Thanks for the ship plotter link Sian - fascinating. Moi > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > -- M.E.McCarty, Bookseller 13 North Main Street, Wigtown, Newton Stewart Scotland DG8 9HL ++44 (0)1988 402062 VAT Reg. No. GB 430 2058 03

Some of you might be interested in a gizmo set up on my neighbour's website. It's a ship plotter and gives the position of various ships in Orkney waters, including the various Orkney ferries, the Northlink vessels etc. see: www.graemsay.org.uk Either click on the link "Ship Plotter" in the menu on the left of the screen and read the blurb, or simply click on the Orkney Flag at the end of the menu. Mick has this running via his home computer and at the moment it's not running 24/7 but he's working towards that. He also has some interesting photos taken at the top of the lighthouse. Plus photos of various island events, including strange island rituals! Sian Graemsay

Jeepers!!!! Just had a look at his video clip of your wee Graemsay coming across in the winter!! Forget the light house!!! I am a flat lander!!!... A DRY flat lander! That water is neither Flat nor Dry!! <goes to find a towel to dry off and get warm again> R -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Sian Thomas Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 10:42 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ORCADIA] Ship Plotter - Orkney re Ship Plotter I have to say I haven't paid much attention to the detail on the plotter. I'll ask my neighbour, Mick, about the oil tankers. I know not all the vessels seem to show on the plotter when I expect them to but not sure why. The plotter isn't of much use to me - I just need to look out of the window to see where our "Graemsay" is! re Hoy Low Lighthouse - it's a bit misleading as it's actually the house at Hoy Low which will be for sale sometime in the Spring. The house was originally two houses and were built for the Lighthouse Keepers and their families. The house is now one large property, with a large garden plus courtyard, but the Northern Lighthouse Board still own the lighthouse and some buildings there. The property is in need of a lot of work, although structurally it is very sound, and most of the work is probably "cosmetic" so it won't fetch the premium price, but may well exceed "normal" prices due to novelty value. And we would dearly love it to be a family home, or at least a home for someone who will live here full time. The two properties recently sold this year are only lived in part time and it makes a big difference to our community. Sian ----- Original Message ----- From: "stephen davie" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 2:47 PM Subject: Re: [ORCADIA] Ship Plotter - Orkney > Interesting. The ships all seem to be smaller for some reason, and no > oil tankers appear on the screen. I thought they were a permanent > fixture. > Very kewl idea to plot these. I recognized two ferries I have been on. > I noticed under properties for sale that the lighthouse called Hoy > Low lighthouse is to be sold in 2008. Seems like something of a > landmark and therefore something which normally would not appear > offered for sale to the public. It appears in the photos to be a > whacking great walled stoney fortress, and I would think the price > when offered will be substantial. Won't be a young island couple > buying that one. > So then Sian, now when you are waiting for your ferry in Orkney, you > can snap on your laptop, engage perhaps the remote link, and track > the Earl Sigurd right to the dock you are standing on. Times are a > changin'. > Thanks for that site info. Great lighthouse photo. > Stephen > On Sep 12, 2007, at 8:48 AM, Sian Thomas wrote: > >> Some of you might be interested in a gizmo set up on my neighbour's >> website. >> It's a ship plotter and gives the position of various ships in Orkney >> waters, including the various Orkney ferries, the Northlink vessels >> etc. >> >> see: www.graemsay.org.uk >> >> Either click on the link "Ship Plotter" in the menu on the left of the >> screen and read the blurb, or simply click on the Orkney Flag at >> the end of >> the menu. Mick has this running via his home computer and at the >> moment >> it's not running 24/7 but he's working towards that. >> >> He also has some interesting photos taken at the top of the >> lighthouse. >> Plus photos of various island events, including strange island >> rituals! >> >> Sian >> Graemsay >> >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ORCADIA- >> [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes >> in the subject and the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

