TREE-SY DOES IT Root and branch review at park
Conifers get the chop at Chatelherault
If you’ve been to Chatelherault Country Park recently then you might have noticed something is missing – 18 hectares of conifers to be exact.
An incredible 6500 tonnes of timber have been removed in a bid a bid to regenerate the woodland and restore spectacular historical views.
And the future of the historic park has now “been saved for future generations” following completion of the work that started in the summer.
“We really appreciate the patience and understanding that visitors have shown over the summer,” said Malcolm Muir, countryside and greenspace manager with South Lanarkshire Council.
“The felled areas will look a bit bleak at first but will soon green over and we hope that the fantastic views that have been restored will be some compensation.”
The future of the ancient landscape has been saved for future generations by the removal of 18 hectares of commercial plantation conifers. Large forestry harvesters left the park last week after 6500 tonnes of conifer timber was removed.
Revenue generated from the felled timber, along with funds from the Heritage Lottery Fund supported Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership, will be reinvested in improvements at the park over the coming year, through path improvements and the reestablishment of historic features.
The removal of the commercial plantation conifers was a key objective of the council’s long term management plans for Chatelherault. This is the second phase of work following the felling of a similar sized area at Laverock Hill, Barncluith, in 2007, which has regenerated successfully and is now covered by healthy, native woodland.
The woodlands at Chatelherault are one of the most important components of the ancient woodlands of the Clyde Valley National Nature Reserve. Hamilton High Parks were covered largely by native, broad-leaved woodland until the late 1930s, when the Hamilton and Kinneil Estates began to clear fell the ancient woodland and replant with commercial plantation conifers – mostly from north America. The conifer planting was detrimental to both native wildlife and landscape.
Conifer trees on the west bank of the Avon had become unstable due to the steep, wet slopes of the Avon Gorge. Expert advice was to fell the trees. The whole area will now be allowed to regenerate naturally, and the restored native woodland will increase bio-diversity which was limited by the rows of non-native conifers. The ancient woodland soils at Chatelherault are rich in the fungi and other micro-organisms that support healthy tree growth. Tree regeneration is rapid and young trees will be well established within five years, and well above head height in less than ten years.
“Funds raised through the sale of timber will allow South Lanarkshire Council to undertake an extensive programme of path improvements and re-establishment of some of the historic viewpoints across the gorge, which will be kept clear as the new woodland grows up around them,” added Malcolm Muir.
“One of our first priorities will be to restore the paths to the White Bridge on both sides of the Avon and replace the bridge itself, which has been closed for the last seven years.”
A final piece of felling will take place in summer 2017 immediately below Chatelherault lodge, opening up the views which were once a major feature of the lodge built by the Hamiltons in the 1740s.
The remaining conifer plantations on the east bank are reasonably stable at present and there are no plans to fell them for at least ten years, by which time the regenerated woodland on the west side will be well established.
Felled areas will look a bit bleak at first but will soon green over