Native trees

Choosing Trees

Try to avoid the temptation to plant an Arboretum! – Very few sites will be suitable for a wide range of species. Decide upon your objectives – perhaps conservation, timber production or shelterbelts – and plan accordingly.

If you live in an exposed site, or near the coast your choice of species will be restricted. You may have to create shelterbelts in order to introduce species which are not already present.

New Native Woodlands

We cannot expect to create, by planting, the complete bio-diversity of ancient woodlands, but by sympathetic planting of locally native species we can establish habitats within which flora and fauna will flourish.

Plant locally native species (see www.nhm.ac.uk/science/projects/fff) with perhaps 60% large trees (oak, ash, hornbeam etc.), 30% mixed broadleaves (birch, rowan, crab apple, field maple etc.) and 10% woody shrubs (hazel, thorn, spindle, guilder rose etc.)

Plant about 1600 trees per hectare, but leave areas of open space to encourage bio diversity. An irregular planting pattern will produce a more natural effect with open spaces producing sunlit glades for ground flora.

Oak planted at closer spacings (1.5m - 2.00m apart) will produce an earlier canopy which benefits wildlife; whereas shrubs planted at, perhaps, 4 metres apart on the edges of the paths produce bushy feeding sites for birds and butterflies.

Timber Production

Consider planting a mix of trees suitable for coppicing for firewood (ash, alder, willow) with trees than can be left to grow as standards (i.e. sweet chestnut). In this case planting in rows (2.5m apart) will allow the plantation to be thinned and managed in the future

Shelterbelts

Quick growing species such as willows, alders and poplars can provide a good nurse crop on the windward edge. A mixture of pines (radiata, Corsican and scots pine) perhaps beech, evergreen oak and chestnut can produce a more permanent belt on the leeward side.

Planting and aftercare

Generally speaking, small planting stock will survive better and grow faster than more established trees. On reasonably fertile sites there is no need to introduce compost and fertilizer in the planting hole. Indeed, on heavy ground this can do more harm that good by producing a waterlogged planting site.

Plant trees at the depth that they were planted in the nursery and, if necessary, incorporate a short supporting stake to anchor the root.

Weed control is vital – trees will grow up to three times faster in weed free conditions. Herbicides are relatively cheap and easy to use, but you may prefer to use artificial or organic mulch to produce a metre circle of weed free ground around the planted tree.

Trees need to be protected against stock and vermin until established by fencing or tree shelters.