The Coppice Cycle Modern/ Ancient

In a coppiced woodland, young tree stems are repeatedly cut down to near ground levels. In subsequent growth years, many new shoots will emerge and after a number of years of the coppiced tree or stool is ready to be harvested and the cycle will be ready to start again.

coppicing was used in medieval times however not like it is today, it was operated to produce a crop of wood of different ages. Five year old coppice would be used for sheep hurdles, hedging stakes and thatching spars. All older wood could be used for fencing material, furniture and firewood as it lasted longer then developing wood. The cutting of different areas at different times produced age structuring.

Whereas, through the 18th and 19th centuries coppiced woodlands provided industrial charcoal for smelting of iron and bark was used for the tanning of liquors.

Fig 1.Hothfield Common;
 Hardly any
trees in 1961 

Fig 2. Trees encroaching and
covered most of the bogs in 1972.

However, by the mid- twentieth century coppicing was in a rapid decline and therefore many coppicing woodland was replaced with conifers or just neglected. Today society have protection over land with Coppicing trees such as Oak and Breach for example Hothfield Common as the land was neglected over time to a point where there was no woodland and the bogs began to dry up.





Management at Hothfield Commons do use the coppice cycle however only to a point where they can maintain the woodland so it does not engulf the bogs, the wood is used for the local people for firewood much like the medieval times.

Refeances /Further Reading

Hothfieldmemories.org.uk. (2016). Conservation of the bogs and heathlands | Hothfield Common - a unique heathland environment | Places | Hothfield Memories. [online] Available at: http://www.hothfieldmemories.org.uk/page/hothfield_common_-_a_unique_heathland_environment [Accessed 6 May 2016].

QUESTION; Describe how a coppice system might have operated in medieval times

Coppicing is an old method of producing a crop timber from a woodland. A tree grows from it's top producing side shoots at intervals from the main stem. If dominant buds are removed, this then stimulates new growth from the base.

coppicing was used in medieval times however not like it is today, it was operated to produce a crop of wood of different ages. Five year old coppice would be used for sheep hurdles, hedging stakes and thatching spars. All older wood could be used for fencing material, furniture and firewood as it lasted longer then developing wood. The cutting of different areas at different times produced age structuring.

Some trees were left to grow and produce larger timber these where known as "standard" trees today called Oak trees. These provided wood for houses and ships timber as it was more strongly built. As the trees are cut and removed from the wood, glades are created. Without the shade created by the trees, sunlight penetrates to the woodland floor promoting the growth of the woodland flowers such as bluebells and orchids.

Figure 1. showing stages of Coppice Development
(A guide to maintaining coastal bluff stability, 2016) 

As the coppice grows the plants that flower early will persist, whilst others are shaded out. After five years bramble and ivy have covered the woodland floor. However, with the decline of the flower comes and increase in mammal and bird life. Woodcock and Nightjar will nest in the glades created by coppicing and, as the trees grow, pheasant and nightingale, which prefer five to seven year growth, will come.

References;

A guide to maintaining coastal bluff stability. (2016). Recommendations. [online] Available at: http://wiblufferosion.weebly.com/recommendations.html [Accessed 5 May 2016].