Sycamore, your two cents

[daltontrees]

If you are still taking comments here are mine.

1. Problems - unlike Acer pseudoplatanus they are not regularly prone to weak compression forks, and the wood is so strong that they deal with compression forks admirably, even with included bark. They develop very strong tension forks, supporting in later years heavy almost horizontal lower scaffolds. They have their own set of diseases, Rhytisma acerinum, Cryptostroma corticale, Verticillium. Squirrels love them, chewing the bark of young stems especially near forks, which causes decay and breakages and thus upsetting the otherwise balanced canopy shape.

2. Others have already said they are probably filling the gap left by DED. I have been told they are also filling the niche by supporting a good proportion of the species that Elm supported, being apparently quite a good fit. For that they are to be viewed as a stabilising influence on biodiversity.

3. They are everywhere, due to prolific seeding and not being fussy about soil types.

4. They are reckoned not to be native, although there may be rasons for the lack of evidence. However, a tree species can't become native, only naturalised. What was native was fixed once and for ever after the ice age.

5. In parklands they are about 10% of population, not so popular as street trees (4%). In woodlands the percentages are very variable, depending on history and climax species.

6. Local Authorities will argue to keep them in Conservation Areas and TPos as if they were natives, but it depends on the Conservation Area Appraisal. When removed LA will accept alternatives as replacements when scale is n issue and a smaller final height is merited.

Great wood, love working with them, you can usually get well anchored from above and can get right out the limbs. The wood is predictable and reliable when judging hinges, step cuts and the like. A concern is always that lower pruning can result in profuse and unstoppable sap bleeding, so I would encourage waiting until late winter before lower limb removals. Overall, any tree is better than no tree and although they are as common as muck and it would be nice to see a bit more variety like A. campestre I think they make an overalll positive contribution to landscape, wood supply, biodiversity.

[Andy Collins]

I think given the fact that we are supposedly to lose the Ash, Oak is under threat, Elms have all but gone, Larch is under attack, etc etc we need to cherish each and every tree that we have left on this island, well cherish it until we import the next disease from the continent.

[doobin]

I think given the fact that we are supposedly to lose the Ash, Oak is under threat, Elms have all but gone, Larch is under attack, etc etc we need to cherish each and every tree that we have left on this island, well cherish it until we import the next disease from the continent.

 

Here here

 

What about Robinia? With it's fast growth, prolific reproduction, very desirable timber qualities, not to mention the nitrogen fixing abilities, why are we not seeing this as a hedgerow / coppice tree?

[treedave]

Gods structure but does suffer rot, a lot of basal and pruned branches for eg's.

Tends to out compete in woodland setting, heavy shade, but at least the leaf litter decomposes quickly, unlike beech. Supports good afid populations, a problem similar to Limes in the wrong setting. Seems to have taken over from elm in hedgerows.

Open grown mature specimens are something to be seen.

Not sure about the whole native or otherwise argument. With all the incoming p&d at the moment, if the Sycamore wants to join our club I'd wave the joining fee.

Excellent firewood, especially if its tight grown coppice poles. Processing & harvesting heaven on a 10-15 year cycle.

[HCR]

Not sure about the whole native or otherwise argument. With all the incoming p&d at the moment, if the Sycamore wants to join our club I'd wave the joining fee.

 

I like that turn of phrase

[omahaalex]

Cheers all for your time and comments

[likeitorlumpit]

Here here

 

What about Robinia? With it's fast growth, prolific reproduction, very desirable timber qualities, not to mention the nitrogen fixing abilities, why are we not seeing this as a hedgerow / coppice tree?

 

Isn't it robinia that Hitler had planted. We have worked on childrens play areas where the structures are robinia- good rot resistance.

As to sycamore- I'm sure you've all climber through clouds of greenfly- yuck

[Eddy_t]

I once did a report on sycamore, the research showed it was outcompeted by ash, whilst supporting a huge range of ecology, it pollards extremely well, making it a very viable tree for rotational harvesting for firewood, whilst the wounds rot out and provide cavities suitable for nesting birds, insects and certain mammals, I like it, whilst the boss at work thinks they are a weed and should be removed where possible, as for robinia, dislike it strongly, I fell it where possible, as it suckers like mad and it's bloody prickly