Douglas fir or ancient ash!?

[Stubby]

You say the ancient ash look lovely in the summer so they must be getting enough lite to have survived this long . We need resistant ash for obvious reasons What about felling enough Douglass to help the ash and if they seem resistant harvest the keys for future stock ?

[Lyncombe-climber]

We are getting habitat ready to preserve and enhance the population we already have.

[Highland Forestry]

What about suggesting a thinning of the Douglas or of the entire wood, making the owner some money and achieving a better life for the Ash in the process?

[luftwaffe]

Is I've taken on the management of a 350acre mixed wood. Up on the far side there is a huge amount of Douglas fir letting in no light to the forest floor. Hidden away in this mess there are 17 ancient ash. Beautiful they are. And in summer I expect look fantastic. So I suggested to the client that remove a lot of the Douglas fir so these ash can have a better life. And the layout would create a beautiful spot up there!!! But the client says get rid of the ash and keep the Douglas!

 

Fell the lot and get the loot in, otherwise you're just pussyfooting about,

[Lyncombe-climber]

This is the situation in question.

[NI Tree]

why not thin with a horse

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

What about suggesting a thinning of the Douglas or of the entire wood, making the owner some money and achieving a better life for the Ash in the process?

 

Best answer so far. The DF in that pic doesn't look great though...

[hedgesparrow]

if its a ancient woodland with hazel.ash and other trees then the douglas are not doing the wood much good. he could make money by felling firs. have a coppicer renting the wood to make hazel products. if you want to keep the dormice you need to coppice it for its products so it is coppiced on a rotational basis not all at same time so there is wood to use again in 7 years time.

now i am not a expert but the droppings from the firs are not going to do the ph of the wood a lot of good. plus bonus if firs go and light comes back in bluebells in spring.

[Lyncombe-climber]

You guys have confirmed and expanded on the points I've made to the landowner. Ill have one more tactful meeting I think.

[slack ma girdle]

If you go in too heavy on the DF, then don't be too suprised if large areas blow over in the next gale. Halo thin around the ash might be a better option. Are the DF of good millable quality, or bendy pole of plop ? Also if the ground is damp then there is a good chance of but rot in most of the trees, that will severly reduce their value.

 

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