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Scotland's Native Trees and Shrubs
Have trunk road woodlands a commercial value?
This time honoured question has been debated over the years. Interpreting commercial value in normal commercial forestry terms, the answer must be no. But have native species any other value? The possibility of genetic seed banks has already been suggested.
Two other serious proposals have been put forward recently - planting willow for biomass to fuel small power plants and converting to charcoal the vast amount of spontaneous woody growth that routinely has to be removed from the roadside to maintain visibility and prevent encroachment. Could this be a better option than the current trend of mechanically reducing all woody growth to chippings? No commercial enterprise has, as yet, been taken forward but the potential should remain an option.
Roadside trees are unlikely to be of commercial value for high quality timber but alternative uses should always be considered.
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