Coppicing is an ancient form of woodland management
that has its origins in the Neolithic times.
Coppicing is the regular
cutting
back of trees or bushes in a sustainable cycle. Freshly cut Hazel
and Ash trees will throw out a number of new shoots from the stump
or “stool”, producing a new crop of straight poles
every seven to twelve years which can be put to many uses, such
as stakes and binders for hedge layers, wattle hurdles for garden
borders,
pea
and beam
sticks
and charcoal.
The regular cutting back of the woodland trees allows light to
penetrate to the ground and promotes a wide range of flora and
fauna to flourish., We have recorded over 200 different plants
species and have healthy populations of small birds that thrive
on the abundance of plant seeds, insects and the dense cover that
the newly grown Hazel coppice provides.
Our aims in managing the wood
Ancient semi-natural woodlands are a vital part of our heritage;
they provide a rich habitat which supports a wide range of plants
and animals. Many woodland species depend on them for their survival.
They are all that remains of the original forests that once covered
most of Britain and now occupy only 1% of the land.
Our aim in taking on the management of Rawhaw
wood was to restore the long history of coppice management that
had
taken place on
the past, and in doing so enhance the biodiversity and historical
features of the woodland and also to provide us with a sustainable
income from the products we produce.
We have divided the wood into twenty sections,
between half and one and a half acres in size. We work two areas
each winter. The sections marked in green on the map were coppiced
last winter. The areas marked in red will be worked next year,
2006/2007.
|
