Field Day 25 June 2017

This field day was designed as introduction to tree growing and farm forestry and particularly focused on the new contacts established at Tocal field days. Subjects included trees growth, tree management, thinning regrowth and portable milling of thinnings.

25 people attended on a beautiful warm sunny winters day and as usual for a HFFN field day, morning tea was prolific and luscious and conversations and networking were in the same vein.

Simon gave an introduction to the property and his management aims. Trevor gave a very brief talk on tree defects, supported by the timber samples prepared for Tocal. Then a property walk. The property has some significant stands of big old growth iron bark, grey gum, grey box and forest red gum. There is also prolific regrowth of iron barks, box and gum species. Simon has been thinning and pruning the regrowth to promote tree growth and the quality of resultant timber, so there was much discussion on the value of the old trees and the growth habits and values of younger trees.

Lunch was a typical social event.

Several large trees which fell over during windstorms in 2015, have been milled to produce timber for furniture and other purposes.  Simon gave a brief demonstration of the Lucas mill.

An enjoyable and sociable day, with much discussion on how to manage trees.

Objective achieved!