I don't think the Wedding slide show he has on the site is on the up and up!!! Bride and Groom look a bit "odd" to me! Did like the look of all the younglings playing instruments for the party...good to see the next generation coming on and bringing the music with them. And the older players with their instruments well worn... So,,,it's not the light house itself that's for sale? Drat!! I was just about to break my piggy bank and see if I had enough to bid on it! Of course I might have to find a new wife...doubt that Dearly Beloved would be very keen on living in a light house....on the sea coast,,,that far north. R -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Sian Thomas Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 10:42 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ORCADIA] Ship Plotter - Orkney re Ship Plotter I have to say I haven't paid much attention to the detail on the plotter. I'll ask my neighbour, Mick, about the oil tankers. I know not all the vessels seem to show on the plotter when I expect them to but not sure why. The plotter isn't of much use to me - I just need to look out of the window to see where our "Graemsay" is! re Hoy Low Lighthouse - it's a bit misleading as it's actually the house at Hoy Low which will be for sale sometime in the Spring. The house was originally two houses and were built for the Lighthouse Keepers and their families. The house is now one large property, with a large garden plus courtyard, but the Northern Lighthouse Board still own the lighthouse and some buildings there. The property is in need of a lot of work, although structurally it is very sound, and most of the work is probably "cosmetic" so it won't fetch the premium price, but may well exceed "normal" prices due to novelty value. And we would dearly love it to be a family home, or at least a home for someone who will live here full time. The two properties recently sold this year are only lived in part time and it makes a big difference to our community. Sian ----- Original Message ----- From: "stephen davie" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 2:47 PM Subject: Re: [ORCADIA] Ship Plotter - Orkney > Interesting. The ships all seem to be smaller for some reason, and no > oil tankers appear on the screen. I thought they were a permanent > fixture. > Very kewl idea to plot these. I recognized two ferries I have been on. > I noticed under properties for sale that the lighthouse called Hoy > Low lighthouse is to be sold in 2008. Seems like something of a > landmark and therefore something which normally would not appear > offered for sale to the public. It appears in the photos to be a > whacking great walled stoney fortress, and I would think the price > when offered will be substantial. Won't be a young island couple > buying that one. > So then Sian, now when you are waiting for your ferry in Orkney, you > can snap on your laptop, engage perhaps the remote link, and track > the Earl Sigurd right to the dock you are standing on. Times are a > changin'. > Thanks for that site info. Great lighthouse photo. > Stephen > On Sep 12, 2007, at 8:48 AM, Sian Thomas wrote: > >> Some of you might be interested in a gizmo set up on my neighbour's >> website. >> It's a ship plotter and gives the position of various ships in Orkney >> waters, including the various Orkney ferries, the Northlink vessels >> etc. >> >> see: www.graemsay.org.uk >> >> Either click on the link "Ship Plotter" in the menu on the left of the >> screen and read the blurb, or simply click on the Orkney Flag at >> the end of >> the menu. Mick has this running via his home computer and at the >> moment >> it's not running 24/7 but he's working towards that. >> >> He also has some interesting photos taken at the top of the >> lighthouse. >> Plus photos of various island events, including strange island >> rituals! >> >> Sian >> Graemsay >> >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ORCADIA- >> [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes >> in the subject and the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Interesting. The ships all seem to be smaller for some reason, and no oil tankers appear on the screen. I thought they were a permanent fixture. Very kewl idea to plot these. I recognized two ferries I have been on. I noticed under properties for sale that the lighthouse called Hoy Low lighthouse is to be sold in 2008. Seems like something of a landmark and therefore something which normally would not appear offered for sale to the public. It appears in the photos to be a whacking great walled stoney fortress, and I would think the price when offered will be substantial. Won't be a young island couple buying that one. So then Sian, now when you are waiting for your ferry in Orkney, you can snap on your laptop, engage perhaps the remote link, and track the Earl Sigurd right to the dock you are standing on. Times are a changin'. Thanks for that site info. Great lighthouse photo. Stephen On Sep 12, 2007, at 8:48 AM, Sian Thomas wrote: > Some of you might be interested in a gizmo set up on my neighbour's > website. > It's a ship plotter and gives the position of various ships in Orkney > waters, including the various Orkney ferries, the Northlink vessels > etc. > > see: www.graemsay.org.uk > > Either click on the link "Ship Plotter" in the menu on the left of the > screen and read the blurb, or simply click on the Orkney Flag at > the end of > the menu. Mick has this running via his home computer and at the > moment > it's not running 24/7 but he's working towards that. > > He also has some interesting photos taken at the top of the > lighthouse. > Plus photos of various island events, including strange island > rituals! > > Sian > Graemsay > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ORCADIA- > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

