what would you plant?

[wakarb]

So I'm in the process of actively managing a 47 acre woodland. The wood has not been managed before so as you can imagine it's not great. Along one border edge there is a row of conifers that I want to fell out and replace with a native. So what would suit this border location? Something that would be a good screen and fairly fast grower?

[AlexB]

Depends what you want from the timber. Depending on conditions it'd be a toss up between sweet chestnut, sycamore and cherry for me.

[SteveA]

Have you seen any native seedlings emerging in the area?

[sandspider]

Does one row of conifers really matter in the grand scheme of things...? Just a thought.

[woodyguy]

Dry/wet, acid/alkaline, south facing, shaded etc

Few more details and what you wish the trees to accomplish would help a sensible answer

eg wildlife diversity vs timber yield

[muldonach]

Fell a few groups of conifers to allow light down to the woodland floor, all of them if you must, then accept what grows - there will be a natural seedbank in the soil and if you try to get something else to grow you may have a fight on your hands.

 

As others have said if you want to impose another species on the site more info is required.

[Bren.]

Go with the natural regen.

[fatharrywhite]

You don't say what's in the rest of the woodland but we used to plant a windbreak/ shelterbelt for wildlife on the borders with bushes like Hawthorn, Elderberry, Hazel mixed with Oak, Cherry, Birch etc.

[posch jon]

Get some sitka in!

[wakarb]

Thanks for the replies.

The area where the conifers are is on the perimeter edge of the wood, it is south facing and the area is fairly dry most of the year. The wood borders farmland so the border is not sheltered or shaded

 

I want the replacements to serve as a wind break and use full to wildlife rather than timber

 

The wood currently is comprised of a mix of oak, silver birch, black pop, hazel, goat willow, wild cherry and sycamore.

 

I haven't seen a huge amount of seedlings coming through, and the floor is very dense with fern and bramble.