The above programmes can lead to large gains in quality – reduced rotation times and improved form resulting in an increase of 10 to 20 percent in recoverable timber volume. However, this work takes a considerable amount of time and expense. The quickest and cheapest way to make a small improvement in the quality of material provided to the industry is to collect seed from registered stands of excellent quality.
We are also looking for high quality stands of ash, and indeed all broadleaved species. They are recorded on the national register, managed by Forest Research in Britain and COFORD or the Forest Service in Ireland. Registration is free. Seed merchants and nurserymen use the egister to obtain better quality seed and will pay a premium for it.