Perthshire lowground is famous for tree lines within field boundary hedges. It is an attractive landscape feature. However, dutch elm disease killed off the elms over the years, and the existing trees – mainly ash, oak and sycamore are getting older. Each year, more are lost to storms, and bits blow off them. Farmers tend not to like these hedgerow trees as they shade crops and snag on the combine and tractors as they drive by, so they tend not to get replaced.
However, on balance I am prepared to put up with the inconveniences, and value special landscape features. So I am pleased to announce a planting of 35 new hedgerow trees this week – a mix of oak and ash. The local Farm and Forestry Wildlife Advisory Group have supplied trees, tubes and posts. It is rather a dynastical project, but hopefully these trees will be good for 100 years or so.
It is quite a thought.
I do like these Tree Lines (never knew that that was what they were called) and the copices you see in some areas. Presumabely they also provide a wind break, which must be useful for some types of farming.
Good for you for planting up more of them, I often wonder about the lines, what’ll happen to them since you never see any saplings in amongst the older trees.