![]() In this way, a crop is available each year somewhere in the woodland. Typically a coppiced woodland is harvested in sections or coups on a rotation. Many of the English language terms referenced in this article are particularly relevant to historic and contemporary practice in that area. The widespread and long-term practice of coppicing as a landscape-scale industry is something that remains of special importance in southern England. Many silviculture practices involve cutting and regrowth coppicing has been of significance in many parts of lowland temperate Europe. Daisugi (台杉, where sugi refers to Japanese cedar), is a similar Japanese technique. Pollarding is a similar process carried out at a higher level on the tree in order to prevent grazing animals from eating new shoots. New growth emerges, and after a number of years, the coppiced tree is harvested, and the cycle begins anew. In a coppiced wood, which is called a copse, young tree stems are repeatedly cut down to near ground level, resulting in a stool. As the hazel comes into nut-bearing age, the amount of food for dormice goes up considerably, and these animals really benefit from mid-succession coppice.Coppicing is a traditional method of woodland management which exploits the capacity of many species of trees to put out new shoots from their stump or roots if cut down. Providing there are some bramble and honeysuckle plants in the plot, flowers and fruits will also be available. The impenetrable tangle after 3-5 years of regrowth is a safe place to nest, and the coppice woods have fewer of the hollow trees that resident tits and nuthatches would use, which means that the abundance of caterpillars are available for summer migrants that build nests in such habitats. In some woods, woodcock also occur, and they will feed in the open early stage plots and nest under bramble patches and dense cover. This stage is beloved of warblers, nightingales and dormice. Other less demanding species make use of the nectar and warmth of a sunny coppice plot, ranging from bumblebees to dragonflies.Īs the total volume of foliage goes up and the coppice area is still relatively low growth height and therefore well heated by the sun and protected from the wind, there will be a lot of generalist foliage-feeding insects such as moth caterpillars, aphids and so on, providing lots of food for insectivorous birds. However, the silver-washed fritillary has made a comeback in recent years. ![]() Unlikely to get these returning as the remnant populations in Britain are too far away and the populations are mostly still decline. Includes chequered, grizzled and dingy skipper, pearl-bordered, small pearl-bordered and high brown fritillary, Duke of Burgundy, wood white and heath fritillary (still in a few woods in south Essex). ![]() We have lost or nearly lost many of these species in Eastern England because of the years when no coppicing took place these butterflies have no other habitats available, and cannot persist like plants – they need a new generation every year. Several species of butterflies used to be found in coppice woods, the heath fritillary was known as 'The woodsman's follower'. In the full sun, and with abundant nectar plants, many insects take opportunities afforded by the early years of a coppice plot. At Hayley wood, the spread of oxlip from the ancient wood to a secondary wood that developed when a field was abandoned after a railway line was put next to the wood has been about 20m over 100 years! Most of these plants are restricted to ancient woodland, with no ability to colonise newly planted woods. So coppicing is highly beneficial to a specific range of plants. Common cow-wheat is one example (in acid sandy soils such as found in hornbeam woods in Essex), while others colonise by drifting in on the wind, such as marsh thistle.Ĭlearings which are maintained as permanent open space in woodland (rides and glades) do not maintain the same range of woodland ground flora because more competitive plants take over, particularly grasses. Other plants persist as seeds, which are light-sensitive, and only germinate when conditions are favourable. Many other woodland perennials follow this same pattern, such as early purple orchid, wild strawberry, violets, primrose and so on. In year 1 the plants bulk up and generate underground storage reserves, then in years 2 and 3 they flower profusely and set loads of seeds before gradually declining as the canopy develops. Those that can survive in the dense shade of mature coppice benefit from the sudden influx of light, and at Hardwick and Hayley and other woods on the boulder clay in west Anglia, the priority species is the oxlip, found nowhere else in the UK.
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