Talk:Pollarding

Untitled

Hi, Tarquin,

Many thanks for resuscitating the Pollarding item for us

Dieter

Urban uses == Pollarding is used extensively every single spring where I currently live, on almost all trees. I may add some example pictures later, I'm not done with this article quite yet. Least 15:53, 29 May 2006 (UTC)

Please do add some pictures. Suppafly 19:06, 11 August 2006 (UTC)

I second the motion--ChrisJMoor 01:58, 30 January 2007 (UTC)

Treehunter: We have just spent the weekend pollarding and experimenting with different cutting techniques in South Shropshire with one of the worlds top tree experts.We used a pruning saw, an axe and a billhook. The resulting cots were very differnet. We cut mainly Ash but also elm and birch.Will send in photos of results when I learn how to.

Wildlife value

I'm intending to add a section on wildlife value of pollards. Any suggestions for things to include? So far:

• Microhabitats for specialist invertebrates and fungi – heart-rot, splits, seepages, water pools etc.
• Contribution of veteran pollards to importance of wood-pasture, with links to eg Windsor Great Park & Richmond Park (v non-pollard parks such as Knole).
• Value of hollows for tree-hollow species such as bats, otter, owls, wild honeybee etc.
• Value of dense bushy branches and ivy for nesting birds etc.
• Growth of other plants in tops of pollards as opportunistic epiphytes.
• Light to woodland floor (already mentioned in article).
• Limiting excessive overshading and tree height in open landscapes, such as those important for waders and wildfowl.

Richard New Forest 22:25, 22 September 2007 (UTC)

Maiden tree

I'd like to see some sources for the statement that

A tree which has been allowed to grow without being cut as a pollard (or coppice stool) is called a maiden or maiden tree

This suggests that a hundred year old tree that has not been pollarded can be called a maiden, which I believe is plain wrong. My recollection of the origin of the term 'maiden tree' is that it is a nursery tree that has not yet had any significant formative or other pruning, and thus had its natural shape for the buyer to work with. This would often be a feathered whip. Imc 09:22, 24 September 2007 (UTC)

I've heard this usage many times referring to mature trees, but will try to find some sources ("old maids" are maidens too...) I agree that a whip would be a maiden, but I think so would an unpruned adult tree. Richard New Forest 12:43, 24 September 2007 (UTC)

Three sources, all I think pretty definitive. Firstly the Oxford English Dictionary (mine is the compact edition, pub 1971):

Maiden (sb & a); B (adj): 5b.

Of a plant or tree: (a) That has grown from seed not from a stock; (b) that has not been budded, lopped, pruned, or transplanted.

This definition says nothing about the age of the tree, therefore logically does include older trees. One of the quotes given specifically mentions somewhat older trees:

1763 BURN Eccl Law II 413. "Maiden trees of beech proceeding from stools above 20 years growth."

Secondly, this publication from English Nature – it even includes a drawing of an undoubted old maid, and is of course specifically about older trees:

FAY, N., & De BERKER, N. 1997. Veteran Trees Initiative Specialist Survey Method. Peterborough: English Nature. (p 8)

Finally, an excerpt from an 1826 court case, in which the conditions of a lease dated 1778 are quoted. Under this lease any "maiden or sound pollard tree" is protected. From the context, this clearly refers to larger timber trees, as later (next page) there is an argument about whether apple trees are too small to count in the definition.

Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Court of King's Bench: During Seventh Geo IV Vol VIII 1827 (p 657) or

(the same, on correct page with "maiden tree" highlighted)

Searching for these, I did notice that horticultural and arboricultural sources do talk a lot about "maiden whips" and similar young trees (are you perhaps in that line yourself..?). However, I suspect that the only reason why nurseries (for example) may tend to use maiden in this way is only because they don't commonly sell 400 year old standards. My experience of the usage has been in the nature conservation and forestry fields, where of course one often talks about more mature trees.

Do you think we need to give a reference to the usage in the article itself? Richard New Forest 13:47, 24 September 2007 (UTC)

OK, you've correctly deduced that I've got a horticultural background. I'll admit to having little knowledge of the conservation of old woodland, et.c. And you've convinced me that there is a usage of the term that I've not known before (or perhaps have known and forgotten).

"old maids" are maidens too...  :) that would make a good statement on an interpretation board somewhere.

However, accepting that the statement that trees that are not pollarded or coppiced are maiden trees in a conservation or forestry sense, I'm not sure that this would be understood in a garden, parkland or orchard setting. In horticulture and arboriculture, I've only theard the term used for young planting stock; never of anything that has been worked or shaped. Though my experience of orchards is limited, I believe that the same applies to fruit trees. So perhaps a little modification to that sentence? I don't think a reference for the term is necessary, not at present anyway, given that you have provided references on this page. Imc 17:13, 24 September 2007 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure "Maiden Tree" is only used this way in the U.K. The term is used in the U.S. to mean "young tree whip" [1]a big difference. The sentence seams irrelevant to the subject anyway. Recommending removal or at least clarification.Slowart (talk) 02:42, 28 April 2009 (UTC)

Detail on how

I'm not looking for a "how to" but a bit more on when it is done. Is this something done in spring, fall, year round? The photo pair suggests spring, but coppicing mentions fall. Link to How Tos would be nice, in New England for example. Mulp (talk) 02:26, 25 August 2009 (UTC)

Like most woodland work it's normally done in winter, but where deciduous pollards are being cut for fodder then late summer. Cutting during strong growth will often damage or even kill the tree. I'll see if I can find some refs. Richard New Forest (talk) 15:49, 25 August 2009 (UTC)

Production

Does anyone have any info on how productive pollarding is? Say tons of wood fuel per acre/hectare every 10 years. thanks --Wickifrank (talk) 13:51, 23 October 2012 (UTC)

Pollarding or Coppicing?

For a long time, I didn´t know the difference. The picture at the bottom left "Tilia after pollarding, Vogelsberg Mountains" looks like a tree that has been coppiced, not pollarded. Best remove it to avoid confusion. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2A01:C22:B400:C400:20C2:9E27:E024:8ABD (talk) 13:13, 27 January 2021 (UTC)

Agreed. That linden has clearly been coppiced rather than pollarded and should be moved to the appropriate article. Turjan (talk) 06:11, 22 March 2022 (UTC)

It is even described as coppiced in the photo English description (I can't translate the German with any confidence). It has no place in the article. --Ef80 (talk) 18:10, 13 April 2023 (UTC)

You're right. It depicts a coppice, not a pollard. Grorp (talk) 00:45, 14 April 2023 (UTC)