Eucalyptus Pollarding.

Eucalyptus Pollarding.

All the areas have a percentage of Eucalypts planted to provide fuel logs. As with all the trees I pollard initially. This is because I want to be standing up when a tree falls and not on my knees. The management plan says I will fell when they are 8" DBH. This does not always happen but makes sense. Eucs can be hard to split particularly if they are large branched and become impossible when dry. The main problem is bringing them down without damaging other trees and providing logs than I can use.

Regrowth of pollarded Euc stumps, along with thin stemmed trunks left in rectangular Euc block.
Sept 2023following felling the precious autumn.

Pollarding has several advantages. It keeps regrowth from the top out of reach of deer. It maximises the area from which epicormic growth can grow to sustain the root system. It also raises the regrowth above the herb layer and in amongst other trees may lift them out of their densest shadow. A pollard stump can always be removed later.

In fact coppiced stumps had a lower regrowth success rate. I think because they were more heavily shaded and had a smaller leaf area. I like to fell above an epicormic shoot if possible. An established shoot can feed the root system while the canopy is lost and supresses the number of new epicormics that grow. Most clean stems produce a large number of thin shoots which don't reach sufficiently into the light when surrounded by other trees. If a few shoots do dominate then then they will self prune. Multiple  weak shoots are more susceptible to frost and drought and therefore failure.

A viminalis which has half fallen in the
 triangular field. There is good epicormic
 growth. They will be left when the tree is felled. 

My aim is to produce regrowth that is about 6 " in diameter and as long as possible. This is because it produces logs that don't need splitting are straight and are easy to cut and move. I think logically the timing of the felling will affect the way the stump regrows and therefore its success. The species must also have an affect but I fell throughout the year as opportunities arise and do not keep adequate records to comment.  

Felling of Eucs that are in intimate mixes is determined on size and to do a minimum amount of co-lateral damage. There are small areas particularly at Cairn wood where there are nearly pure but poorly stocked stands. I initially singled the coppice regrowth of the trees that survived the 10/11 winter to provide fuel for  2021/22. I am now refelling as they have some recovery regrowth. They are only small blocks 6-10 trees and I hope they will go to a merchant so I don't have to process them there will be enough fuel for myself mainly from Pit wood. It is easier to fell groups of trees and there is then more light for the regrowth.

The triangular wood has had very high water table levels since storm Babat in mid October and now (mid Dec 2023) it has standing water over most of it. I am expecting many Robinia and conifer to die. They will be replaced by Eucs mainly the swamp Euc Rodwayi if suficiently open. The problem with the Eucs in the triangular wood is that they can get blown over when the water table is very high. Though no E. rodwayi have been blown over....yet.