Don't Stop me now....

Another week. Another set of depressing headlines regarding tree planting.

I read that the Woodland Carbon Code (WCC) is acting as a barrier to woodland creation- rather than supporting it.

I read that the 40% cut in Scottish Government funding for woodland creation blows a hole in our climate change goals and that nurseries will have to burn millions of young trees.

There is also continuing controversy over Drax burning wood. Mind you, that was reported by the BBC, so who knows the truth.

Sadly, I also hear that 'most of the trees' planted by Brewdog have died.

Apparently, there is a correlation between reading the news and poor mental health. I can't change everything, but I can share some pictures of some of the trees we have recently planted.

They don't read the news and are growing just fine.

Like these fantastic Douglas fir in South Scotland. On this lowland site, they are currently growing at least as well as the adjacent Sitka spruce. We reckon that we can produce premium structural timber in around 60 years time.

I am a fan of red cedar too and we have found that we can establish this species well, even on new planting sites. The beautiful timber is very valuable and has a lifespan of 100 years+ in use.

These spruce trees were planted in the middle of the COVID epidemic. They were the smallest trees we have ever planted and this was done in the middle of a drought. Despite everything, they are thriving.

We are also now well into planting a large scale programme with productive broadleaves. Planted without plastic treeshelters, we are planting oak, cherry, sycamore and Norway maple. I will send photos when they flush as they just look like little sticks just now. In 50 or 100 years, they may be in a house near you.

By the way- that cover picture is of a site where we are planting more productive trees than were planted in the whole of England last year. It is literally 5 minutes drive from the Border.

Next week, I plan to appraise a mature forest, which I weeded and beat-up at the beginning of my career (I mean actually with a knapsack sprayer and a spade- not a clipboard).

When we consider the challenges we face, we need to be vigorous and take a long term perspective. Just like the trees we plant.

They survive frosts, drought, browsing etc and just get on with the business of growing. 40 or 50, or 70 years on, no-one cares about the struggles of the past when you can look up at the trees and hear the birds sing. Maybe we can learn something.

Don't stop me now. I'm having such a good time. (Honestly).