Posted by Owen Roberts on February 08, 2009 at 12:38:11 user OwenRoberts.
In Reply to: Re: Four firs that used to be in a wood posted by andyb on February 08, 2009 at 09:16:21:
It is perhaps worth remembering a piece from the UK Forestry Commission that I quoted in a MM article.
"Part of Grizedale Forest, say 15% is ancient woodland which means that it has been woodland for thousands of years. This would be species like oak, ash, willow, alder and birch. This would not have been planted.
The rest of the area was planted in the 1940's. Conifers from north west America, Europe and Japan. Of this 60 % has been felled since the 1980's and replanted as the second rotation."
Grizedale is the srea between Coniston and Windermere. It could contain the area referred to by AR, but we can not be sure.
It doea give an idea of how long the Forestry Commission allows trees to grow before harvesting.
Presumably "Four firs that used to be in a wood" means the the rest have been felled, lost in a fell fire or coppiced by charcoal burners.Charcoal burners used to leave an area for 15 years before returning.