coniferous wood

[willie]

Hello ppl i was just wondering if u could point out any good points of a coniferous forrest/wood rather than a deciduous wood/forrest i was just wondering because the forrests near mine are coniferous so any help would be happly accepted ):

[Tantalus]

a lot depends on the kind of conifer willie

there was a phase when the forrestry comission (and others) planted huge tracts of sitka spruce

maximum produce fn minimum time

these are trees that i dislike intensely, they scratch , are not particularly pretty, and form a closed canopy underneath which so little light penetrates that virtually nothing grows

later on they added larch to the (monoculture) mix which makes a prettier woodland and encourages wildlife on the forrest floor

i think now things have turned again and often projects are planted using native trees and mixed in ways to make the woodland much more than just a timber factory site to be cropped when ripe

also the new regulations stating that trees should be planted a minimum distance from watercourses have helped, along with optional extras like wildlife ponds and nesting boxes

pine branches make good shelters

and the smell of a pine forest is much nicer than other woodland imho

heather, blaeberries, scrub birch , juniper, and a lot of moss where there is light are all interesting and useful plants

careful with bracken and ticks tho, i often get a buddy to check my neck and back after a day in the woods

gather a few pinecones and let them dry in the house, they make smashing firelighters when dry

there are also many fungi that prefer pine trees

i guess first identify the trees and whether it is a plantation or a natural wood this is easy as plantations are all in straight (ish ) lines

Tant

[willie]

ok kool ty :biggthump

[gb]

I think there is a law that states that 10% of plantations must be made up of deciduous species, im not sure when this was passed, but chances are there will be some areas of woodland within, so it might be worth exploring fully.

cheers gb