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We have been out shooting!! Trees!! Yes, to collect the best tree seed from Yellow stringybarks, Southern mahogany, and Silvertop ash - all potentially good for quality timber for saw logs.
We have obtained permission and a lot of help from DSE and private landholders in Vic. to get access to some of the best formed trees left. Their genetics should be preserved and hopefully we can do this.
we hope to use CSIRO seed stock to cover the provenance’s in NSW.this should give us about 40 families of each all from a variety of different environments suitable for three new seed orchards for 2006.
We have seen some big old trees! some 1.5m. in diameter and more and 70m. tall. all GPS logged and tagged for future reference, and to document their authenticity. They will be cross pollinated naturally at Bunyip.
We will select the best 20% for seed production based on their suitability for high value saw logs.
The 2006 site will be gently sloping south facing - see the picture from the aerial photo.
We have about 80% of our seed in the fridge - all fresh! The layout may change a bit and we will add some nursing trees and some colourful species to break up the straight plantation lines - it must look nice out of the window as well.
We will be doing viability testing of our initial seed at the time of propagation and will liase closely with Peter Klein our nurseryman at Yarrum Vic, as to the progress of the seedlings and their labeling. All are number coded and must be separated and photoed. We want seedlings in forestry pots (50mm x 50mm x 150mm) each tree 20 - 30cm. tall at August 2006.
THE BIG D7 - BULLDOZER
THE BIG D7 - BULLDOZER
For deep ripping down to 1 metre in hard dry subsoil you need a big heavy (24 tonne) adult dozer. You also need a very skilled operator. Chris Cameron ( Jack the ripper ) did a great job for us with rip-lines exactly spaced and located. We experimented with 3.3m and 3.5m and finally 3.7m spacings for years 2000, 2002, and 2006 respectively.
The main thing is consistency and accuracy and probably nearer to 4m spacings. These deep rips go across the contours and are the water storage for the dry summer months in Victoria. Ripping and early weed control are most important part of growing trees in Victoria.
THE WINGED KEEL TYNE
THE WINGED KEEL TYNE
Not any ripping tyne will do. The horizontal bar at the bottom of the tyne will shatter the hard dry subsoil out laterally. This provides the water storage during summer. The tree roots also grow laterally and give stability to the tree in wind. All this Ripping gear is used by the big plantation growers during late summer. The small farm tree grower will have to get in early, maybe December prior to a planting the following winter.
JUST RIPPED
JUST RIPPED
We hit no big rocks or expensive cables! It was easy to see the rip lines but safest to mark the middle of the rip with "roundup" spray. We let all the cattle in to eat it out by the end of summer but we needed to keep the lines marked to rotary how over. We chose to do this and to mound exactly over the top of the rip line. Then in autumn we put out the cattle and started weed killing over the mounded lines. First 'Roundup" then "Stomp" and Simazine. The big planting weekend to be in August 2006. About 5000 trees.
VIEW FROM THE ROAD
VIEW FROM THE ROAD
This is the year 2006 plantation site in December. 2005 - Our seeds are being germinated at the nursery. E.muelleriana, botryioides and sieberi.
PROGRESS !! (2007)
“The three separate 2006 Seed Orchards were my third and biggest challenge in many ways” The 2000 and 2002 plantations were of just C.maculata and A.melanoxylon respectively.
The 2006 plantations involved collecting seed “From the wild” as well as from the best of CSIRO seed stock.
This ended up with nearly 100 provenances for each of the three species – E.botryoides,muelleriana and sieberi.
Each in 4 replicates, randomized and accurately located and labelled – All 6000 trees.
I think this is the biggest seed orchard project for these species ever attempted - (In the world).
Frost was the main initial threat.
On day 2 and 3 after planting 6000 trees we had the worst frosts for the year. Our Reserve seedlings were also damaged or died – we have a frost hardy selection!
Amazingly the “Dead” trees sprouted from the base or the tips and came back “From the dead” as you can see from the following three pictures ;- bots muel and sieberi
Taken in May 2007 - 9 months later.
In the meantime, by the way, we were also struck with the worst drought on record.
And (On the E.muelleriana particularly) the “Grey Apple moth” infestation.
At May 2007 we had excellent survival, form health and vigour of the botryoides and still 85% survival of the muelleriana and sieberi – enough for good cross pollination in the replicates in 5-7 years time.
Then seed collection from the best of the best – IN THE WORLD…
CHEERS,
JOHN…
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