Site Details

Click on pins for further information about each of the sites

View Larger Map

Details of Willow Sites (x7):-

BODORGAN ESTATE, ANGLESEY (Established May, 2004)

A 4.77 ha site at 50m asl that had been in long term set-aside. There was a significant amount of vegetation standing and that included weeds such as creeping thistle, dock and mare's tail and rushes. The site is predominantly free draining although a few small areas hold standing water over winter. (Click for map).

Ground preparation and planting activities:-
  5th May 2004   Sprayed with RoundUp and Touchdown @5l/ha
19th May 2004   Excess vegetation burnt off
20th May 2004   Ploughed+ Dursban @1.25l/ ha+power harrowed
25th May 2004   Planting + rolled
30th May 2004   Residual herbicides applied - Stomp @5l/ha and Flexidor @2l/ha Varieties planted - Tora , Tordis , Sven, Ashton Stott and Resolution.

Follow up treatment:-
19th July 2004 - Sprayed with Dowshield (1l/ha) to control spear thistles. Spray damage in some areas - resulted in delayed cutback to allow plants to recover Feb 2005   Small area cut back.

Feb 2006 - Cut back remained of field to encourage tillering.
April 2006 -  Sprayed with Weedazol (10l/ha) to control grass and broadleaved weeds. Plot managed by Richard Seamen, Bodowen Farms Ltd.

Pic 1 - Spray damage in 2004 resulted in some crop damage - which significantly
slowed growth.

Pic 2 - By Spring 2005 much of the crop had  recovered. 

Pic 3 - The crop in June 2005 showing a small area that had been cutback in Feb. 2005. 

Pic 4 - Winter 2006/07 at Bodorgan

Pics 5 & 6 - Open Day - July 2007

Pic 7 - Crop in September 2007

Pics 7 & 8 - Wet parts of site prevent harvest in Feb 2008

Yield assessments and ground conditions were assessed in September to see whether harvesting was an option

GLYNLLIFON COLLEGE, CAERNARFON (Established May, 2005) 

A 4.4 ha site at 150m asl that had been in forage maize. The site is predominantly free draining but the soils are fairly stoney - which restricted cultivation and planting in a small area.

Ground preparation and planting activities:-
Autumn 2004    Ploughed
Feb 2005          Sprayed with Round-Up
April 2005         Power harrowed
19th May 2005  Planting + rolled
30th May 2005  Residual herbicides appliedStomp @5l/ha
Varieties planted - Tora , Tordis , Sven, Torhild and Inger

Follow up treatment:-
Feb 2006 -  Field cut back
March 2006 -Sprayed with Weedazol (10l/ha) to control grass and broadleaved weeds.

Pic 1 - Plot managed by Eurwyn Edwards, Coleg Meirion Dwyfor.

Planting in May 2005:-
Pic 2 - Dry conditions after planting meant that residual herbicides were not very effective.

Pic 3 - Despite weed competition 1st year growth was good - weeds were sprayed following cutback this winter.

Pic 4 - Second year growth after cut back in February 2006

Pic 5 - Glynllifon Crop - May/June 2007

Pic 6 - November 2007 - Open Day

Pic 7 - November 2007 - Open Day

Pic 8 - Glynllifon Willow in January 2008

Pic 9 - Too wet to harvest in February 2008

The site was visited in November and yield assessments made. Harvesting is scheduled for early 2009.

November 2008:

CERNYFED, CYFILLIOG (Established May, 2005)

A 3 ha site at 350m asl on the margins of suitability. (Click for map).

The site was selected to investigate what exactly were the limits for SRC in Wales - is it really an option for upland farmers? The site was grassland and is freely draining with light, shaly soils. Much of the site is sloping and will be a challenge to harvest.

Ground preparation and planting activities:-
April 2005     Sprayed with RoundUp
April 2005     Ploughed
May 2005     Power harrowed
20th May2005   Planting + rolled
30th May2005   Residual herbicides appliedStomp @5l/ha  
Varieties planted - Tora , Tordis , Sven, Torhild and Inger.

Follow up treatment:-
Feb 2006   Field cut back
April 2006 Spray to control thistles

Plot managed by Will and Malcolm Jones, Cernyfed

Pic 1 - Sloping ground presented a challenge to planting in May 2005.  

Pic 2 - Establishment was good although there are significant thistle seedings in some areas that will need controlling in 2006.

Pic 3 - By October 2005 many of the plants were over 6ft tall.

Pic 4 - Thistles that needed controlling in Spring 2006 after cut back

Pic 5 - Crop after cut back and weed control.

Pic 6 - Cernyfed willow in May 2007

Pic 7 - Some evidence of rabbit damage to crop

Pic 8 - Cernyfed willow in September 2007

Yield assessments were carried out before harvesting at the site

Harvesting took place at Cernyfed in November 08. A chainsaw team cut the crop and stacked it ready for the forestry baler from Till Hill Forestry

CILGOED, DERWEN (Established May, 2005)

A 3 ha site at 300m asl with a sheltered aspect and fairly heavy soils. The field has been used for silage in the past and has good road access. (Click for map).

