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A Guide to Growing Ireland's Native Trees in Celebration

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sponsored by The People’s Millennium Forests is the largest ever project in Ireland directed at the expansion and enhancement of our native woodlands. With the support of the AIB, the National Millennium Committee and the Forest Service of the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources, 16 forests have been restored to their former glory in a project managed by Coillte in partnership with Woodlands of Ireland. Over fifteen hundred acres of native Irish woodland have been designated as 'People’s Millennium Forets' and will be dedicated in perpetuity to the people of Ireland. The forests include newly planted areas using native Irish seed and the restoration of native woodlands that have been in existence for at least 200 years and probably longer. A native tree has been planted on behalf of every household in Ireland and the forest will form a lasting legacy for all to enjoy. managed by in partnership with Ancillary programme sponsored by A GUIDE TO GROWING IRELAND’S NATIVE TREES This edition for the Tree Council of Ireland was sponsored by the Woodlands of Ireland IN CELEBRATION OF A NEW MILLENNIUM Our Trees A guide to growing Ireland’s native trees in celebration of a new Millennium managed by in partnership with Ancillary programme sponsored by This edition for the Tree Council of Ireland was sponsored by the Woodlands of Ireland 1 Our Trees – A guide to growing Ireland’s native trees from seed is published in conjunction with the People’s Millennium Forests project. This project is the largest ever undertaken to restore native woodlands, and is sponsored by the National Millennium Committee and AIB bank, with the ancillary programme sponsored by the Forest Service of the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources. This book is based on ‘Our Trees: A Guide to growing Northern Ireland’s Native Trees’, compiled and edited by the late Dinah Browne and published by Conservation Volunteers, Northern Ireland, on behalf of the Northern Ireland Trees of Time and Place Group. The original book was compiled with technical information from the CVNI tree nursery at the Clandeboye Estate, Co. Down, and Neville McKee, Ulster Native Trees. The Northern Ireland Forest Service, Forestry Commission GB, and British Trust for Conservation Volunteers also supplied information. This edition was revised and edited by Dr. Marian Coll with help and advice from the following: John McLoughlin, Dr. Declan Little, Dr. Aileen Sullivan, Mick Doyle, and Pat Doody and Monica Murphy of the Coillte Nursery, Ballintemple. Special thanks to the late Dinah Browne who took time out to comment on our revisions, and to Mike Hartwell for all his help and wonderful photographs. ©The People’s Millenium Forests, 2000 Reprinted 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008 ISBN 0-9518612-5-5 Acorns being transported to the Coillte nursery at Ballintemple, Co. Carlow. 900,000 acorns were collected on behalf of the People’s Millennium Forests in the autumn of 1999. 2 Contents Page Foreword 5 Introduction 6 Trees of ecological importance 7 Our woodland heritage 9 Chapter 1 The collection, storage, & sowing of seed Seed collection 13 Storage 13 Long term storage 14 Stratification 14 Maceration 14 Seed extraction 15 Sowing 15 Chapter 2 Trees Alder 17 Arbutus 18 Ash/Aspen 19 Birch, Downy and Silver 20 Cherry, Bird 21 Cherry, Wild 22 Crab apple 23 Elm 24 Hazel 25 Holly 26 Oak, Sessile 27 Oak, Pedunculate 28 Rowan 29 Scots Pine 30 Whitebeam 31 Willow 32 Yew 33 Chapter 3 Shrubs Blackthorn 35 Bramble/Broom 36 Buckthorn, Purging and Alder 37 Dog Rose 38 Elder 39 Gorse 40 Guelder Rose 41 Hawthorn 42 Honeysuckle/Ivy 43 Juniper 44 Spindle 45 3 Contents continued Page Chapter 4 Growing trees and shrubs Setting up a small tree nursery 47 Small scale tree rearing 47 Larger scale 48 Choosing the site 48 Site preparation 48 Planting seed 49 Dibbling 49 Broadcasting 49 Lining out 49 Root pruning 50 Looking after your seedlings 50 Growing from cuttings 51 Chapter 5 Planting 52 When and how to plant 53 Where to plant your trees 54 Care of young trees 54 Planning your woodland 55 Tree shelters and pests 56 Record keeping 56 Sources of further written information 59 Useful addresses & information 59 - 60 Glossary 61-62 Charts of information 63 - 72 4 Foreword The People’s Millennium Concerted action needs to Forests is the largest ever involve a range of both public project in Ireland directed at and private bodies and the expansion and individuals, to ensure that our enhancement of our native native woodlands are woodlands. maintained in a viable and Once an intimate part of our sustainable condition into the culture, Ireland’s native new millennium. This book is designed woodlands are now in danger With the support of the