TDSFB Alder Coppicing Work at Errochty Water

Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board are currently thinning out alders on the Errochty Water to let more light in to a heavily shaded watercourse. Although outside our TWCP area, this type of work, or a variation of it, will still be applicable in our area. I was looking at this today with Greg Thexton from BIFF/ FCS. We want to see if we can set up a demonstration site next winter to see if we can chip this kind of material for woodfuel, and do it at an economic rate. This particular project has only been possible thanks to an EU LIFE grant. If we can make better use of the material and get the economics right, then we can do this type of work over a much bigger area. Although they are native, alders cast a very dense shade, and they can also fix nitrogen which tends to acidify watercourses. A mixture of broadleaved tree species will benefit a watercourse if they are not too dense, but monoculture alder is definitely not a good thing.