I was pleased to read on the Orcadian and Orkney Today websites that Scotland's Minister for Public Health, Shona Robison "...was left in no doubt of the community's desire that Orkney should have an aircraft based in Kirkwall" after meeting OIC convener, Stephen Hagan. It seems quite ludicrous that a doctor has to call out a helicopter from Inverness if s/he wants to transfer a patient from the Northern Isles to Kirkwall - and then helicopter has to call into Kirkwall to refuel on its way north. Loganair has the aircraft and skilled pilots who can provide a much better service (they fly to all the islands every day and in all kinds of weather) and I have grave doubts that Loganair cannot be used because of rules about single pilots and unhygienic aircraft. -- Bruce Fletcher Stronsay, Orkney <www.stronsay.co.uk/claremont> "I’m sorry, you have reached an imaginary number. Please rotate your telephone 90 degrees and dial again"

Example with subject line changed, to what I should have used the first time. (And typo fixed. I couldn't let it go.) In a message dated 9/11/2007 7:54:18 A.M. Central Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: I know the easiest way to respond is to hit the reply button. But after doing so it is possible to change the subject line to accurately describe the topic. This allows one to 1) read through the mail in order on one topic at a time 2) ignore the subjects not of interest 3) find information later in the achieves Right now most of the information, some of it quite good and detailed, on trees in Orkney is filed under "wind". Just a suggestion Karen ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com

Good point..and any member can change the subject line any time they want. I suggest that you don't change it as long as it's going in the "general" direction of the original topic..but if you see that your response is veering off in a new direction..it's ok to change the subject. This is something that is surprising difficult for an Admin/Mod to do,,,because we are always playing catch-up. R And yes,,,I am one of the worst about forgetting to do it. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 9:16 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ORCADIA] TOPICS Example with subject line changed, to what I should have used the first time. (And typo fixed. I couldn't let it go.) In a message dated 9/11/2007 7:54:18 A.M. Central Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: I know the easiest way to respond is to hit the reply button. But after doing so it is possible to change the subject line to accurately describe the topic. This allows one to 1) read through the mail in order on one topic at a time 2) ignore the subjects not of interest 3) find information later in the achieves Right now most of the information, some of it quite good and detailed, on trees in Orkney is filed under "wind". Just a suggestion Karen ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

In former times peat cutting was an art, and done in different way on different islands. First the top was flayed from the bank and set on the top of the bottom layer left over from an earlier year, there for the heather and moss growth to resume and eventually for the peat bank to regenerate. Only then were the peats cut with a tuskar, the shape being very variable depending on the tradition. The bottom layer was never removed down to the subsoil or rock, but left as a base to allow the flayed top later to continue to grow. Yes of course this would take time. But did you never hear the expression "When God made time he made plenty of it" ? Today's obsession with spinning faster and faster and yet going nowhere really means that most folk never do stand and stare like sheep and cows.

I know the easiest way to respond is to hit the reply button. But after doing so it is possible to change the subject line to accurately describe the topic. This allows one to 1) read through the mail in order on one topic and at time 2) ignore the subjects not of interest 3) find information later in the achieves Right now most of the information, some of it quite good and detailed, on trees in Orkney is filed under "wind". Just a suggestion Karen ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com

