Wild Service Tree
New trial to make case for overlooked hardwood
Wild Service trees establishing at Fontmell April 2020
The successful growing and harvesting of hardwood trees in the UK has suffered for 50 years and more and continues to suffer a range of threats perhaps unparalleled so far in its history. The loss of Elm, the inexorable removal of Ash, the pests and diseases afflicting the Oak, as well as all species having to adapt to a changing climate, make the challenge for the grower to choose the best (quite possibly alternative) species to plant more difficult by the day, so is this the time to add the often overlooked Wild Service Tree (Sorbus torminalis) more into the planting mix?
To help the grower be better informed, a Seed Source Trial has been established by Woodland Heritage, Heart of England Forest, Fontmell Hill Estate, Sotterley Estate and a forestry advisor to both make a strong case for the Wild Service Tree, but also to consider more options than just UK-sourced seed.
Wild Service Tree is widely recognised and valued for its natural beauty and can achieve prices into thousands of Euros per log when of veneer quality. There are also fairly few recognised pests and diseases affecting this species, which may do well with a warming climate.
Following a visit to Germany and France in spring 2017 to see the finest specimens in Europe and to learn more from the Continent’s most eminent growers, it was resolved in summer 2018 by the three landowners that a Seed Source Trial be established at their sites in lowland England, spread widely between Suffolk, Warwickshire and Dorset. To give the Trial its best possible start, the UK’s foremost tree seed merchant, Forestart, agreed to clean, stratify and propagate to sapling stage the seed sources to be tested.
In autumn 2018, seed was collected from three sites in England (Herefordshire, Lincolnshire and the Trial site in Warwickshire), four in France, one in Germany and one in Italy, with the intention of establishing which might be the best seed source for future UK growers of Wild Service Tree.
The three Trial sites (all former arable or pasture) were prepared this autumn, with planting taking place in November or December across uniformly agreed one-hectare plots. At each Trial site 5,015 saplings have been planted, including 576 Wild Service Trees, 64 of each of the nine different seed sources. The experimental design incorporates four replicates per site with the companion trees planted being Pedunculate Oak, Hornbeam, Field Maple and Hazel.
The design and the protocol for the Trial have been created by Christopher Guest, an experienced forest manager with particular knowledge of Wild Service Tree, in association with recognised European expert, Jens-Peter Skovsgaard; Christopher will also write all reports and take annual measurements of survival, height and diameter for the first phase of the Trial to spring 2023.
As well as donating the plot given over to the Trial, each landowner is responsible for establishing and maintaining their site. In addition, a grant of £9,960 has been secured from The Scottish Forestry Trust, Woodland Heritage has pledged £2,600, but more donations will be gratefully received by donating below.
A full report on how the trial was established and what the results were after a second full year of growth is available here
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