Introduced Trees
Foresters have successfully planted some 80,000 hectares of trees in Northern Ireland this century. This has increased tree cover from 1.5% in 1905 to 6% of the land area in 1996. It is still one of the least wooded parts of Europe. Most of this planting has been with conifers native to the western seaboard of North America such as Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) and Lodgepole pine (Finns contorta). These trees have been planted primarily for timber production and are managed in a sustainable way to produce a commercial crop of timber on sites where no other tree species would grow successfully.
This must be set in the context of the UK requirement of 50 million tons of timber each year, 40 million of which are imported at a cost of £6 billion annually.
In other words we expect someone else to remove 40 million tons of timber from their woods to support our standard of living. We have very little control over whether imported timber comes from sustainably managed woodlands. We have a climate exceptionally suited to growing trees and the opportunity to create a viable living for rural populations.
Proper design of commercial woodlands improves the nature conservation interest, enhances the landscape and provides a recreational resource in a country with limited access to the countryside. As the first crops are felled these new woodlands are rapidly colonised by such natives as birch, willow and alder, helping the forester create more natural looking woodlands.
Introduced conifers do have conservation value. For instance; they are important for red squirrel conservation, for pine martens and for many of our raptors (birds of prey) and owls. New woodlands of native trees can be enhanced both aesthetically and as habitat and a food source by judicious planting of conifers, particularity Norway spruce (Picea abies), Scots pine and larch (Larix spp).
A large number of other species have been introduced and planted in gardens, in estates, in arboretums, as hedges and along roads. Such trees are not a natural part of the Irish flora and not as rich in insects or other wildlife as our native trees. However, they have other attractions, and may be a traditional component of the local scene, for example the beech hedges in South County Antrim.
Many garden species are used in hedges, for example fuchsia and flowering currant, both traditional ‘cottage garden’ hedges (and both are of value for insects and birds). Some people have a fondness for exotic trees species like the Monkey Puzzle, originally from Chile. The New Zealand Cordyline or ‘Cabbage’ palms were often planted in farmhouse front gardens – these provide nest sites and their berries are eaten by the birds.
A description of some of our introduced trees and a recipe to grow each of them.
