Planning a Firewood Coppice

[woodyguy]

Sorry, notice above that I've put P Speciosa when I meant P Fargesii. My mistake.

[pendleton8471]

Thank everyone this has all been a real help those links are really useful woodguy

[Logrod]

Woodyguy, what would you recommend for some firewood SRC for part of a wood in N Wales, pretty wet (and windy), shallow earth over rock, side of hillside (It'd be replacing some of the coniferous plantation with the old oak, ash and birch being left in place)? Doesn't have to be commercial , just useful!

[woodyguy]

Wet would point towards Aspen, white willow(or others), hybrid poplar, grey poplar, Italian alder, red alder, grey alder, black alder, acer platanoides, hazel, cherry, Acer saccharinum, pterocarya fraxinifolia or wych elm. In reality people mainly use willows or hybrid poplars but others can put on a good attempt and a mix is easier to live with.

[Logrod]

Thanks woody

[jakey boy]

alder all the way I find it very easy to work with.

[woodyguy]

I've been delighted with the growth rate of Italian, red and grey as well as the usual black. Very versatile tree and grows well where it isn't as wet as A Glutinosa demands.

[Logrod]

Where do you get your stock or do you grow your own?

[nogard]

Which cherry, Latin name please, should one grow SRC for fuel? Thanks.

[Bogoak]

I would rather see a mix of mostly natives: what's growing well now, is a good indication of what you should be planting. I agree that a mix needs careful consideration: small blocks might be better than completely random planting.

 

But willow for logs:confused1: they spit like hell, so no good on an open fire.