SIMON TREASURE wrote: > ...I use sycamores as my backbone trees as they are very resilient and > keep going when others fail. they are part of all my planting, which > includes Hawthorne and downy birch as well as those listed earlier. > > I use scrub willow on the western side (westerly gales are the > killing winds) together with elder, fuscia and ribes to create a > diverse shelter belt. I under plant with dog rose and rugosa to > establish a naturalised planting biodiversity as quickly as possible. > 35% of the planting is native orkney stock propagated from the most > ancient northerly woodland in the uk , the magical berriedale > woodland in hoy. Your planting certainly sounds very interesting, Simon. I had a look at your website but was somewhat disappointed to find that there were no pictures of your developing woodland — or none that I could find, anyway. What sort of height have your trees reached now? Norman Tulloch

Nan Fowler wrote: > The ash variety that Stephen was questioning would most likely be > European Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) which grows over most of Northern > Europe. It has usually 11 or 13 leaflets on its leaves as opposed to > the Brown/Black or basket ash ( Fraxinus Negra) found in the swamps, > and White or Common Ash ( Fraxinus Americana) found in the uplands in > Stephen's neck of the woods, and that have 7-11 (but usually 7) and > 5-9 leaflets on their leaves respectively. > > The European ash will grow to about 60-64N, so about as far north as > the Trondheim (sp) Fjord in Norway, for instance, but I have never > seen European or any other wild ash above about 57.5 N in Scotland > (Ullapool/Inverness/Aberdeen)... Yes, Nan, the ash in question is certainly the European Ash (Fraxinus excelsior). I don't think any other species is commonly planted in the UK, except maybe in some botanic gardens or arboretums. The British Trees site that I linked to earlier says that it is "rare north of Great Glen in Scotland". However, according to the VisitOrkney site, it has been planted at Binscarth near Finstown: "Binscarth Woodland, 2.8km (1.7m) walk along the old drover’s road near Finstown. It’s easy walking along tracks, but it can be wet underfoot especially in the woods. The walk passes through the seven and a half acre Binscarth Woods, planted last century with a variety of trees including sycamore, ash, beech, hawthorn and larch..." http://www.visitorkney.com/walking.asp Though that suggests that the planting took place "last century" (i.e. the twentieth), I believe that it was mostly in the nineteenth century. While I've certainly seen them in the distance, I've never actually visited the Binscarth Woods; something else to add to the to-do list! One website suggests that Fraxinus nigra is "not a great success in Britain, where it is often damaged by late frosts". Fraxinus americana seems to be grow better: "This species is planted on a small scale, mainly in E. Europe, as a timber tree. It has the potential as a forestry tree in Britain, succeeding under conditions that are too dry or frosty for the native ash, F. excelsior." However, I don't think Orkney could be described as dry and it isn't particularly frosty either. http://www.pfaf.org/database/search_name.php?ALLNAMES=Fraxinus I must admit that I didn't know there were as many species of ash as are listed on that site; when people in the UK speak of the ash tree, they're invariably referring to the only one that's common either as a native or a planted tree, namely the European ash — also called the Common ash. "Hilliers' Manual of Trees and Shrubs" (written for the UK grower) does list quite a number of Fraxinus species and varieties — around 27 species. Fraxinus americana is said to be "a large species soon forming a noble shade tree"; F. excelsior is "a large, magnificent tree and one of the most valuable for timber"; F. angustifolia is "a large, elegant, fast-growing tree with perfectly glabrous, slender pointed leaflets". Poor old F. nigra fails to pass muster yet again, though, being dismissed as, "Not one of the best species in cultivation." Norman Tulloch

i will take some photos and post if we ever see the sun again. the trees are babies, 2-3 years old, most still within their tree guards, a good place to be this year, the biggest maybe 5 ft or so. scrub willow a bit bigger. i have a core of 20-30 mature sycamore trees at East Heddle that form the core of that section of planting. ----- Original Message ---- From: Norman Tulloch <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, 11 September, 2007 8:18:17 AM Subject: Re: [ORCADIA] Fw: Wind SIMON TREASURE wrote: > ...I use sycamores as my backbone trees as they are very resilient and > keep going when others fail. they are part of all my planting, which > includes Hawthorne and downy birch as well as those listed earlier. > > I use scrub willow on the western side (westerly gales are the > killing winds) together with elder, fuscia and ribes to create a > diverse shelter belt. I under plant with dog rose and rugosa to > establish a naturalised planting biodiversity as quickly as possible. > 35% of the planting is native orkney stock propagated from the most > ancient northerly woodland in the uk , the magical berriedale > woodland in hoy. Your planting certainly sounds very interesting, Simon. I had a look at your website but was somewhat disappointed to find that there were no pictures of your developing woodland — or none that I could find, anyway. What sort of height have your trees reached now? Norman Tulloch ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Archives!

