Purchasing 25 acre oak stand in France

[JonnoR]

Hello all,

I hope this is the right area for my query!  I have purchased a property in Central France, which comes with approximately 25 acres of predominantly oak plantation, sitting within forestry of about 70 acres overall.

 

The oak stands seem to have been never been coppiced, and on average the oaks are currently approx. 14" in diameter and relatively closely spaced (I'm still in the UK, so photos and more precise measurements will have to wait till I move in at the end of the month).  There are some mature trees dotted about, and appear to be made up of Sweet Chestnut, Hazel and a few massive Walnut trees dotted about the place.  The ground is not sloping, but seems to be formed of a series of broad terraces, going down to a large river.  No flooding is recorded at the higher levels, but there is small 25 metre area along the bank that shows signs of having been flooded in recent years.

 

The house I have purchased is wood-fired, so one priority is to put the forest to work to heat my home.  I also intend to stalk deer on the land, of which there is plenty of sign (red and roe by the looks of it, and no boar to speak of).

 

I would love to create a coppicing plan (or pollarding, given the amount of game in the area), to add the biodiversity of the oak stands, support a deer-friendly habitat and generally make the forest work for a living.  I would also like to look at planting some willow trees along the river bank, or other suitable trees, to act as a wind break and provide some additional variety of wildlife habitat.

 

I would be incredibly grateful is anyone has any suggestions for publications to read, to help in my research. I have most of the coppice books on earth I think, but I would like recommendations on any forestry commission documents of merit.  

 

Very grateful also for any views you have of the type of coppice rotation to adopt, and whether in fact the oaks in particular are too well developed to make coppicing a good idea!

 

Cheers,

Jonno

[5 shires]

Don,t take this the wrong way but think you are asking for a lot of free advice which in certain circumstances is fine,but I think on this occasion your best option would be to actually pay for a professional to come in do an assessment of your site and guide you as to what options you have and the best way to make the most out of your woodland.

Edited February 16, 2019 by 5 shires

[Mick Dempsey]

Can you coppice oak? 

 

 

[Stubby]

31 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Can you coppice oak? 

 

 

I was thinking no ..    I would go for some Alder on the river bank .

[MattyF]

I’d advoid willow like the plague near a river.. they can be a nightmare, quickly out grow them selves and collapse,making an un penetrable mess once they have relayered them selves a few times... even worse in soft boggy ground.

 

[steve collins]

 oak can be coppiced ive been lucky to cut some over the years, have your trees been previously coppiced?  if yes crack on and get a rotation going, if single stems then its a thinning programme but you could cut cleft oak and rail fencing from the thinned trees and firewood from the lower grade 

[Stere]

Oak is often pollarded I think not sure about coppicing oak.

 

Anyway the deer would eat the regrowth.

 

 

Terraces suggest area most likely being a chesnut orchard historically.

 

 

 

 

 

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=SB3zQAK_GGIC&pg=PA215&lpg=PA215&dq=chestnut+orchard+terraCES+FRANCE&source=bl&ots=0jLx76OK7T&sig=ACfU3U3BVpPjbFs_5koMiyf_buSDpTCNIA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiH542k67_gAhWwURUIHSnhCYgQ6AEwDXoECAgQAQ#v=onepage&q=chestnut orchard terraCES FRANCE&f=false

[Stere]

Quote

oak can be coppiced ive been lucky to cut some over the years, have your trees been previously coppiced?  if yes crack on and get a rotation going, if single stems then its a thinning programme but you could cut cleft oak and rail fencing from the thinned trees and firewood from the lower grade 

Any pictures or infos of oak stools regrowth? Iv'e read that they can be coppiced but never seen any done, or any oak coppice stools, although the acient oaks all are supposedely pollarded/or coppiced trees which allows them too reach an older age than a un-pollarded tree.

 

 

[JonnoR]

3 hours ago, 5 shires said:

Don,t take this the wrong way but think you are asking for a lot of free advice which in certain circumstances is fine,but I think on this occasion your best option would be to actually pay for a professional to come in do an assessment of your site and guide you as to what options you have and the best way to make the most out of your woodland.

Thanks for the feedback 5 shires.  I have an option of receiving free advice from the French forestry agency 'cnpf' (https://www.cnpf.fr/n/the-forest-development-organizations/n:249) who are tasked with trying to support private forestry ownership and promoting best practice. 

 

I'm currently looking for advice on articles to read, to give me a primer to support dialogue with them.  They offer access to EU subsidies but usually in exchange for the owner accepting a management plan.  I'd rather not go down that road in the first few years as it may tie me in to activities that I don't want to start on just yet.

 

Cheers,

Jonno

[JonnoR]

2 hours ago, MattyF said:

I’d advoid willow like the plague near a river.. they can be a nightmare, quickly out grow them selves and collapse,making an un penetrable mess once they have relayered them selves a few times... even worse in soft boggy ground.

 

Good point, I'll avoid in that case.  I'll look about for damp tolerant alternative which are less of a pain the hoop to deal with!

Cheers,

Jonno