Diggers community wood
Formative tree pruning at Diggers Wood
On a cold Saturday morning in late February about twenty five local Friends of Wychwood learnt about 'formative tree pruning' at Diggers Wood, Shipton under Wychwood. The workshop was led by David Rees of the Oxfordshire Woodland Project. After a little theory given in the village hall, we set about some practical pruning.
David's message is that with early management, especially pruning and thinning, high quality timber can be grown in recently planted broadleaved woods without hindering - and often helping - the aims of amenity and conservation. Also, the cost of maintaining these woods in the longer term is reduced.
Taking account of timber production makes sense. After all, the husbandry of quality timber was the authentic traditional approach, to which our native wildlife is so well adapted. Also, we are helping to produce a sustainable local resource for future generations.
David said that careful pruning during the first fifteen to twenty years can transform the quality and value of trees such as oak, ash, cherry and sycamore when they mature. This pruning has two main aims: to shape the continuing growth of the tree by removing dominant side branches and promoting a leader; and to encourage a knot-free bole by removing lower side branches. Trees such as willow, birch and smaller trees such as field maple do not need pruning.
The best time to prune is January or February for most trees, with the exception of cherry which should be pruned between June and August to minimise the risk of infection. In a small conservation woodland such as Diggers Wood it is only necessary to target some of the trees for pruning. Woodlands will respond strongly to even a small amount of well directed work.
On site, it soon became clear which trees had the best potential, and which should eventually should be thinned out. One thing is clear: you should take action early - David reckons eighty percent of potential timber quality can be lost in the first twenty years of a tree's life.
We set to work with substantial secateurs and, occasionally, long handled loppers. We learnt that successful pruning is a skilful task, which often requires a light touch to ensure that the tree retains its potential for greenery and vigour. If you prune too heavily, tree growth will suffer. If you prune too lightly, the remaining branches will get bigger, becoming more difficult to prune and creating bigger knots. Generally, not more than a fifth of a tree's branches should be removed in any year, and the branch-free stem should be less than half the total height of the tree. Also care has to taken with the actual pruning cut, which should be as close to the main stem as possible, without cutting into the main stem's tissue - the aim is to leave a clean tidy knobble.
This formative winter pruning should take place little and often, with an occasional 'rest' year. We therefore aim to carry on the exercise at the same time next year, to help build up a stock of potential timber trees in Diggers Wood.
Charles Keighley
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