whats not to like ??

[KGBFINGAR]

Great firewood , woundn't mind an artic load !

[Marko]

So if ash was the best and sycamore 2nd best, what would be the third best species to plant for firewood coppice?

[B.C. Tree Services]

Sycamore is a fantastic nurse tree for ash

 

1 and 2. Wasn't aware of that :-)

[Eddy_t]

http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/pdf/sycamore-paper-ext-version.pdf

 

Was trying to find the one I read some years ago

 

 

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[Le Sanglier]

So if ash was the best and sycamore 2nd best, what would be the third best species to plant for firewood coppice?

 

I would say sweet chestnut is better than both.

[splinters]

my parents have about 34 acres of woodland mainly mixed soft wood but abouta quater of it is sycamore. my father loves the stuff thay have been there about 12 years now and the first trees we copised now have good thick groth on them an will be ready to be cut again in the next couple of years.

 

it drys fast and the other good thing about it is there arnt to many branches to cut of the main trunk. so you dont have to much clearing up to do when you fell one.

 

that said they havnt burnt any hard wood this year. dad has been thining out the racks of soft wood and most of what has been burnt is dead standing spruce.