Fast growing tree to produce lots of firewood!

[woodworm]

We are going to be planting glaucesans, which is a more frost hardy version of gunni. Take a look at this website. Its incredible how fast it grows

Prima Bio - eucalyptus specialists - promoting new uses for eucalypts

[treedweller]

Willow grows silly fast, all the farmers near me where given Gov subs to grow willow for a new power station. They where planted 8 year since and they are well up there already. Not too good for firewood though. We have silver birch on my parents land and some areas that where cleared some 15 years ago have selfseeded and some now stand 20ft plus an 8" at the trunk. Most of the others are from wrist thickness upwards. One thing i do know is that you will soon get fed up of trying to process wood like this as a porsch 280s can get through only 2-3 cube per hour. When all the wood is 8"+ it can do 9 cube an hour. I think you need to start thinking 25yrs+ as 15yrs aint enough to produce worthwile diameter wood. But thats only my opinion.

[ecodao]

PLEASE don't plant Eucalyptus in the UK, it has ruined Portugal (the country i live and work in).

its environmental damage is huge !!.

if you would like to know more let me know and i will gladly provide details.

 

as others have suggested , i would have to say Ash is prob best.

 

steve

[AlexB]

Whilst I was at Newton Rigg their Euc trial failed 2 years on the bounce due to frost damage. Whilst Italian alder seemed to do ok, ash was ok and willow grew well but isn't really going to give you the end product you want.

 

If it was my 11 agres I'd be looking at a wcg taking inspiration for species from the NVC planting at around 1.8m spacing with a first thinning of 20-25 years, allowing those to coppice whilst the others are thinned perhaps a little more frequently but a little more lightly to prevent shading the stools out giving a good initial crop and hopefully a continuious crop from then on.

 

I like that you're happy for this project to have the time it needs to be long lasting and productive rather than looking for a quick buck.

 

Speak to Cumbria Woodlands for advice as Edward Mills is very good with coppicing and Neville Elstone a pretty good chap too.

 

Regards, Alex

[Stereo]

I got Ben laws the woodland way for Xmas and a great read it is too. I'm now considering more hazel coppice as it grows well here, is a great firewood and also has value for other uses. I'm thinking of that with oak and ash standards and on the boggy land mainly willow or pop coppice for fuel use unless I can find a local market for basket willow. Alder is another strong possibility on the boggy stuff for firewood or charcoal.

[Sam Thompson]

Poplar or Birch depending on site