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Dorset farm appeals for help saving 'rare' black poplar trees (www.bbc.co.uk)

submitted 4 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Conservationists are calling for people to use cuttings from one of UK's rarest native timber trees to help save the species.

Cuttings of the black poplar have been cultivated at Bere Marsh Farm, near Shillingstone, Dorset.

The farm, which is owned by the Countryside Regeneration Trust (CRT), said there were only about 7,000 black poplar trees in the country.

Jenny Ashdown, from the trust, said saplings were "ready to be shared with those eager to help".

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[–] Uranium_Green 1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Are Black Poplar rare?

By me there are atleast 2 fully grown trees within ~100 meters of each other that produce the cotton seeds (not to mention probably about 40-50 Lombardi Poplars in the surrounding mile).

Is there any difference about this particular one?

Is it worth me trying to collect and replant saplings to areas where they won't be mowed?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago

Native black poplars are very rare - although recovering in the last couple of decades through conservation projects like this - but there are a lot of non native ones around that look very similar to the untrained eye. Plus any number of Lombardys as you say.

The typical process, as far as I have been involved at least, is for local wildlife volunteers to identify potential native trees, the county ecologist or similar specialist to come and assess, and then a dna sample taken to be analysed to confirm. After that, cuttings are taken and grown on - and black poplars are usually pretty successful as cuttings.