Unthinned Sitka spruce Gorteneorn Forest, Ardnamurchan, about 57 years old
The images were forwarded by Tom McLellan, Taynuilt, with input from Miller Harris independent forest manager and Denis Coy, Glennon Brothers harvesting manager.
Tom comments:
“Due to the difficulty of access, lack of local markets and other constraints the forest has never been thinned, but despite this on the better growing areas the trees have self thinned very well and at aged circa. 57 years a very high sawlog breakout can be expected from the best areas of Sitka spruce. This in part is due to the good form of the trees, being tall and straight with light branching and this in turn reflects the good quality of the Sitka spruce tree seed that forest nurseries were sowing in the 1950s/60s.”
The PDF link below has an image of a cross section through one of the saw logs at Gorteneorn Forest showing very even growth rates.
Groups: Forestry Areas