In Wales, at present there is a large, unfulfilled demand for native trees and shrubs, grown from locally collected seed.
- Hedgerows and shelterbelts.
- New woodland plantings.
- Woodland management and restocking.
- River corridor woodlands and river bank erosion control.
There is also a growing market for larger (3+ year-old) trees potted for landscaping purposes such as:
- Plantings of roadside verges.
- LNG pipeline remedial landscaping.
- For displays/hire to exhibitors at agricultural/horticultural shows and even background for movie sets.
Organisations funding such plantings (C.C.W., Forestry Commission, Environment Agency, W.A.G. Highways Directorate, etc) have moved towards recommending the use of local provenance trees as a condition of funding.
Furthermore, recent opportunities (such as Better Woodlands for Wales and the W.G.S. Native Woodland Expansion Challenge Fund have gone further in specifying the use of local provenance trees.
Finally, as the wider structure of agricultural payments is rationalised, greater emphasis is being placed on agri-environment measures, including use of local provenance planting stock.
Potential demand for local provenance, native trees and shrubs in Powys, 2003-4.*
|
Schemes
|
Approximate number of trees and shrubs
|
Typical species required
|
|
Tir Gofal hedgerow renovation
|
240, 000
|
Hawthorn, Hazel, Blackthorn, Holly
|
|
Environmentally Sensitive Areas
|
52, 000
|
As for Tir Gofal
|
|
Woodland Grant Scheme (now Better Woodlands for Wales)
|
104, 000
|
Sessile oak, Silver and Downy birch. Ash, Hazel, Holly, etc
|
|
Forestry Commission Riverine schemes (1993-96)
|
120, 000
|
Wilow, Alder,
|
|
Forestry Enterprise restocking
|
175, 000
|
As WGS / BWW
|
|
Total annual demand
|
691, 000
|
|
*from: Study to investigate the demand and supply of local provenance trees and shrubs in Powys by Evelyn Over. Forestry Commission Wales, September 2003.
Welsh