The research team at Future Trees Trust, along with two members of our Research Advisory Group, have written a guidance document on where we deem it suitable to establish plants arising from our seed orchards. In accompaniment we have produced data sheets for each of these orchards which provide details about composition and a map on where material arising is suitable for planting. We hope that together these will help inform practitioners on what planting stock is available and where it can be planted to achieve all the benefits of tree improvement.
At Future Trees Trust we are working to bring improved seed to market for a number of broadleaved species important to British forestry. We do this by selecting plus trees (individuals with superior timber form) across the country, taking cuttings from these trees to propagate them by grafting, and then planting these grafts out as clonal seed orchards. By bringing together these outstanding individuals and allowing them to cross-pollinate, the seed they produce in these orchards is likely to be of an improved quality for productive forestry with potentially greater growth rates and better form.
At present we have 13 Qualified seed orchards in production or recently established. Currently producing Qualified seed are 3 orchards of silver birch, 3 of sycamore and 3 of wild cherry. We have also recently planted 2 orchards of sessile oak, 1 of pedunculate oak and 1 of sweet chestnut that we expect to begin production in 10 – 20 years’ time. The guidance document and orchard data sheets detail where we think it suitable to plant material from all these orchards based on local climate and the genetics of each species.
With tree planting rates increasing across the UK, we hope that this guidance will help practitioners make the best use of the Qualified planting stock currently available.
Data sheets for all 13 seed orchards can be found below
Click to enlarge
