Re-pollarding a Willow in Oxford
Today we we’re ready-pollarding a big Willow in Oxford
If you need an arborist, please call us on 07813 878220 or click here
Why did this work need doing?
Firstly, this Willow was pollarded 5 or 6 years ago, we did it then.
Secondly, if you have pollarded a tree, you then keep to re-pollarding it. Sadly the shape of the original tree is taken away on heavy pollards. Here, we managed to retain the scaffold branches.
Thirdly, once tree surgery has taken place, especially Willow, the water shoots grow over each other and stuck together. This means the strength is not what it was in the original branches and ever more reason to take the weight out again.
Some factoids about Willows.
Willow trees are most commonly found near water, they soak up huge amounts of fluid. The branches are therefore very mechanically weak. It can make tree surgery precarious.
As a burning wood they are among the worst, willow takes a long time to dry out, the wood itself has a poor heat value and burns quickly.
Willow has been used over the centuries as a valuable material for making things with. It’s nature is straight but flexible and can therefore be used to weave items such as baskets, fencing to keep animals in and cricket bats. There are in fact over 400 different species of Willow worldwide.
With our ever increasing demand for natural products, Willow offers several opportunities as it is fast growing and can be easily woven also items such as coffins. Due to the fact it takes up so much water, the government pays farmers to plant it to aid as a flood defence and with ever increasing numbers of houses going up, this may be used increasingly so.
Useful links:
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/
