Growing Poplar and Willow Trees on Farms, National - FAO

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3 Managing <strong>Poplar</strong>s <strong>and</strong> <strong>Willow</strong>s The main methods used by farmers to manage poplars <strong>and</strong> willows are form-pruning, pollarding, using them as browse blocks <strong>and</strong> coppicing them for effluent nutrient uptake. The three latter methods are used to prevent these trees from becoming too big <strong>and</strong> potentially dangerous. Pollarding - Cut <strong>and</strong> Drop Browsing - Grazing on site Coppicing - Cutting <strong>and</strong> Carrying Pollarding is a very old technique for limiting the above ground size of a tree <strong>and</strong> promoting leafy growth at the expense of woody growth. It is widely used for street trees <strong>and</strong> in parks <strong>and</strong> gardens, <strong>and</strong> has been adapted by New Zeal<strong>and</strong> farmers as a way of using poplars <strong>and</strong> willows planted for soil conservation purposes as drought fodder. <strong>Trees</strong> in any system can be pollarded by sawing through the main branches or the single trunk at shoulder height or higher (to prevent cattle browsing the early regrowth). For safety reasons this operation should be carried out either from a cherry picker (or a tractor with a front end loader adapted to be used as a cherry picker), or from a forestry ladder roped to the tree trunk, or safer still, from ground level. The older the tree, then the more dangerous this operation can be, because willows especially tend to suddenly break when being pollarded. This is known as ‘barber’s chair’ because part of the branch or trunk remains vertical, resembling the back of a chair. 37
Farmers carrying out pollarding should take a proper training course with forestry specialists before tackling the job themselves. The trees may be in a regular or irregular planting pattern. Many trees planted for soil conservation may also be pollarded <strong>and</strong> harvested regularly or occasionally for fodder supply. A poplar or willow block may be planted on gently sloping l<strong>and</strong> specifically for fodder use. However pollarding is usually practised on trees that have been planted to prevent soil erosion through slipping on hill slopes, or along waterways to maintain water quality. In most, if not all cases, the fodder is supplied to stock in a cut-<strong>and</strong>-drop operation, without any cartage. Pollarded poplar trees in North Otago 3.1 Pruning equipment Good protective equipment is available from reliable tree specialists, <strong>and</strong> this is usually the same as that used by forestry workers. A good range can be seen at the website: www.timbersaws.co.nz. It is much safer <strong>and</strong> easier to prune poplar <strong>and</strong> willow trees when working from ground level. Saws <strong>and</strong> loppers are available with long extension h<strong>and</strong>les, to use on upper branches of smaller trees while st<strong>and</strong>ing on the ground, <strong>and</strong> even chainsaw work can be done from ground level. Doing this however, might need different animal management after pruning. Keep cattle out of the paddock while pruning. One farmer reported that he had been marooned up a tree on three occasions by cattle knocking the ladder over while consuming the prunings, so he has since ensured that the ladder is always roped to the tree when cattle are present. 38
Page 1 and 2: Growing Po
Page 4 and 5: CONTENTS 1 Poplars
Page 6: Introduction Millions of poplars <s
Page 9 and 10: was reported growing in Marlborough
Page 11 and 12: soils and desert a
Page 13 and 14: Eridano (P. deltoides × maximowicz
Page 15 and 16: ‘Crowsnest’), but are darker gr
Page 17 and 18: Available willow clones Tree willow
Page 19 and 20: managed to avoid heavy side-branchi
Page 22 and 23: 2 Establishing Poplar</stro
Page 24 and 25: The other steps to take before tree
Page 26 and 27: preventative for further slipping.
Page 28 and 29: 2.3 Planting poles Essentials of po
Page 30 and 31: Propagating on-farm material On the
Page 32 and 33: locks with newly planted poles, eve
Page 34 and 35: For converting a wet area to a brow
Page 36 and 37: systems; either as vegetation to be
Page 40 and 41: Use the right equipment Experienced
Page 42 and 43: egrowth from the trunk each year. A
Page 44 and 45: They were also stationary. Risers a
Page 46 and 47: Managing browse blocks These are hi
Page 48 and 49: At the tenth year following plantin
Page 50 and 51: limb growth, leading to breakout <s
Page 52 and 53: Herbicide use There are numerous la
Page 54 and 55: Timing Treatment earlier in the gro
Page 56 and 57: treatment so proceed cautiously <st
Page 58: What about roots thicker than 10 mm
Page 61 and 62: Create a ‘pruning nest’ A tree
Page 63 and 64: 4.3 Pests Possums There can be nume
Page 65 and 66: adult is reluctant to lay eggs on t
Page 67 and 68: lock without trees because a reason
Page 69 and 70: established, the annual growth of e
Page 72 and 73: 7 Further information Public librar
Page 74: Guidelines to help land</st

Growing Poplar and Willow Trees on Farms, National - FAO

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