The ash variety that Stephen was questioning would most likely be European Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) which grows over most of Northern Europe. It has usually 11 or 13 leaflets on its leaves as opposed to the Brown/Black or basket ash ( Fraxinus Negra) found in the swamps, and White or Common Ash ( Fraxinus Americana) found in the uplands in Stephen's neck of the woods, and that have 7-11 (but usually 7) and 5-9 leaflets on their leaves respectively. The European ash will grow to about 60-64N, so about as far north as the Trondheim (sp) Fjord in Norway, for instance, but I have never seen European or any other wild ash above about 57.5 N in Scotland (Ullapool/Inverness/Aberdeen). That's not to say it is not there, just that I haven't run across it, and I spend a lot of time tramping in the woods across that part of Scotland looking for it. Black ash is at this moment struggling with the emerald ash borer which is wiping out vast swatches of this 'basket' tree between Minnesota and Western New York State and from Ontario to western Quebec. I have been part of a group of indigenous basket weavers (from both sides of the US/Canadian border) and black ash orchardists collecting black ash seeds in non-infected areas (they only seed about every seven years so the trees are very slow to replace themselves) and searching to see if they can be crossed in any form and with any luck with European ash if the black ash is wiped out completely within the next 15-20 years in the Northern Boreal Forest. European ash makes nice furniture and sleigh runners, but is not so great for weaving (the layers don't lift very easily or uniformly when pounded for basket wefts and weavers). Black ash grows in swamps so is not exactly easy to market commercially in the way European ash can be harvested. Anyway, I would beg to guess that the Orcadian ash trees are likely to be European Ash also as the narrow-leafed ash (Fraxinus angustifolia) grows mainly in southern Europe around the Mediterranian Sea, southwest Asia, and northern Africa and doesn't do well in colder wetter areas. With Kind Regards, Nan On 10/09/2007, Norman Tulloch <[email protected]> wrote: > stephen davie wrote: > > > > Other species grown on the Rousay plantation are: > > > > ash (don't know which variety) > > bird cherry > > beech (another variety challenge) > > common alder > > downy birch > > elderberry > > gray alder > > hazel > > mixed willow > > rowan > > sea buckhorn > > swedish whitebeam > > sycamore > > wych elm > > Wych elm sounds like a pretty poor bet: > > "Wych Elm (Ulmus Glabra) > > Scots Elm. Irish Leamhan. > > Description: Large deciduous tree. Susceptible to Dutch Elm disease and > accordingly not planted any more." > http://www.british-trees.com/guide/wychelm.htm > > Maybe the assumption is that the elm bark beetle (that spreads Dutch elm > disease) will get blown off course before it reaches Orkney, though? > > I can't see beech doing all that well either, but I'm no expert. > > Norman Tulloch > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > -- Nan Fowler 19/11 Bristo Place Edinburgh EH1 1EZ 'If I can't dance I don't want to be in your revolution'