AIB, specifically as part of this of becoming a lost legacy and the National Millennium project, as an aid to those this project is the first Committee and the Forest who wish to learn more significant attempt to redress Service of the Department of about growing native trees centuries of overexploitation the Marine and Natural from seed. In the preparation and neglect. Up to six Resources, 16 forests have of this guide, I would like to thousand years ago native been restored to their former acknowledge especially the forests of oak, ash, elm, birch, glory in a project managed by support of the late Dinah pine, alder and hazel trees Coillte in partnership with Browne who compiled the flourished across Ireland’s Woodlands of Ireland. Over original book for CVNI and landscape. By 1900, less than fifteen hundred acres of native Dr. Marian Coll, Outreach one percent of these Irish woodland have been Officer, the People’s woodlands remained, and designated as 'People's Millennium Forests, for her although progress has been Millennium Forests' and will work on this edition. made in restoring forest cover, be dedicated in perpetuity to Ireland stands today as one the people of Ireland. The of the least wooded countries forests include newly planted in Europe. areas using native Irish seed The native woodlands that and the restoration of native remain are important havens woodlands that have been in for our native flora and fauna existence for at least 200 years as well as being a potential and probably longer. A native timber resource for the future. tree has been planted on They require careful behalf of every household in management to protect them Ireland and the forests will from overgrazing and the form a lasting legacy for all to spread of non-native plants. enjoy. You can find out more It is widely recognised that about this project on our web there is an urgent need for site: focused action that will work www.millenniumforests.com. to protect, restore and expand our valuable native woodland John McLoughlin resource. Project Manager The People’s Millennium Forests 5 Introduction There are many reasons why of wood, coal, oil, gas, petrol, of commercial buildings, we want to plant and grow etc. In addition, power reduce traffic noise, filter out trees. For their conservation stations and manufacturing dust in the atmosphere, and timber value, their beauty, processes pour carbon dioxide enhance our parks and for their value in the into the air. gardens. landscape, for shade and All plants use energy from Tree conservation is not only shelter, in general for the sunlight to combine this about individual trees but pleasure they give us. atmospheric carbon dioxide even more about conserving Trees are our largest green with water, absorbed through woodlands. Trees are an plants, and play a vital role in their roots, in the process of integral part of the natural the natural world. They photosynthesis. This chemical world and even a solitary tree support a multitude of other reaction produces the may support a wide range of life forms such as mammals, carbohydrates and proteins by wildlife. However, the greatest birds, insects and plants. They which plants grow. As a by- conservation value is in long also provide a clean air service product, it releases oxygen - established woodlands of for us, filtering pollutants and literally the breath of life that native species. A whole range absorbing carbon dioxide we use in respiration. of plants and animals have from the atmosphere around Trees may bring a touch of evolved to live in woodland us, all of which come from the country into cities. They and literally cannot survive sources such as the burning may soften the harsh outlines without their tree cover. Ever since our ancestors started to clear land for homes Native Irish oak seedlings, grown in Coillte's nursery in Aughrim, Co. Wicklow, ready to be planted in the People's Millennium Forests. and farmsteads, trees have been felled. They have provided fuel, fencing, charcoal, building material for houses and ships. Rising human populations, more intensive agriculture, growth of towns and roads, have all caused increasing loss of trees. By the turn of the last century, less than one percent of Ireland’s native woodlands remained. It is up to all of us to replace and increase tree numbers. It is not difficult, can be great fun and is very rewarding. The trees provide their own seed, which anyone can collect and grow. You just need to follow some simple guidelines, as you would with any other seed. 6 Trees of Ecological Importance Much emphasis is put by intervention whilst those that started to establish itself. This conservationists on the use of have been introduced are seen in its turn was swamped on “native species” as opposed to as distinct from the natural the drier ground by a great the use of species from other vegetation.
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