Coppice planting planning

[woodyguy]

Cost of plants isn't really an issue as they're so cheap. Sycamore good but so is A. Platanoides which will grow in a wider range of conditions. Small leaved lime coppices brilliantly but is a bit slower, but nice straight poles etc. For Salix you mainly see viminalis for biofuel but cricket bat willow is very good for logs and cheap to buy. What soil conditions are you looking at (or is this purely theoretical)?

[AHPP]

Suffolk clay (bit chalky). That should be mildly alkaline?

[woodyguy]

Should manage a better range of trees with a heavier soil. Include Alnus Rubrum and Grey Poplar.

[csservices]

Been off googling, this thread has rekindled (pardon the pun) my interest in improving the woodland at the farm with short rotaion coppice, the woodland trust also lists lime as a suitable coppice tree, also wondered about eucalytus http://http://www.primabio.co.uk/Biomass/fuelwood_eucalyptus did have a small quantity from one I reduced for a customer last year, burnt well with good stedy heat, also found this interesting, planting willow in rows and pollarding above grazing height as in agroforestry allowing two uses from the same ground and no need for mechanical or chemical vegetation control once established Willow Firewood Facts

[Marko]

Don't know if it is relevant to you but it may be important to go back to the planning stage and make a conscious choice between planting woodland or planting coppice. Woodland is exempt from SPS where as Coppice is included as an acceptable energy crop. Land use code PC2 (which now includes the old EC1 code).

 

If you want to keep the SPS on the land then it would be wise to restrict your choice of trees to those which DEFRA have deemed acceptable coppice energy crops.

 

SPS 2013 Land Use codes FAQ

"8. If I’m growing Short Rotation Coppice, what species can I use to claim?

 

The list of eligible species in England is:

 

Alder (Alnus)

Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)

Birch (Betula)

Hazel (Corylus avellana)

Hornbeam

Lime (Tilia cordata)

Poplar

Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa)

Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus)

Willow

The maximum harvest cycle (the period between harvests) is 20 years."

 

Just a thought.

[Bren.]

Lime makes excellent coppice, and grows nice and straight.

Maple, Hazel and Birch will all get Hammered by deer, so you might want to put some fencing round your coupes for a couple of years after coppicing.

[AHPP]

Don't know if it is relevant to you but it may be important to go back to the planning stage and make a conscious choice between planting woodland or planting coppice. Woodland is exempt from SPS where as Coppice is included as an acceptable energy crop. Land use code PC2 (which now includes the old EC1 code).

 

If you want to keep the SPS on the land then it would be wise to restrict your choice of trees to those which DEFRA have deemed acceptable coppice energy crops.

 

SPS 2013 Land Use codes FAQ

"8. If I’m growing Short Rotation Coppice, what species can I use to claim?

 

The list of eligible species in England is:

 

Alder (Alnus)

Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)

Birch (Betula)

Hazel (Corylus avellana)

Hornbeam

Lime (Tilia cordata)

Poplar

Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa)

Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus)

Willow

The maximum harvest cycle (the period between harvests) is 20 years."

 

Just a thought.

 

Thanks. I generally want fvck all to do with the gov but I will have a look and see if any of this officialdom constitutes an offer I can't refuse!

[AHPP]

Lime makes excellent coppice, and grows nice and straight.

 

I know it pollards well so that does make sense. Further investigation required!

[Bren.]

I'll get some pics up later, if I get time.

[Bren.]

Lime coppice, about 7 years.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pap82bgoenl1ggm/2009-04-02%2023.59.04.jpg

Sorry it's on its side, but you get the idea.