----- Forwarded Message ---- From: SIMON TREASURE <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, 11 September, 2007 12:49:07 AM Subject: Re: [ORCADIA] Wind the most current information care of the science festival last week was presented by two archaeologists in the latter stages of a major study of pollen drawn from deep cores in peat bogs around orkney covering the entire post glacial period. Very preliminary results but they indicate widespread tree coverage for considerably longer than previously thought, well into the bronze age period with clearances for grazing or husbanded (like deer) animals becoming a significant negative factor from around 5000 years ago. the results also indicate no significant change in climate (based on species present) at the bronze age/neolithic barrier as is usually assumed to explain the cultural changes evident at that time. i use sycamores as my backbone trees as they are very resilient and keep going when others fail. they are part of all my planting, which includes Hawthorne and downy birch as well as those listed earlier. I use scrub willow on the western side (westerly gales are the killing winds) together with elder, fuscia and ribes to create a diverse shelter belt. I under plant with dog rose and rugosa to establish a naturalised planting biodiversity as quickly as possible. 35% of the planting is native orkney stock propagated from the most ancient northerly woodland in the uk , the magical berriedale woodland in hoy. ----- Original Message ---- From: Royce Perry <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, 10 September, 2007 6:29:59 PM Subject: Re: [ORCADIA] Wind Grazing livestock would have more impact on scrub vegetation than it would on forests. Four thousand years ago would put us back into what..the late Neolithic? Is there archeological evidence of herding on Orkney that far back? If so then humans could a cause,,or at least a contributing factor. R -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Charles Tait Sent: Monday, September 10, 2007 12:08 PM To: [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Re: [ORCADIA] Wind Pollen studies show that after the Ice Age Orkney was covered by scrubby trees, which gave way to grass and moorland by before 4000BC, perhaps under the influence of people and their grazing animals. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

stephen davie wrote: > Other species grown on the Rousay plantation are: > > ash (don't know which variety) > bird cherry > beech (another variety challenge) > common alder > downy birch > elderberry > gray alder > hazel > mixed willow > rowan > sea buckhorn > swedish whitebeam > sycamore > wych elm Wych elm sounds like a pretty poor bet: "Wych Elm (Ulmus Glabra) Scots Elm. Irish Leamhan. Description: Large deciduous tree. Susceptible to Dutch Elm disease and accordingly not planted any more." http://www.british-trees.com/guide/wychelm.htm Maybe the assumption is that the elm bark beetle (that spreads Dutch elm disease) will get blown off course before it reaches Orkney, though? I can't see beech doing all that well either, but I'm no expert. Norman Tulloch

Thanks Nan. The species of ash they planted is not well defined. An interesting quote in the book, which a talented ash weaver like yourself would appreciate perhaps: "As soon as multiplying man had filled the open grounds along the margin of the rivers, the lakes, and the sea, and sufficiently peopled the natural meadows and savannas of the interior, where such existed, he could find room for expansion and further growth only by the removal of a portion of the forest that hemmed him in. The destruction of the woods was man's first physical conquest, his first violation of the harmonies of inanimate nature." George Perkins Marsh 1864. On Sep 10, 2007, at 7:53 PM, Nan Fowler wrote: > The ash variety that Stephen was questioning would most likely be > European Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) which grows over most of Northern > Europe. It has usually 11 or 13 leaflets on its leaves as opposed to > the Brown/Black or basket ash ( Fraxinus Negra) found in the swamps, > and White or Common Ash ( Fraxinus Americana) found in the uplands in > Stephen's neck of the woods, and that have 7-11 (but usually 7) and > 5-9 leaflets on their leaves respectively. > > The European ash will grow to about 60-64N, so about as far north as > the Trondheim (sp) Fjord in Norway, for instance, but I have never > seen European or any other wild ash above about 57.5 N in Scotland > (Ullapool/Inverness/Aberdeen). That's not to say it is not there, > just that I haven't run across it, and I spend a lot of time tramping > in the woods across that part of Scotland looking for it. > Black ash is at this moment struggling with the emerald ash borer > which is wiping out vast swatches of this 'basket' tree between > Minnesota and Western New York State and from Ontario to western > Quebec. I have been part of a group of indigenous basket weavers > (from both sides of the US/Canadian border) and black ash orchardists > collecting black ash seeds in non-infected areas (they only seed about > every seven years so the trees are very slow to replace themselves) > and searching to see if they can be crossed in any form and with any > luck with European ash if the black ash is wiped out completely within > the next 15-20 years in the Northern Boreal Forest. > > European ash makes nice furniture and sleigh runners, but is not so > great for weaving (the layers don't lift very easily or uniformly when > pounded for basket wefts and weavers). Black ash grows in swamps so > is not exactly easy to market commercially in the way European ash can > be harvested. > > Anyway, I would beg to guess that the Orcadian ash trees are likely to > be European Ash also as the narrow-leafed ash (Fraxinus angustifolia) > grows mainly in southern Europe around the Mediterranian Sea, > southwest Asia, and northern Africa and doesn't do well in colder > wetter areas. > > With Kind Regards, > > Nan > > On 10/09/2007, Norman Tulloch <[email protected]> wrote: >> stephen davie wrote: >> >> >>> Other species grown on the Rousay plantation are: >>> >>> ash (don't know which variety) >>> bird cherry >>> beech (another variety challenge) >>> common alder >>> downy birch >>> elderberry >>> gray alder >>> hazel >>> mixed willow >>> rowan >>> sea buckhorn >>> swedish whitebeam >>> sycamore >>> wych elm >> >> Wych elm sounds like a pretty poor bet: >> >> "Wych Elm (Ulmus Glabra) >> >> Scots Elm. Irish Leamhan. >> >> Description: Large deciduous tree. Susceptible to Dutch Elm >> disease and >> accordingly not planted any more." >> http://www.british-trees.com/guide/wychelm.htm >> >> Maybe the assumption is that the elm bark beetle (that spreads >> Dutch elm >> disease) will get blown off course before it reaches Orkney, though? >> >> I can't see beech doing all that well either, but I'm no expert. >> >> Norman Tulloch >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ORCADIA- >> [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> > > > -- > Nan Fowler > 19/11 Bristo Place > Edinburgh EH1 1EZ > > 'If I can't dance I don't want to be in your revolution' > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ORCADIA- > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

