Silviculture of ash in southern England

In 1992 the Wessex Silvicultural Group held a number of meetings to study the silviculture of ash, during which 16 sites throughout central southern England were visited. Ash can produce valuable timber on relatively short rotations, and to take full advantage of this potential stands must be carefully managed. The main points to consider are: (1) site selection: ash is site demanding and grows best on moist calcareous barns of pH 6 to 7. Sites prone to frost should be avoided. (2) Spacing: if timber production is an important objective, ash should be established with at least 2500 stems ha-1 on bare land and 2000 stems ha-1 on restocking sites. It is sensitive to exposure when young and requires side shelter making it unsuitable for pure planting on exposed ground. (3) Weed control: this is essential for successful establishment. It is recommended that an area of at least 1 m2 around each tree should be kept weed free for at least 3 years. (4) Protection: the species is relatively free from squirrel damage but is palatable to voles, rabbits, hares and deer. Protection using appropriate individual tree protection or fencing is essential. (5) Thinning: once a height of 6–7 m has been reached ash should have frequent crown thinnings to maintain a live crown over at least one-third the height of the tree. Under-thinning was by far the most common fault in the stands visited.