There is a drive to increase tree planting throughout the country and there advantages to this being native species of local provenance.
But where will the planting stock come from? Much of it comes from commercial tree nurseries and they buy seed from local collectors. This presents a win win opportunity to contribute to tree planting while generating an income.
Collecting local provenance tree seed helps maintain genetic diversity in our native trees and enhances future biodiversity and climate adaptation. But which trees, from where, when and how to go about it?
We live in a time of heightened awareness of two great challenges facing our stewardship of our planet: the climate emergency and a biodiversity crisis. What can we do locally – here and now – to help?
Our new seed calendar supported by the Woodland Trust Cymru and the People’s Postcode Lottery. Physical copies of our calendar are available at some of our events.
The purpose of this short guidance note is to provide a brief checklist of what is needed to grow small quantities of good quality native trees and to point readers towards relevant sources of more detailed information. It is mainly aimed at woodland managers who have collected their own local tree seed and wish to grow trees for their own use.
The purpose of this short guide is to provide a brief checklist on how to sustainably collect high quality seed from native trees and to point readers towards relevant sources of more detailed information. It is aimed at those wishing to provide seed collected from their local area to a registered supplier on a contract basis.
Anyone marketing ‘Forest reproductive materials’ (FRM) for ‘Forestry purposes’ must
register themselves with the Forestry Commission (FC) as a supplier. FRM includes
tree seed sold directly, or seed collected and grown on for later marketing (e.g. planted in a nursery and sold on as seedlings/transplants).
Tree seed collection calendar (full list) and guide with collection methods.
The purpose of this short guide is to provide a brief checklist on how to sustainably collect high quality seed from native trees and to point readers towards relevant sources of more detailed information. It is mainly aimed at woodland managers wishing to collect seed from their local area for their own use, and without any intention to market the material.
There is increased interest in collecting tree seeds by community woodland groups in Wales, to provide a small income source by selling seed, to grow-on in small nurseries for eventual sale as seedlings or transplants, or simply to plant for woodland creation or re-stocking. Knowing when, where and how to collect seeds correctly from wild trees is important – if done well it can be an enjoyable, productive woodland activity…
