coppicing

[simocc]

Hi Just introducing myself and my copicing project that i am doing. I am planting a mixed hazel/sweet chestnut coppice, 300 more trees to go!!!

Has anyone succeeded with a holly coppice?

Simocc

[red]

welcome

not actually tried holly coppice - but the big holly in my hedges are throwing out smaller shoots.. so it might work

[Annpan]

Holly seems to take a long time to dry.... I cut down quite a lot from a hedge and even the smaller twigs took a year before they turned brown...

Having said that, it burns nice and hot.

[red]

oh btw i moved this post to the say hello section

[Green Aura]

Hi andwelcome to Ish.

[snapdragon]

Wayyy long term project eh? My neighbour has just coppiced the area that he first did with his old dad thirty years ago, the landowner's neglected it and lucklily found Chris stump clearing near him and asked him if he could coppice it, Ah well at least it keeps the local thatchers in spars

[Cassiepod]

I'd love to learn more about coppicing. We have a lot of trees on our plot that look like they might have been coppiced historically, all sprouty from the bottom. but I have no idea how to get a rotation going again or whether they are the right trees for it. Anyone got any tips on where to start learning? I googled it a while ago, but couldn't find anything very helpful.

[Annpan]

I was just wondering if it is sustainable and possible to copice from a hedge? I don't see why not. We don't have much space on our land for non-food trees for coppicing but we must have about 60 trees/bushes in the hedge of mixed native variety (holly, sycamore, beech, birch, rowan and a few bits of privet) most of which are currently on the tree side of bush, as the previous owners didn't cut the hedge for 20 years, but we have been slowly cutting it down to gain space.

We need a coppicing expert I think.

[frozenthunderbolt]

I'd love to learn more about coppicing. We have a lot of trees on our plot that look like they might have been coppiced historically, all sprouty from the bottom. but I have no idea how to get a rotation going again or whether they are the right trees for it. Anyone got any tips on where to start learning? I googled it a while ago, but couldn't find anything very helpful.

The Forgotten Arts and Crafts by John Seymour has a good bit in it if you can get it from a library or buy it!

[Green Rosie]

Yes - holly will coppice.

As for setting up a coppice rotation you ideally want to coppice every 7-10 years so need to divide your wood into that many plots and coppice one per year. Once you get to the last tree in the last plot you are ready to start again in plot 1 the following winter.

Coppicing needs to be carried out when the wood is dormant (Nov to March usually) and is great for increasing the wildlife of a woodland. Plots within a wood at different heights and canopy cover attract a range of flora and fauna. In the past I coppiced old coppiced woods which were overgrown with brambles and the following spring for the first time in ages they were covered with bluebells.

Anything that has been coppiced before will coppice again and what you use the wood for afterwards depends on your needs (firewood, fence posts, dead hedging, bean poles, furniture etc)

Does that help? I also think the BTCV does a book on coppicing or there is a chunk in their woodland book.

[spider8]

Welcome simocc. I envy you your trees and good luck with it all.