Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Pine Weevil

Options
  • 12-04-2023 12:00pm
    #1
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭


    The Pine Weevil out with a vengeance. Picked 6 off a Sitka Wednesday last on a 3 year old clearfell replant. Bg bastards too.

    Is this a bit early?



Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,737 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    Mild winter played a role no doubt - highlights again how we need to move away from conifer monocultures when it comes to pests like this



  • Options
    #3
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120470330#Comment_120470330

    Conifer monocultures are not all to blame. Weevil is always there it's simply that clearcutting provides more breeding stumps and food via transplants. Weevil don't just eat conifers.

    Talking of monocultures, what are your thoughts on the most infamous monoculture of all in these islands, i.e. the widespread planting of ash monocultures which are totally unnatural and which have spectacularly collapsed? Of course, nobody ever called them monocultures because they were broadleaves....🤐



  • Options
    #4
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,737 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    I agree that monocultures of any type r not a good idea - something that the industry here has still to grasp, neither is importing foriegn stock without any biocontrol which was what caused the Ash disaster



  • Options
    #5
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120471580#Comment_120471580

    Fair point but the relentless attacks on SS is tiresome.

    In N.America SS is a natural monoculture over 80% of its range, changing over the 800 years of its life to become the climax species in a more diverse forest, but still being the dominant tree.

    We have got to accept production forestry will mean regimented SS. However smaller forests might be thinned heavily to promote a more open forest and to do this I think a government grant in line with thee woodland improvement scheme should be offered. However, let's make it simple and have experienced working foresters devise a simple and practical scheme. We're not looking to colonize Mars.



  • Options
    #6
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,737 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120476653#Comment_120476653

    Big difference though between the open natural forests of Sitka in its native range and the type of block planting done here that suppresses all normal native woodland species, damages water sheds, requiring heavy use of pesticides/herbicides etc. Also the quality of alot of the timber produced on many SS sites here is pretty poor based on what I have seen in much of the West at least, being barely pulp quality

    Post edited by Birdnuts on


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    timfromtang
    Registered Users Posts: 563 ✭✭✭timfromtang


    Hi All,

    There is a lovely stand of sitka in the Slieve blooms planted 1905 I believe, massive stately trees with loads of biodiversity on the forest floor.

    Sadly these trees are too massive to be suitable for the irish sawmills.

    Sitka as it is grown in ireland currently can yield 7% on investment, this good financially but perhaps there are less environmentally damaging ways, or indeed environmentally positive ways that we can grow this crop yet to be explored. Forestry in ireland is after all a very young industry.

    There is potential also to increase the 7% yield on investment although it would require longer rotations and sawmills capable of handling larger material. Co-incedentally longer rotations esp combined with continuous cover management may be one of the better avenues to explore when seeking environmentally positive ways to manage our crops.

    In the long term no one is served by a crop that damages its local environment as a consequence of how it is grown or managed, as the environment degrades costs go up and yields and profitability go down.

    tim

    www.youtube.com/c/timfromtang

    Fuinseog abú



  • Options
    #8
    timfromtang
    Registered Users Posts: 563 ✭✭✭timfromtang


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120481209#Comment_120481209

    Apologies for being Wayyy off topic here, I should have included in the previous post,

    this

    Pine weevil problems may be greatly reduced with continuous cover management and longer rotations.

    tim

    www.youtube.com/c/timfromtang

    Fuinseog abú



  • Options
    #9
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Important to remember that not all sites are good for CCF.

    I under planted a heavily thinned stand of 30 yo large Grandis with native and other b/leaf. Weevil still a big problem on the transplants.



  • Options
    #10
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120479171#Comment_120479171

    If heavily thinned at canopy closure and helped progress to mixed understory any potential problems should be lessened.

    I wonder how SS over 20 years compares to the relentless rapeseed or other monoculture food crops, harvested each year and replanted ad infinitum, with accompanying fertiliser and chemical spray inputs?



Advertisement