EXTENSION
GROWTH
Mean extension growth
achieved by beech
trees in Leggatt’s
Wood, Little Heath
Wood and Hadley
Wood at 10.3 cm, 8.3 cm
and 8.8 cm, respectively,
were comparable. Mean
extension growth achieved
by beech trees in Northaw
Great Wood (the only ‘properly’
managed woodland) was at least double
(20.7 cm).
A wide variation in the extension growth
achieved by different shoots on the same
beech tree during the same growth season in
all four woodlands was evident. The amount of
extension growth ranged from a minimum of
1 cm or less to over 50 cm for a few individual
shoots on several trees in Northaw Great
Wood.
There were also wide differences in
mean extension growth of the 20 branchlets
on individual trees in the same woodland,
especially in Northaw Great Wood with their
much higher growth rates. Mean extension
growth per tree in Northaw Great Wood
ranged from 12.6 cm to 31 cm, a numerical
difference of 18.4 cm and 2.46 when expressed
as a ratio.
Actual numerical differences recorded
in the other woodlands was considerably
less, which is expected given the much
lower overall extension growth rates, but
still significant nevertheless. Numerical
range in mean extension growth/tree was
5.1 to 17.3 cm, 4.9 to 12.2 cm and 4.2 to 15.4
cm for, respectively, Leggatt’s Wood, Little
Heath Wood and Hadley Wood. However,
when expressed as ratios (3.4, 2.49 and 3.67)
extension growth variation in each of the three
woodlands was higher than that recorded in
Northaw Great Wood.
BEECH MAST AND SEED
GERMINATION; TREE LONGEVITY
AND INTEGRITY
Beech mast load on each of the large, mature
beech trees (CBH 350+ cm) was considerable
and uniform: Little Heath: 1 nut/4.5 cm of
branchlet; Hadley: 1 nut/4.7 cm; Northaw: 1
nut/3.5cm. The frequency and distribution of
mast along the branchlets on younger trees
was much less and patchier, though still
significant at 1 nut/14.5 cm for a beech tree
of CBH 66 cm in Little Heath Wood and 1
nut/16.1 cm for a beech tree of CBH 104 cm in
Northaw Great Wood.
Observations made in Hadley Wood in
May 2012 revealed substantial germination
of beech nuts under mature, mast-bearing
trees, with around 250 seedlings counted
around one beech tree with a CBH of 250 cm.
By mid May, seedlings mostly with two true
leaves had emerged through the leaf litter in a
traditional clumped distribution, recognised
as the starting point to beech being able to
form self-sustaining groves of trees of the same
size and age.
Of the 21 post-maturity beech trees
identified (CBH 200 cm to 434 cm) only two
(9.5%) had died. None of the living trees
showed any sign of disease. The level of
failure for post-maturity beech trees was no
greater than that of English oak, common ash
and hornbeam of equivalent age, size and
post-maturity status, within the same 100 m
x 30 m area. On two separate occasions, a
pair of large, post-maturity beech trees were70 MAY 20 18 FORESTRYJOURNAL.CO.UK
TREE OF THE MONTH
found growing side by side, their boles in
contact, with no mutual ill effect on growth,
development, longevity or integrity.POTPOURRI OF TREE SPECIES
The mixture of tree species, both native and
naturalised, growing within a 10 m radius of
the beech trees was rich for all four woodlands
and included oak, ash, hornbeam, sweet
chestnut, sycamore, English elm, hazel,
hawthorn, rowan and holly. Holly understorey
appeared most significant in relation to the
successful establishment and growth of young
beech trees in all woodlands where holly was
present.BEECH STILL ON TRACK
Previous findings using girth and height as a
measure of beech’s position in semi-natural
woodlands in this part of southern England,
as reported in Forestry Journal, showed that
beech was at least holding its own. Beech
was found closely integrated within a broad
mixture of native and other naturalised
trees. There was no evidence of beech trees
suffering unduly or being on the verge of
destruction from the effects of climate change
(‘A better view of beech’, Forestry Journal, May
2011).
Focus here on extension growth supports
those previous findings. Despite wide
variations in extension growth on individual
trees of equivalent age and size within the
same woodland, overall growth appears to be
occurring at a healthy rate despite the general
lack of woodland management.According to climate
change watchers this
veteran, if not ancient,
beech tree with a CBH of
450 cm, should be on the
way out. The tree is still
in a prime condition and
is regularly loaded with
beech nuts.The author measuring extension growth
inside Northaw Great Wood.Beech
nuts pictured
here in Hadley Wood are
as big and as plentiful as
ever in spite of climate
change, real or imagined.