Ground preparation and planting activities:-
April 2005         Sprayed with RoundUp
April 2005         Ploughed
May 2005         Power harrowed
20th May2005   Planting + rolled
30th May2005   Residual herbicides applied Stomp @5l/ha

Varieties planted - Tora , Tordis , Sven, Torhild and Inger.

Follow-up treatment:-
Feb 2006 -  Field cut back
April 2006 Spray to control thistles

Plot managed by Ceiriog Jones.

Pics 1 & 1a - Crop began to sprout by first week of June.

Pic 2 - Early growth was boost by high soil moisture.

Pic 3 - Late summer saw significant growth of perennial weeds such as red shank and spurge in some areas.

Pic 4 - Following cut back and spray the crop progressed really well through '06 and '07.

Pic 5 - Cilgoed crop in May 2007

Pic 6 - Cilgoed crop in September 2007

Yield assessments were carried out before harvesting at the site

Harvesting at Cilgoed took place in late October, early November 2008 after an assessment of ground conditions. Consideration was taken of a number of factors that influenced the feasibility of harvesting the site.

• Site access
• Harvesting method
• Timeliness of harvest
• Cross compliance
• Cost of harvesting method
• Storage
• Availability of market / end use

HAYSCASTLE FARM, HAVERFORDWEST (Established May, 2004)

A 5 ha site at 100m asl . Previously cattle and sheep grazing - half of the field is quite peaty with winter waterlogging.

Ground preparation and planting activities:-
April 2004     Sprayed with RoundUp
May 2004     Ploughed
May 2004     Power harrowed
18th May 2004   Planting + rolled
21st May 2005   Residual herbicides applied - Stomp @ 5l/ha

Varieties planted - Tora, Tordis, Sven, Stott and Resolution

Follow up treatment:-
Feb 2005 - Spray with Harvest and Simazine to control grass weeds and thistles.
March 2006 - Cut back
April 2006 - Spray to control thistles and grass weeds

-------------------------------

It is with great sadness that we report the sudden death of Peter Evans in January 2007. Peter's enthusiasm and his wonderfully positive outlook on life will be greatly missed by all of the project team. Our thoughts and best wishes go to his wife Ross and all the family.

----------------------------------

Pic 1 - Wetter parts of the field had a high content of grass weeds - although early willow growth was very good.

Pic 2 - Sheep grazed grass weeds before spraying - cutback delayed until year 2.

Pic 3 - Crop in July 2005

Pic 4 - After cut back - Spring 2006

   

Pic 5 - Crop in August 2006

Pic 6 - November 2006 - Hayscastle willow

Harvesting is scheduled for early 2009.

NEWHOUSE FARM, CANASTON BRIDGE (Established May, 2004)

A 10ha site at 100 asl. Previously sheep grazing - split into six blocks.

Ground preparation and planting activities:-

April 2004     Sprayed with RoundUp
May 2004     Ploughed
May 2004     Power harrowed   
17th May 2004   Planting + rolled
21st May 2005   Residual herbicides applied -  Stomp @ 5l/ha and Flexidor @1l/ha

Varieties planted - Tora, Tordis, Sven, Stott and Resolution

Follow up treatment:-

March 2006 Harvested
April 2006 Spray to control thistles and grass weeds

Pic 1 - Plot managed by Paul Radcliffe. Planting in 2004 into a rapidly drying seedbed.

Pic 2 - September 2004. Crop had established well - but needed thickening to out-compete weeds.

Pic 3 - Open Day Visitors - October 2004

Pic 4 - Crop in September 2005

Pic 5 - Harvesting in March 2006

Pic 6 - Storage of willow chip post-harvest

Pics 7 & 8- Open Day photos - February 2008

Pic 9 - Installed woodchip pellet boiler

Pic 10 - Installed biomass boiler

Pic 11 - Heat main to office buildings from boiler

Harvesting is scheduled for early 2009.

BRIGHAM FARM, LLANHARRY (Established April, 2006)

A 3ha site at 65m asl . Previously sheep grazing. ( click for map)

Ground preparation and planting activities:-
Site rabbit fenced due to high population on bordering M4 embankment
April 2005           Sprayed with RoundUp
April 2005           Paper waste applied
April 2005           Ploughed
May 2005           Power harrowed
22nd May 2005   Planting
2nd June 2005    Residual herbicides applied Stomp @5l/ha

Varieties planted - Tora , Tordis , Sven, Torhild and Inger

Crop success was restricted due to a combination of spray damage and dry soil conditions post planting. It was decided to replant in spring 2006. Site was planted with a crop of forage rape to out-compete weeds and create a weed free seedbed ahead of planting. It is planted to mechanically control weeds with a brush hoe and examine the potential for a spray free establishment and management regime.

Plot managed by David Williams.

Pic 1 - Paper waste was applied to the site - providing nutrients and covering cultivation costs.

Pic 2 - Planting into very wet soils delayed residuals and prevented rolling.  

Pic 3 - A large diurnal temperature range contributed to spray damage - which was followed by several dry weeks.

Pic 4 - The site was replanted in 2006. Rather than using a spray based system for weed control a combination of stale seed beds pre-planting and mechanical weed control with a brush hoe were used with limited success.

Pic 5 - Crop in August 2006

Pic 6 - Open Day - December 2007

Pic 7 - Open Day - December 2007

Harvesting is scheduled for early 2009.