The Trees Around Leigh Holt

Anthony Clothier gave an informal talk to a public meeting in Overleigh in December 2003 about his tree management policy. Since this was an interesting talk on an important local issue, he was asked to allow his notes to be published here. We are grateful to Mr Clothier for the following notes.

The success of the tree planting around Leigh Holt has often been the result ofpursuing policies which are not publicly accepted today.

Public tree policy and environmental group policy is very fashion driven. It has little long term relevance. For instance the method used to establish the post Trafalgar oak woods on the Butleigh Ridge is not approved by the Forestry Commission today. In other areas Forestry Commission policy has often changed completely over a 25 year period.

Leigh Holt had good trees before the house was built and this was enhanced by further planting when the house was built. (The trees on the drive for example.)
Trees have died; trees have been removed because they were crowding others out.

A key to the current quality and extent of the tree stock was the recognition of the likelihood of Dutch elm disease re-emerging 15 years before the major groups of mature elms were actually killed in 1967.

Groups of fast growing trees were planted in 1951-1952, which were already 20-25 feet tall when the elms were hit.

Further major planting programmes were undertaken in 1966-1995 and in the cider orchard in 1996-1997.

What is most important is the use of naturally regenerated trees. In my woods on the Butleigh Ridge we have developed a considerable expertise in the encouragement and management of natural regeneration. We also try to do this at Leigh Holt and we have considerable numbers of ash (easy) walnut, yew, sycamore and holly which have been regenerated.

Here are some of our principles.

  1. We don't define between native and non-native species; the finest tree at Leigh Holt is a Turkey oak which covers about .4 of an acre!
  2. We grow trees which enjoy growing more or less whatever they are.
  3. We believe that having a wide variety of species is important from a forestry and a landscape point of view.
  4. You don't know which variety will be struck by some horrible disease.
  5. You don't know what the effect of climate change will be.
  6. You don't know which timbers will be in fashion when the time comes to harvest a tree.
  7. Many trees have a surprisingly short life. People talk of oaks lasting 300 years or more but only a few do. Many are devastated by woodpeckers by the time they are 140 years old. For beech the maximum useful life is 120 years except for stand alone veterans. Therefore you need to plan replacement of an isolated group in time even if this means felling say a third of the group 20-30 years early. Tree Preservation Orders often totally mess up long term planning.
  8. Planting or regenerating a tree probably represents only 20% of the work needed to secure a well-formed 30 year old tree. Trees need to be shaped by formative pruning, competition for moisture has to be controlled by stopping vegetation growth around the tree, and brambles and old man's beard have to be removed. Trees need thinning to ensure that the better trees can reach their full potential.

The effects of lack of pruning are very evident in many of the oak avenues planted 20-30 years ago round Street. The lower branches are at about 5-6 feet. In time they will be poor specimens and impede farming. Late cutting off of branches often causes rot to enter the trunk.

The role of a woodland owner or landowner is to pursue consistent policies to produce good quality trees in spite of all the pressures to respond to this or that new theory or policy initiative. Tree growing is a long-term business though mistakes are surprisingly obvious within 5 years!

ANTHONY CLOTHIER

5 December 2003