Help. Neglected Hornbeam coppice

[jamesfwpurdy]

Hi guys, this is my first post so I hope I have chosen the right place. I recently moved into a new property with roughly 3 acres of woodland with horbeam with the odd hazel and oak mixed in. There seems to be very little light reaching anywhere in the wood especially now the leaves are coming out. Ben Law suggested coppicing a quater of it on a cycle to fit in with hornebam but this seems a bit extreme to me as we do like the area and the neighbours are all ready ignoring us for taking down 1.5m diameter Oak (that a few large branches fell onto power lines and driveways I might add). I was just wondering if there was a more sympathetic way to bring light in (and also keep us in firewood!) Any suggestions would be great, Thanks

[Steve Bullman]

i dont think the advice you were given is bad at all...perhaps if you find this extreme just think out random patches here and there, and enough to keep you in firewood. if you leave the perimiter the neighbours wont see much thats done anyway?

[Steve Bullman]

furthermore......coppicing hazel is traditional practise....anyone kicking up a fuss over this would be most unreasonable and not worth worrying about in my opinion

[Ian H]

furthermore......coppicing hazel is traditional practise....anyone kicking up a fuss over this would be most unreasonable and not worth worrying about in my opinion

 

here here:congrats:

[greenmanconservation]

In my experience you must coppice a good area (or ‘cant’) if the re-growth is to be successful - I have seen the results of someone attempting to re-coppice the odd stool here and there and nearly all of them failed due to lack of light and increased predation pressure. Even if they don’t fail the re-growth will be weak and you won’t be benefiting any time soon from firewood either.

 

If predation is a problem you must also protect the stools while the re-growth is forming.

 

Also if they are ‘overstood’ i.e. it has been a long time since they were last harvested and they are a large diameter, leave one pole when you coppice the stool. This will ensure continued nutrient flow and will help diminish the shock and aid survival rates. You can harvest this pole a year or two afterwards once the re-growth has established.

 

If it is a sparse coppice then re-plant or layer at the time of coppicing, so the re-growth helps force up the new plants. Plant some more oak as well so your children and grandchildren can enjoy a few standard trees in the future, and get an income from them.

 

Ben Law is the master on the subject so if you are lucky enough to have personal advice go with it. Plus if your neighbours aren’t talking to you already what you have to lose? In for a penny…

[arbclimber]

In my experience you must coppice a good area (or ‘cant’) if the re-growth is to be successful - I have seen the results of someone attempting to re-coppice the odd stool here and there and nearly all of them failed due to lack of light and increased predation pressure. Even if they don’t fail the re-growth will be weak and you won’t be benefiting any time soon from firewood either.

 

If predation is a problem you must also protect the stools while the re-growth is forming.

 

Also if they are ‘overstood’ i.e. it has been a long time since they were last harvested and they are a large diameter, leave one pole when you coppice the stool. This will ensure continued nutrient flow and will help diminish the shock and aid survival rates. You can harvest this pole a year or two afterwards once the re-growth has established.

 

If it is a sparse coppice then re-plant or layer at the time of coppicing, so the re-growth helps force up the new plants. Plant some more oak as well so your children and grandchildren can enjoy a few standard trees in the future, and get an income from them.

 

Ben Law is the master on the subject so if you are lucky enough to have personal advice go with it. Plus if your neighbours aren’t talking to you already what you have to lose? In for a penny…

 

Looks like good advice to me.

[jamesfwpurdy]

Thankyou very much eveyone, I especially like the comment "Plus if your neighbours aren’t talking to you already what you have to lose? In for a penny…"

[greenmanconservation]

Well having said that it is important to keep friendly with the neighbours - perhaps explain the benefits to wildlife also - coppicing is the oldest form of land management in our country courtesy of the first Norman settlers, so our wildlife has adapted to that and relies in part on it still. You will be providing chance habitat for some of our rarest creatures through creating a bit of diversity. Plus if you are talking to them you could sell them some firewood!

[mdvaden]

Hi guys, this is my first post so I hope I have chosen the right place. I recently moved into a new property with roughly 3 acres of woodland with horbeam with the odd hazel and oak mixed in. There seems to be very little light reaching anywhere in the wood especially now the leaves are coming out. Ben Law suggested coppicing a quater of it on a cycle to fit in with hornebam but this seems a bit extreme to me as we do like the area and the neighbours are all ready ignoring us for taking down 1.5m diameter Oak (that a few large branches fell onto power lines and driveways I might add). I was just wondering if there was a more sympathetic way to bring light in (and also keep us in firewood!) Any suggestions would be great, Thanks

 

Which was does the light need to go to get in there? Down through the canopy, or sideways?

 

This reminds me a bit of a man who wanted to top or pollard a few flowering plum trees once for more light and less leaves. I told him that he could get less leaves by thinning a third, than topping a third. And more light beneath by thinning, since it was understory grass or plants that he wanted more light to.

 

I just tend to prefer pruning that causes less numerous stem numbers if its feasible.

 

Of course the coppicing is different. Its something I've done to shrubs much more than to trees. Definitely less time consuming than pollarding.

 

Given 9 hazel for example, I'd probably prefer to remove 1/3 the stems yearly, from all 9 in one area, than coppice 3 one year, and maybe 3 more a couple of years later, and so on.

[common lime]

Hi,

 

I would get in contact with your local FC Forest Officer for free advise and have a look at the wood-net website.

 

WoodLots

 

You ever know that might be some grant money available if you get an application in at the start of the financial year

 

I also recommends the following book and booklet;

 

The silviculture and management of coppice woodlands

 

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/so-you-own-a-woodland.pdf/$FILE/so-you-own-a-woodland.pdf

 

I would then sit down and write a management plan, examples at the bottom of the following page;

 

Forestry Commission - Woodland Planning Grant

 

Good luck and have fun.