Sycamore in Wessex

The Wessex Silvicultural Group spent a year studying sycamore—in particular silviculture, growth and yield, marketing and environmental aspects. Fifteen forests and estates were visited. In terms of timber production and profitability, sycamore was seen to have advantages over most other broadleaves, especially in naturally- regenerated stands. The need for heavy thinning was acknowledged. The alleged deficiencies of sycamore for wildlife conservation were shown to be partly ill-founded. It is one of the better trees in Britain for epiphytes and lists of the lichens and bryophytes which have been recorded on it are published for the first time.