Nice thing about these projects and the diversity of the species is that they will prove out in time what works and what doesn't. What we are finding in this country is that global warming has a significant impact on the future of forestry here, and the various species have varied responses and reactions to what mother nature has been handing out this last five or ten years. The increased biodiversity that evolves on the land beneath the trees in the Rousay project is further fascinating. Bluebell, cyclamen, wood anemone...and the daffodils and grape hyacinth amongst the fledgling tree plantation all are a joy in the photos. I bought the book on this Rousay undertaking from the Orcadian bookstore online, and it seems like a worthwhile project indeed. There will be adjustments to be made, but it is evident by the photos that the environment they are encouraging is somewhat unique at this point in Orkney albeit perhaps what once was common. The involvement of the younger generation is an encouraging sign as we look ahead. Seems like Orkney's history is not restricted to people and events related thereto, but also to environmental evolution in much part at the hands on man and his crops and beasts. The wych elm in the book are nine years old as of the publication and thus 13 or so years old now. They seem healthy in the photo, but who knows at this point. They certainly wern't breaking any growth records, to emphasize your point Norman, but they appear healthy.Ffunny dome shaped thing. It would be interesting to see this book rewritten in another ten years, with updated photos and reports. As in all things....time will tell the story. Cheers...stephen 2007, at 6:11 PM, Norman Tulloch wrote: > stephen davie wrote: > > >> Other species grown on the Rousay plantation are: >> >> ash (don't know which variety) >> bird cherry >> beech (another variety challenge) >> common alder >> downy birch >> elderberry >> gray alder >> hazel >> mixed willow >> rowan >> sea buckhorn >> swedish whitebeam >> sycamore >> wych elm > > Wych elm sounds like a pretty poor bet: > > "Wych Elm (Ulmus Glabra) > > Scots Elm. Irish Leamhan. > > Description: Large deciduous tree. Susceptible to Dutch Elm disease > and > accordingly not planted any more." > http://www.british-trees.com/guide/wychelm.htm > > Maybe the assumption is that the elm bark beetle (that spreads > Dutch elm > disease) will get blown off course before it reaches Orkney, though? > > I can't see beech doing all that well either, but I'm no expert. > > Norman Tulloch > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ORCADIA- > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

> I made the acquaintance a few years back of a Stromness resident cat > called Footsie, who was equipped with an extra toe on each foot -perhasp > he'd evolved his own snowshoes. I'd imagine his progeny would be pretty > easy to identify. Jan (Aus.) >