Tulip Wood Beginings.

 Tulip Wood

The area now called Tulip Wood was planted in the 1970's with rows of Sycamore, Red Oak and native Oaks. The lowest  lying areas were planted with some Grey Alder. There was an understory of Elder, Sycamore regen and alder suckers.

Trees cleared between two
Sycamore Rows.

When initially acquired there was 100% canopy cover and trees were 40-60ft high. The tallest along the southern edge and the shortest on the north side. The sycamore were dominant and had grown well, however they were almost all forked at 6-12ft. The surviving Red Oak and Alder were substantial trees with competing canopies though not the DBH of the Sycamores. The other oaks were dead missing or very etiolated 40+ft high with a 6" DBH. I left it alone while the rest of the areas were planted. 

When a felling licence was obtained for the Mixed Wood a thinning licence was acquired for Tulip wood. By the end of 2018 all the areas of land had been planted and the Ash replaced. With nowhere to plant I started to think about what to do with this 0.9 acre bit of mature Woodland. The Red Oak were a good size with nice clean trunks. Thinning out the Sycamore and felling the alder to favour the Red Oak appeared a possibility. This was in the thinning licence which ran out at the end of 2019. Felling started late 2018. 

The first logs to go though where there's no hedge.  

 Shortly after buying the wood a large Red Oak had blown down.  After cutting to leave a 2ft stump, it made a half hearted attempt to coppice and died. The following year a large Ganoderma  applantum appeared on it. When reviewing prior to felling a small G applantum was found on the best Red Oak and several had small lower trunk bleeds. With lots of large trees none of which were likely to make saw logs. I decided to take out the non sycamore rows, (the only ones I felt I could fell reasonably safely) and plant conifers. Everybody was telling you to fell conifers and plant broadleaves so naturally I thought I would cut down broadleaves and plant conifers. The Forestry Commission was line thinning Corsican Pine, to reduce Dothestroma Needle Blight. They were then planting the rows with mixtures of conifers. Most conifers are shade bearing when young. The planting areas would be shaded with only 10 meters between the remaining mature  Sycamores. I felt I could plant conifers. I did remove smaller forks I could reach safely to increase light levels.

The middle of the Wood looking North after
felling had started.

I cut up the large logs into bits I could carry to the edge of the wood. There was too much for me to burn. Eventually I found someone who took  them away and paid me! The original plan was to take down two rows in three,i.e. the smaller trees between the sycamores. Clear felling, I felt was not an option due to the amount of timber to be processed and removed, and felling the size of the trees .  Having found someone with a lorry and a lift who was prepared to drive on site, (during the summer) felling a larger area became a possibility. 

As trees were felled more space was created to fell others into.  With a larger area broadleaves became an option again. Planting conifers and broadleaves began.