For the most part I am currently focusing on Eucalyptus trees for:
- Firewood
- Floral foliage
- Constructional timber
- Forage for bees and pollinators
- Shade and Shelter
though as things have developed, the range is broadening.
Trees are an essential part of the ecosystem that supports life on earth and different species bring different opportunities for sustainable fuel and timber. e.g. my initial focus on Eucalyptus trees for sustainable firewood, followed by fast growing Hybrid Poplar for shelter and firewood, and species such as Robinia Pseudoacacia (Black Locust) for very durable timber well suited to damp / wet environments, so an excellent choice for environmentally friendly fence posts etc. It does not require chemical treatment.
I hope to add other beneficial species to my catalog as time goes on.
Has to be said that most trees have an advantage to humans, either directly or indirectly 😉
- Eucalyptus or Willow Coppice 🤔Guess this depends on where you are, i.e. your climatic conditions. Another factor would be what you would use the coppice for ? Willow is used for basket weaving. I haven’t come across any information which suggests that any Eucalyptus can be used for a similar purpose, though its not something I would rule out, … Read more
- Wet firewood 😧Wet firewood 😧 this certainly shocked me 😧 I was expecting perhaps half a pint of water for each log, but more than a full imperial pint !I suspect even the reasonable firewood that you buy from the petrol stations etc. won’t be that dry. The regulations in Ireland from what I understand is less … Read more
- Pulverulenta Re-growthThe Pulverulenta didn’t look great after the severe and prolonged cold snap at the end of 2022. A few were fine, though there was a lot of brown and burnt foliage with dead seed capsules and flower buds. Very disappointed about the dead flower buds as last February they were covered in flowers and the … Read more
- Walkabout May 232022 was certainly a challenging year for everything growing here at Clounsnaghta: The only thing missing was a severe gale, and interestingly there wasn’t much in the way of strong winds. So now it is May 2023 and time to take a look at and see what has recovered, what grew despite everything and what … Read more
- The aftermath of the December 2022 severe weather event.I am describing this as a severe weather event due to the prolonged frost, eleven nights below zero, a couple below -5℃ The other factor that for me categorises this as severe was the freezing fog especially during the mornings on several days. On a few days all day ! The coldest temperature recorded in … Read more
