Best trees/bushes/shrubs for conservation

[drinksloe]

Alright folks.

 

Just wondering wot u all consider to be the best mix of trees, bushes or shrubs for conservation?

Mainly for general conservation but have quite a few Red squirrels but also bird, butterflies or insects. Ideally have some food value too, costing me a fortune feeding the squirels and birds the now.

It's in Sw scot on a steepish banking probably about 100mx40+m wide. At moment got a few pretty large Sycamore trees growing which i will be gradually felling or reducing/pollarding over the next few years as worried about the size of them on such a steep banking, just asking to be blown over

 

Was thinking of a mix of black/haw thorn, rowan, bird cherry, hazel, holly (sure i've forgot some since i sat down to write this) and mibee some Buddicea along top edge, where i may plant a wild flower mix or something similar or seed bearing, wild bird seed/insect rich mix etc

Not really wanting anything that will grow to big or heavy for the banking.

 

Open to any ideas folks and also any decent nurseries in southern scot or north eng? ideally not wanting any imported trees breed in europe

 

Cheers

[Aunt Maud]

How about coppiced or pollarded Oak and Beech....good for squirrels.

 

Oak supports a massive variety of wildlife too.

[Logged On]

There's a tree nursery place in Corbridge near Hexham, Northumberland.

 

HTH

[Paul Cleaver]

Hawthorn a must for your situation - great for wildlife and slow growing

[drinksloe]

Cheers folks.

Never thought about coppicing Oak or Beech, generally not a fan of beech as is shades out so much vege but be different when coppicing them.

Do u have to let the stem get to a decent size (6-10?) before the first coppice cut for beech/oak? Imagine that will take a whie

 

The other thing i was thinking was either cyprus/leyandi or SS/NS but top them low down to produce multiple stems, so really either coppiced or pollarded and keep them at a lowish hieght to create plenty of year round nesting/roosting cover.

Good idea?

Edited January 5, 2016 by drinksloe

[Lucan]

Regarding insects, in general oak, willow and birch support the most insect species.

[born2trot]

Guelder Rose would be a must for me . Literally a gem of a shrub ...

[Aunt Maud]

Another one for Guelder Rose...It's a beauty, but gets munched by that bug Pyrrhalta viburni

 

+1 for Hawthorn too.

 

You can coppice Birch as well, so you could just plant a mixed coppice and selectively manage the species to maintain a canopy, if that's your thing.

 

Beech will coppice when small (4yrs), or you can mess about with really low Beech pollards. I've got some on the go that are only 3 feet tall. Birds nest happily in them, as it's like a hedge on its own.

Edited January 5, 2016 by Aunt Maud

[timbernut]

What about spindle and alder buckthorn both native, not sure what likes spindle but the bees n hover flies love alder buckthorn and it's also the host for brimstone butterfly caterpillars.Don't know how it would do up your way though?