Managing Devon hedgerow for firewood

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Hi Woodworks,

 

You will need to reduce your beeches gradually over a period of years. Mature, semi mature beeches do not respond well to having their crowns removed. In fact they may well die......!

 

Beech does not coppice well, and the bigger the tree the worse it gets. If you want beech just re-plant the gaps.

 

Sent from my Galaxy arse using tupping talk.

Check ALL the simple things first.

 

Quite agree re beech. And, oh, er felling license???!

[Stereo]

I personally wouldn't thin if it's syc, ash or hazel. It seems to sort itself out quite well.

 

I think hedgerows are totally neglected as a source of fuel. Some of the hedges we sold 20 years ago and have been left now contain tons and tons of firewood. It could be felled in sections and managed that way.

 

The only problem I see with this is that in Devon, many hedges are road (or lane) hedges. Letting the trees grow up tends to shade the tarmac, make it damp, slippery and prone to more erosion. Not sure on the evidence to back that up other than my own experience.

[Woodworks]

Timber Cutter Dartmoor. Do I really need a felling license for cutting hedgerow trees? I don't think any other farmers bother with this but I realize this does not mean I don't need one.

 

Thanks Stereo.

I think the organizers are looking to promote hedgerows for firewood and that is partly why we have been put forward as a host. Interesting what you say about sycamore, hazel and ash. I have not found hazel very good for firewood as when it gets to any size here it just becomes twisted and gnarly. Thinning was only a suggestion and it would save a lot of work not having to touch them and just let them grow. Do you think the beeches that do survive coppicing would benefit from later thinning? I am still interested in the benefits we might get from thinning and pruning like having more suitable material that could go through a processor easily. Your right about many of the boundaries being on a road but we are lucky it is very quiet out here in the sticks and nobody seems to mind damp slippy roads.

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Timber Cutter Dartmoor. Do I really need a felling license for cutting hedgerow trees? I don't think any other farmers bother with this but I realize this does not mean I don't need one.

.

 

I know the farmers don't bother; FJ article this year was talking about increasing the pressure to prevent you falling foul of the regs - based on volume of course...

[Woodworks]

FJ article? sorry to be dim. And what do you consider a quantity that it would be expected I apply for a license as we are only a smallholding.

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Forestry Commission - Felling Licences quick guide

 

Forestry Commission - Felling Licences quick guide

 

Forestry Journal sorry; just be cautious; hate red tape myself but you know

[Woodworks]

Thanks for the links

 

Sadly it looks like we are not exempt, how much do these licenses cost and how much of a faff is it to get them filled in? Also can I apply for one for the whole farm or would it be hedge by hedge thing.

[Stereo]

I'm not that up on beeches to be honest. We tend to let ours get big. I haven't coppiced any but as far as I'm aware they are pretty fragile in terms of hard pruning. Others here will be better able to comment.

 

In terms of a license, once the big stuff is out, you wouldn't need a licence to cut it after that as long as it's under a certain size I don't think. But you may need one if there is a lot of big stuff to fell initially. I believe coppice work is exempt.