Eco Crops Ltd recently completed a successful willow harvest at Escrick Park Estate in Yorkshire. The project involved harvesting approximately 25 acres of Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) perennial willow wood crops, which were successfully cleared and delivered to end markets within a few days despite the very wet weather conditions.
Escrick Park Estate has adopted a double cropping system, integrating willow crops with their sheep flock. The double rows of willow create alleys for the sheep to graze while providing natural shelter and fodder. This rotational grazing system optimises land use and enhances the overall health of the livestock.
The willow crops at Escrick Park Estate offer a range of benefits for the landowner. They regrow rapidly after harvesting, ensuring a consistent yield that can be coppiced for over 30 to 50 years plus, offering a sustainable, long-term investment for income generation.
Beyond their economic benefits, willow crops offer numerous environmental advantages. They play a crucial role in building biodiversity by creating habitats for a variety of wildlife and providing an early source of food for pollinators, which supports the health of local ecosystems.
Willow is also renowned for its rapid growth and resilience. It plays a key role in natural flood management solutions, slowing the flow of water, increasing water infiltration, and reinforcing soil structure to reduce the risk and impact of flooding.
For livestock, willow provides a natural shelter and a valuable source of nutrition. Research has shown that grazing on willow can enhance sheep health, as it is rich in cobalt, zinc, and salicylic acid. These essential nutrients can help to reduce the need for supplemental feed, such as lick blocks, which can be expensive and less environmentally friendly. When harvested as tree fodder, willow crops can also be used to supplement hay in the winter.
Perennial SRC willow wood crops can also be used for hedging, shelterbelts, and even as tree fodder to supplement hay in the winter. It’s also ideal for creating understory microclimates, improving non-competing mixed grass and white clover mixes yield for increased grazing. This makes it an ideal choice for small agroforestry schemes, where landowners can diversify their land use and maximise its potential.
The recent harvest at Escrick Park Estate yielded approximately 600 tonnes of eco virgin willow woodchip from the 10 hectares of land. The successful harvesting work demonstrates the many advantages of incorporating these versatile crops into sustainable land management plans. The harvested woodchip can then be used for a variety of purposes, including sustainable fuel for biomass boilers, animal bedding, wood briquettes, and gardening mulch and biochar low carbon products.
By combining willow cultivation with livestock grazing, landowners can create a profitable and environmentally friendly system that benefits both their business and the local ecosystem.
Harvesting at Escrick Park Estate
As the UK government continues to promote sustainable farming practices through funded schemes like the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), SRC willow crops are set to become an even more attractive option for landowners seeking to diversify their income and contribute to a greener future.
If you’re interested in incorporating willow crops into your farming system, get in touch with us today.
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