Hornet clearwing moth (image Devegg Rudd)

During February there will be some noticeable tree felling in the Millennium Country Park. Anyone who has visited the Park will know that most of the woodland on site is still very young and made up of a diverse mix of British native tree and shrub species. However, there is a significant number of mature trees on site; mostly poplar.

Poplars are fast-growing and naturally short-lived and ours are approaching the end of their lives. The aging process is being hastened by the larvae of the hornet clearwing moth (Sesia apiformis) which create extensive tunnels, generally at the base of trees. The larvae feed on live wood and exposed roots; a process that severely damages trees and leaves them susceptible to being blown over in high winds. Damage caused by the larvae is obvious in severely infested trees that have fallen; the base is reduced to something resembling honeycomb.

Last winter all our mature trees were surveyed by an arboriculturalist for health and condition. This survey will guide the management of these trees in the coming years. It identified a number of trees in particularly poor condition. This, coupled with the fact that many of the trees are in close proximity to well used paths and the railway, means they must be felled for public safety reasons. Some will be pollarded (cut at two metres or more above ground level) where it is safe to do so, to retain standing dead wood. A good proportion of the felled trees will be left to rot down naturally. Dead wood is a hugely important but often overlooked habitat which supports a wide variety of invertebrates as well as the small mammals and birds which feed on them.

This work is scheduled for February to ensure it is completed before the bird nesting season begins and it is likely that a proportion of the poplars on site will be felled each winter in the knowledge that their condition will only deteriorate further in future.

Areas currently dominated by poplar will be restocked in the coming years with the same mix of native species which has been planted in the rest of the Park.

There may be some minor disruption to some of the paths while the work is carried out but short diversions will be marked to ensure this is kept to a minimum.

For further information please contact Anna Charles- Head Ranger at anna.charles@marstonvale.org or 01234 762614

One Response to “Watch out for falling poplar”