Wild Coppicing?

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Wild Coppicing?

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sally_in_wales
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Joined: 06 Mar 2005
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Location: sunny wales

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 05 5:19 pm Post subject: Wild Coppicing?

Been looking at the local woods and there are quite a few hazels with lots of slim rods sprouting from the base. I fancy making a few baskets this winter so I'm planning to go for a wander with the secateurs once the leaves are off. What I was wondering about was whether a little additional pruning beyond my immediate needs would encourage more slim rods for future years- but I don't want to cause more damage than benefit in the process. Any thoughts or hints on getting it right?

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
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Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 05 5:27 pm Post subject:

Do you have permission? As far as cutting a few branches if you have deer about I bet they do far more damage.

Looking at some very old hazel coppice over the weekend they still seem to send up the odd new shoot that seems to grow very thin and then dies so I can't see a problem cutting those. If you cut a few shoots then try and put some thick scrubby twigs over the ares to stop rabbits and deer eating the shoots.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45698
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 05 5:28 pm Post subject:
Taking some of the thicker trunks out will definitely encourage lots of new shoots

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
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Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 05 5:36 pm Post subject:
Well, if you have the opportunity to renovate some very old coppice I was talking to a hurdle maker at the weekend and he said to cut down the coppice and use the wood for charcoal, protect the stools and then you may need to cut down the new growth after a few years. The next growth should back to good quality hazel thin poles.

sally_in_wales
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Joined: 06 Mar 2005
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Location: sunny wales

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 05 5:40 pm Post subject:

Good point about the permission, not sure who to ask as most of the managed wood round here is forestrey commission (straight lines of coniferous trees) and the hazels I'm thinking of are all dotted along the road edge- and some occasionally get mashed when the council bring their horrid flailing machine along every four or five years. Who would I ask for permission? I have to admit I was thinking of just 'tidying up' a few bushes and not mentioning it, but ethically you are of course right

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 05 5:52 pm Post subject:

sally_in_wales wrote:

Who would I ask for permission?

Well we all own the Forestry Commission. We've found them very helpful so it would be worth contacting them, perhaps anonymously? If they give you the go ahead then you will have more confidence, if they don't you've not lost anything.

Milo

Joined: 16 May 2005
Posts: 342
Location: Oop North-ish.

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 05 3:27 pm Post subject:
Here's a wonderful website: https://www.lakelandcoppiceproducts.co.uk/ run by an aquaintance of mine.

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 05 5:42 pm Post subject:
Interesting site, especially the details about Oak beams.

Lozzie

Joined: 25 May 2005
Posts: 2595

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 05 9:36 am Post subject:

I've thought about doing this too Sally - there is a long thin stretch of totally un-managed woodland that borders the path I walk every day on the way to the school. It hets mercilessly hacked away from the path overhang twice a year, but other than that is allowed to go to rack and ruin and is full of litter.

I feel I want to "adopt" the piece of land and look after it. I feel sure it is full of mushrooms

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46342
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 05 2:39 pm Post subject:
go to it , i do .

wildfoodie

Joined: 05 Apr 2005
Posts: 2169

Posted: Tue May 09, 06 3:35 pm Post subject:

hi people,
hazel (and many other broad leaved species -willow, sweet chestnut, rowan, sycamore ) respond well to coppicing - usually over a 5- 12 year rotation, usually done in the late autumn but will work as late as february early march.

the thinnest straightest hazel stems appear in the first year or two, thin whippy growth on older trees usually dies off.
why not contact the btcv or a wildlife trust resevre and ask them where to go.

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