Pollarding and building a 'veteran' pollard.

Pollarding Willows is a good way to manage them because it prevents branches breaking off and brings about the formation of a thick trunk which is often rotten internally and is excellent for biodiversity. It maintains the vitality of the tree.
The problem can be what to do with the branches and wood that has been cut off the trunk? In the past, it has been usual to have a large fire and burn everything up but now it is recognised that this is not only very destructive to any invertebrates living on or in the wood, but it is also damaging to the soils of the Marsh not to speak of the smoke and carbon dioxide liberated into the atmosphere.
A solution therefore that is being followed is to build square eco-piles by piling up the larger wood around the outside and in filling the centre with all the branch wood. The theory is that this will provide a much better habitat for wildlife than a straightforward pile all stack of wood.

Another idea that is being explored is to create a new 'veteran Willow Pollard' by using the poles to make a kind of vertical enclosure and then packing the centre with rotten wood.

This is what the 'veteran' looked like in the summer of 2019.

And here it is starting into growth in early May 2020.

We have trimmed off the smaller side branches to form a pollard 'head' and it looks as if it has got well-established in spite of the very dry, 2019 Summer.