Coppice trees

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Coppice trees
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wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 14 12:07 pm Post subject: Coppice trees
So, it turns out ash has some dieback disease that means there is a ban on transporting ash saplings. What else can I coppice for firewood in a small acreage? Willow burns too fast and is horribly invasive. Sweet chestnut may not grow (others have had limited success locally) and oak takes far too long.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 14 12:13 pm Post subject:
Hazel?

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

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

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 14 12:17 pm Post subject:

I think most quick growing trees are going to produce a less dense wood and thus a bit quicker burning.

Something like alder would be good, quick growing, nitrogen fixing and coppiceable.

I wouldn't rule out willow if you're coppicing as you'll be keeping it in check buy coppicing it.

Beech and hornbeam might be worth a go, not as quick as some but the beech on my woodland has grown quicker than oak. It does seem susceptible to disease though.

Hazel does produce good sized firewood eventually, worth adding some for it's other uses.

I would look round the area to see what does well there.

Edit to add, I wouldn't rule out sycamore or field maple.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 14 12:24 pm Post subject:
Field maple definitely, lime's done well here too, as has Italian alder. I guess it's better to have a mix. Our quickest growing trees have all been stone fruits, cherries and plums seem to love it here. Might be worth planting some wild cherries that could be grubbed up at year 5 or 6?

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 14 12:26 pm Post subject:
Sycamore.

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9881
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 14 12:29 pm Post subject:
what is the ground like? if it is watery then I would go for alder and willow - both are doing well in our 'woodland' at the bottom of the field - advantage of willow is dead easy to make new ones, just shove sticks in the ground and they take. We cut our first proper (small) alder logs 4 years after planting tinysaplings

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 14 12:45 pm Post subject:
Is it the ban on movement that is stopping you, or fear of the disease? If the former, then are there no ash in the area that you can get seed from?

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46211
Location: yes

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 14 12:48 pm Post subject:

hazel will burn but isnt ideal and it will take a few years to get any useful wood, beech is a bit slower but will coppice and burns sort of ok sweet chestnut is ace fuel

could you look out for some ash seeds this autumn ?but cos of the dieback problem a mixed planting might be sensible

does it have to be coppice or would a yearly planting in the gaps be ok?

if so there are quite a few fast growers that make a decent firewood

birch is ok fuel.larch is quite hot but some of the other pines are better.prob at least ten years to make harvesting worth while

i would go for a mixed planting(some whips but plenty of seed quite close spaced and start by using thinnings and first cuts as fuel ,that way you might have some useful stuff from about 5 years on and a sustainable managed woodland some years later

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 14 1:51 pm Post subject:
Willow is invasive, that's why its so good for coppicing. We cut half a dozen willows right down at the beginning of the year and there's already loads of regrowth shot up from the old stumps.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46211
Location: yes

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 14 2:12 pm Post subject:
re sycamore and maple they burn ok but need a long seasoning willow needs several years seasoning or it will coke the flue very quickly horrid to work with but blackthorn burns well and makes super charcoal if you are wanting a quick supply of fuel using a kiln (oil drum etc) to make char wood from coppice will cut out the seasoning time

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 14 3:19 pm Post subject:

dpack wrote:

re sycamore and maple they burn ok but need a long seasoning

I find that sycamore seasons quickly. Plus its easy to cut & split when green. Also worth mentioning that as the stems are long & straight its easy to handle as well.

Fell it in the winter, cut & split it as soon as you can even into the summer & it will be ready for the following winter.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

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

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 14 3:32 pm Post subject:
Yep, I've burnt a fair bit of sycamore and found it seasoned very quickly. I would regard it similar to ash. I've also found hazel good to burn.

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 14 5:05 pm Post subject:

dpack wrote:

if you are wanting a quick supply of fuel using a kiln (oil drum etc) to make char wood from coppice will cut out the seasoning time

About ten years ago I put an article on here with photo's regarding charcoal making from willow.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 14 5:13 pm Post subject:

Lloyd wrote:

dpack wrote:

if you are wanting a quick supply of fuel using a kiln (oil drum etc) to make char wood from coppice will cut out the seasoning time

About ten years ago I put an article on here with photo's regarding charcoal making from willow.

Have we been around 10 years?

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 14 5:21 pm Post subject:
Well, nine or ten? I shall look for the linky. Edited to add: found the link but can't recall how to do the linky fairy thing: https://www.downsizer.net/Articles/Make_your_own/A_failed_first_attempt_at_making_charcoal/ Last edited by Lloyd on Fri Aug 01, 14 5:31 pm; edited 1 time in total

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