Sycamore, your two cents

[breffni]

Lovely tree, really like climbing them:)

[Dendrophile]

Sure I heard somewhere that its the most common tree in lancashire. Wouldnt surprise me. Some of the lake district sycys are incredible trees

[Nimby]

You should talk to Duncan Slater at Myerscough, he adores them.

 

When people say to me "they're nothing but a weed" I advise them that a weed is an un-wanted plant. I usually want mine.

 

Also, consider this. Imagine what the character of our landscape would look like without them?

[One Buck]

Signal crayfish, grey squirrels, mink, sycamores and rap music . . . . .I rest my case.

[MATTMOSS]

Signal crayfish, grey squirrels, mink, sycamores and rap music . . . . .I rest my case.

 

This coment should be disregarded although i agree with some of it.

 

The title says 'two cents' NOT 'one buck'

[Tom10]

Easy to climb, chips nice, burns well, pollards ok, light wood, looks ok, what's not to like?

[John Barleycorn]

1. Problems, Disliked where the aphids drip sap onto cars, patios etc, invasive.

2. Biodiversity, Dormice feed an their aphids, I suspect something eats their seeds

3. Outcompeting, Yes they will because they are fast growing, producing large numbers of seed, not fussy about environment & existing woodland species have not been exposed to this competion before. Also probably fewer species feed on them as they are recent. A pioneer species of railway & former industrial land. A useful replacement for Ash.

4. Status. Need to look at the bigger picture both historicaly & geographicaly, Not just some snapshot in time from some naturalist a couple of hundred years ago. The only constant is change. In Britain we have a limited number of species due to the ice ages & isolation by post glaciation rising sea levels. On the continent the Sycamore Maple had previously been confined to southern Europe, but has now naturally moved north to a lattitude level with Britain. Who is to say that it should now not be considered native.

5. Population, Probably 10%

6. Opinion, I think that the bulk of the British population have no idea that it was not previously considered native. A good firewood. Need to dry it fast as the high sugar content sap can cause black mould on the bark.

[teepeeat]

Signal crayfish, grey squirrels, mink, sycamores and rap music . . . . .I rest my case.

 

and all brought here by mans hamfisted fiddling with nature without considering the consequences.

Out of those I would have said the Sycamore seems to have had the least net negative effects - possibly ???

As for rap - as the newest on the list is it worth trying to nip it in the bud sharpish before it really gets out of hand?

[face cord]

I reckon there the second most common tree after ash locally since dutch elm came.

 

Cast alot denser shade compared too ash & there leaf drop is alot more volume so some people tend to hate them due to this & the other things already said.

[DemonHedgeMaster]

With some rotting, deciduous leaves make good soil improver, mulch and seed sowing medium. The sycamores heavy fall would mean more of its nutrient is returned into the earth with each season.

 

More of a gardeners perspective but thats my two cents!