Use the appropriate tool for the width of the pole as, while a sharp billhook is perfectly adequate for thin canes, you may be better advised to use a bow saw or a chainsaw for thicker ones. The main consideration should be not to split the stem or bark which will allow ingress of water. FACT: coppiced wood is easily identifiable from the curved ends where it grows from the stool, enabling historians and archaeologists to track usage through the years.Ĭutting is an art in itself. It’s a very efficient system as coppiced trees are constantly regenerating and will essentially live forever – some coppiced stools that have been managed for hundred of years reach 5-6 metres in diameter. These distinct sections of woodland, each with growth at different ages, are know as ‘coups’. Cutting canes or polesĪreas of coppice are harvested on rotation so that there is always a crop ready for harvest each year. When they are off and running prolific varieties such as ash can produce canes at a rate of a metre or more per year. The initial felling cut should be made close to the ground and can be done at any time although, if trees are felled in late winter or early spring, don’t worry if there is no growth in the first season as many stools will lie dormant and then burst into life in the second. For instance where hazels are grown on a 4-7 year cycle you might site stools a minimum 2.5m apart where ash or oak to be cut at 25 year intervals may need upwards of 7m. When transplanting take into consideration the variety of tree and the length of coppicing cycle. Transplants should be allowed to establish for a minimum of 2 seasons before the initial cut although more is preferable. Of course the easiest way to establish coppice is to fell existing trees but it is entirely possible to use transplants however, this should be seen as a longer term project. This method requires careful spacing to avoid excessive shade forming over the coppice and stunting growth. ‘Coppicing with standards’ refers to coppice grown in the same area as full size trees – popular in olden times to achieve the widest range of timber from an area. Pure and mixed coppice, as you may deduce, is where single or mixed varieties of trees are coppiced depending on the use of the final product required. There are several different ways of producing coppice all of which have environmental advantages. While these industries have largely died out there are still several small-scale producers that maintain coppices for these purposes. Two major industries that were supported by coppicing originally were charcoal making – which was essential for metal smelting before coal became a more viable option – and thatching which relied on coppiced woods for spars (the pins for attaching thatch) and binding rods. Large scale coppicing is now rare and the only commercial coppicing operation left in the country consists almost entirely of sweet chestnut which is used extensively in the fencing industry. Depending on the final use, other popular varieties for coppicing (including hornbeam, willow, beech, lime and oak) would be harvested at different intervals of anything up to 25 years or, occasionally, more. Traditionally hazel and ash were popular as they produced quick growing material for fences, hurdles and firewood that would be harvested every five to 10 years. Wood from the copse could be used for fuel, fodder and building and crafting materials but, more than this, it also provided an ever changing environment that was useful in maintaining the biodiversity of an area. Until fairly recent times all farms and smallholdings would have maintained an area of coppice, or copse as it is more traditionally spelt, for the essential raw materials they provided. The practice works because, when felled close to the ground leaving just the established root system and stump (know as a coppice stool), many varieties of tree will produce multiple, quick growing, shoots. Coppicing is a woodland management technique used to produce a plentiful and manageable supply of young wood, timber or poles.
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