GreenGui

Its done the rounds on a lot of sites now. I don't know if its real or not but for me it sums up the contempt they have for us, the people.

I find it interesting watching how this tread and the other one/two play out. People seem to believe they Know someone just because they see them on TV. I know someone that JC used to work for and he has the same opinion of him as you crawley park. Personally, I just don't like his 'style' (or lack of it) and his opinions. Not sure I would "die to defend his right to 'free speech'"

I doubt its something they will spend any of their taxpayer funded time on anytime soon.

He's part of the inner workings of 'the system', best mates with Murdoc and the PM, Chipping Norton set etc. etc. This is a bit of tabloid noise created to take peoples minds off more important issues. If he caused someone an injury, call in plod and charge him with ABH if not, then there is no real story. Whatever happens Clarkson gains with more publicity and a likely pay rise if he moves on from the BBC.

Congrats to you both. Bloody well done Mum. Their frustrating at times but life would be hollow without them.

I use the same method. It's only failed me once on a railway sleeper that had been concreted in.

Thanks for that woodyguy, that is very interesting. I really should get round to reading Rackham.

Gotta love this thread. The answers just about sum it up. Nothing can really be done to change the damage done by a tracked vehicle. Over time I have come to the conclusion that I use the machine, do the best job I can to clear up after use and then wait until Spring and it all looks good...

Thicknesser where ever possible given width issues. Love doing that job...

Excellent idea if I understand you correctly. I'll set up an ebay store selling chainsaws and all the associated accessories (PPE of course ) into the UK from France. I will simply be able to go into my local dealers who have no restrictions, buy the kit to order and mail it on to my UK customers, if I sell at purchase price I can still make 25-30% on the exchange rate alone!! Don't care about after sales service as I am a Cowboy. Seriously though, the rest of the EU is not like the UK. You can't think this stuff up without taking it through the EU and it has no chance in France - the market for kit sold to home owners with a bit of land is huge, the manufacturers would simply not back it.

Thanks Logan, thats very useful. Someone who has actually done it!

Coppice Walnut, err, no I don't think that would work. Would you suggest planting an apple orchard to a Scotsman?? Perigord and Brittany not the same region nor have the same native species. I strongly suggest you read the ORIGINAL post before you take to the keyboard as it was ASH coppice I was referring to... not WALNUT! I am aware of the valuable properties of WALNUT and annually take full advantage of said species but my OP had nothing to do with walnut or investment. Take up banking if investment is your sole interest. "TREES PLANTED 6 YEARS AGO". I state again for the "hard of understanding" and the original post; "PS I'm well aware of the Ash die back issue but it has not hit hard here yet so please don't tell me to simply tear them all out". Hopefully you can extrapolate from that clearly stated text I am not interested in your personal views regarding Ash Die Back. Thanks to the original helpful previous posters:001_smile:

Hindsight is a wonderful thing - they have been in the ground 6 years, long before Chalara made an appearance over here. My question was about coppicing. As I stated to begin with I am not interested in another discussion about Chalara, I have already done the research on that subject. Thats not aimed at you personally growforest btw.

We ran an ex-utilities LR 110 Td5 11 seater for 5 years, bought at a UK auction so a bit of a punt at the time. Biggest issue we had was front brake caliper rebuild. After that it was the usual issues; power steering pump leak, starter motor, fuel pump but tbh I would not credit these issues with the power company that owned it from new. Looks like a tidy example:thumbup:

Go for it wrsni, its all any of us can do. They grow like weeds here, probably the same where you are. Sudden Oak Death, Ash Die Back, Dutch Elm, Sweet Chestnut Maladie (has the UK got that one yet?)....they just keep coming. There's so much fear and Schadenfreude if we worried about all of it we would plant nothing, then where would the future wood cutters be??

For longer term, damp sand up to root collar works well. Easier to separate come planting time then healing into soil, have used this method for up to 4 months without problem.

TBH that does not surprise me. I think most people that plant trees get the urge to do so in their middle age which means that apart from SRC we will not see the true potential of what we have planted.

When we first arrived there were no apparent Rabbits. The local hunters who come out each Sunday in hunting season helped to keep the numbers down. Many farmers have an unfenced Sweet Chestnut coppice stand somewhere on their land for fence posts or firewood and don't suffer the Rabbits. The system was very close to when coppice was an industry as you say woodguy. Ironically by planting lots of trees and encouraging wildlife we have caused our own problem. We don't want the hunters as many roam the countryside half cut making 'Elmer Fudd' look professional and with kids on the land its not safe ('only' 38 dead this year so far, down from 57 last year). Rabbit fencing for us is just not a viable proposition, we simply don't have the cash.

Thanks for the responses. Interestingly enough the damaged tree that re-grew 2 leaders was at about waist height, maybe I'll get 3 at knee height I am not in a position to control the rabbits in the Ash plantation, they have stopped chewing the bark now the trees are getting bigger but I suspect they would still find a way through the brash to the new shoots if I cut low. Really want to coppice this Ash so will try cutting a higher up. The 4 acres of mixed broad leaf I have planted at the bottom of the field does not suffer Rabbit damage at all and is not fenced, consequently the Deer cause some damage but now most of the trees are 'away' after 7 years the damage is reduced to browsing the under story. I just have to be careful in spring when the Wild Boar nest - they do a great job of clearance, they leave it lovely and clean but they can be scary. I've often wondered if the Boar deter the Rabbits:confused1:

Yes thats what I read too and it does seem to be born out by observing a tree that lost its leader due to damage by a Hornet - it developed 2 leaders. I guess thats really what I need to emulate. When they were first planted several of them throw up shoots from the base rather like a 'sucker' on a rose, my concern was they would do the same when cut rather than 'coppard'. I'll just give it go next winter and see what happens

I planted a stand of 80 Ash trees approx 5 years ago with the intention of making the maiden coppice cut after 7 years. They are fenced to protect them from Deer damage but we have a lot of Rabbits that I know will eat the new coppice shoots. My question is can I coppice from about knee high to create a sort of low level pollard or would the new re-growth simply sprout from the base? Would appreciate your views thanks PS I'm well aware of the Ash die back issue but it has not hit hard here yet so please don't tell me to simply tear them all out.

We cut it the November of the first year to create new planting stock for the next years planting. We do this each year. It also helps develop more branches per stool. Four years after this first cut we have branches between 60-100mm diameter and approx 4 meters high. We cut the larger diameter stuff into 500mm lengths for a pizza oven and the rest through a home made branch logger for our wood burner. I was skeptical about willow 10 years ago having only burnt large off cuts of weeping willow but this hybrid variety burns very well, more like a semi hardwood once dry. Hope this helps

But have you planted any?:thumbup:

Indeed. IMO it depends on your age, if you come from that back ground as I do you see things exactly like that. One of the things that caused me to become disillusioned with ISO quality training was the stated objective of the trainer of "taking an untrained person off the street and getting them to do your job by reading the manual" that first hand quote has always stuck in my mind. It's not the subject matter directly but its all part and parcel of the same issue: Money.

Yes. 5 years, hybrid willow. Waiting for 4 acres of mixed hardwood to mature, planted 7 years ago. Mixed coppice with standards scheme.