Chestnut Coppice

Post by **mikepepler** » 30 May 2007, 08:56

clv101 wrote:Fantastic Mike! Photos looks great, when's the PowerSwitch camp then?

We'll have to see how things go - once we've moved down there it'll be a lot easier to get things set up properly, and I'm sure we'll have everyone to visit! Perhaps late summer or early autumn?

Post by **mikepepler** » 30 May 2007, 08:58

kenneal wrote:Well done Mike. When are you joining the Country Landowners Association?

Well, we're joining the Small Woods Association - one year membership came included with the purchase. I'm not sure the CLA will be thinking along the same lines as we are, though I could be wrong!

Bandidoz · Post by **Bandidoz** » 30 May 2007, 11:52

Good luck, Mike!

mikepepler wrote:In terms of browsers, we may well need to control rabbits and squirrels, and maybe deer. The problem is that our 8 acres is amongst a large wood of over 60, so control within our small patch wouldn't do much if other owners aren't doing it.

Hmmmm, the "Powerswitch shooters' club"

Presumably there is a local gamekeeper?

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 30 May 2007, 13:08

Would love to come to a Powerswitch camp Mike, if you ever have one.

Must dig out that recipe for squirrel burgers . . .

grinu · Post by **grinu** » 30 May 2007, 13:14

Sounds fantastic!

Really excited for you!

Re trees/shrubs - may be worth testing ph in a few locations because that will give you a good idea of what will grow. Most trees will grow on most soils to be honest - if you stick with native broadleaves then you can't go too far wrong.

The following trees generally grow very well in light, well-drained soils, although it's not to say others wouldn't survive:

Ash (although not too fond of high acidity)
Beech
Silver Birch
Blackthorn (shrub - sloes - make some sloe gin)
Crab apple (use fruit for james, jellies etc.) - not a fan of acid soils
Dogwood (shrub - good for basket making etc.) - not a fan of acid soils
Elder (elderflower champagne, wine etc.)
Hawthorn (haw jelly etc. - can also eat leaves, good source of goodies)
Holly
Pear (not alkaline soils)
Pine
Poplar (very fast growing)
Rowan (can use in basket-making prolific berries for making stuff)
Whitebeam, Yew (slow growing)

Sycamore grows everywhere but I'd never encourage it in woodland.
You may get away wih oak although it tends to prefer heavy soils.

Post by **mikepepler** » 30 May 2007, 16:32

grinu wrote:Re trees/shrubs - may be worth testing ph in a few locations because that will give you a good idea of what will grow. Most trees will grow on most soils to be honest - if you stick with native broadleaves then you can't go too far wrong.

The following trees generally grow very well in light, well-drained soils, although it's not to say others wouldn't survive...
You may get away with oak although it tends to prefer heavy soils.

Cheers for the comments grinu. We were wondering abot changing some of it for Ash coppice, for firewood. I assume oaks must be doing OK, from the number living there right now.

We found one rhododendron, but have mostly killed it already, and will be monitoring it to make sure it's completely dead over the coming weeks.

grinu · Post by **grinu** » 30 May 2007, 19:50

I'm so jealous!!

Would love to have some woodland to play around with - would have some coppice with standards, some forest garden and a corner for wildlife. I would have bought some via woodlandsforsale, but planning to up and away soon to a greener land so just busy trying to save. I'm kind of wishing I'd bought some now tho - cos small woodlands seem to have almost doubled in price in the last couple of yrs.

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 30 May 2007, 23:21

Your visitors will report anything they don't like to whoever will listen. It usually goes to the Parish Clerk first and from there to the Planning Enforcement Officer, then back to you as a nasty letter. We got ours within a fortnight of moving onto our land.

Can you split your plot up into say acre blocks, one a year, and work around the holding re-establishing a rotation? Anything that really needs doing, do outside the rotation. Fencing against vermin becomes more affordable and things like rabbit fencing can be moved around.

Have you thought of joining the National Farmers Union as a Countryside member? It's cheaper than being a full farming member. You get a "nice" magazine, free legal advice and the insurance is good value being aimed at the farming and countryside community.

Re your visitors, I think you may have to exclude them for at least one day a year to stop them having your path recognised as a Public Footpath.

Post by **mikepepler** » 31 May 2007, 08:49

kenneal wrote:Your visitors will report anything they don't like to whoever will listen. It usually goes to the Parish Clerk first and from there to the Planning Enforcement Officer, then back to you as a nasty letter. We got ours within a fortnight of moving onto our land.

Yes, we're aware that the people we bought that wood from got this when they improved the track. But at least we know the individual concerned now! They are at least pleased that we plan to bring the coppice back into rotation.

kenneal wrote:Can you split your plot up into say acre blocks, one a year, and work around the holding re-establishing a rotation? Anything that really needs doing, do outside the rotation. Fencing against vermin becomes more affordable and things like rabbit fencing can be moved around.

Yes, we'd work it in blocks. That's a good point about fencing.

kenneal wrote:Have you thought of joining the National Farmers Union as a Countryside member? It's cheaper than being a full farming member. You get a "nice" magazine, free legal advice and the insurance is good value being aimed at the farming and countryside community.

I didn't know about that. We'll probably see how our free year of Small Woods membership goes (they do insurance too), and after that see how the prices and services compare of the different options.

kenneal wrote:Re your visitors, I think you may have to exclude them for at least one day a year to stop them having your path recognised as a Public Footpath.

That sounds familiar. Do you think it's best top put it on the sign permanently, e.g. "Closed Christmas day", or just hang up a temporary notice on certain days? We were thinking we'd close it when we were working in the wood near the path anyway.

Pippa · Post by **Pippa** » 31 May 2007, 09:05

How about a sign that says "no public right of way" then people who walk will realise that they need to come and ask and you establish that it isn't a public right of way.

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 31 May 2007, 10:22

mikepepler wrote:
kenneal wrote:Re your visitors, I think you may have to exclude them for at least one day a year to stop them having your path recognised as a Public Footpath.
That sounds familiar. Do you think it's best top put it on the sign permanently, e.g. "Closed Christmas day", or just hang up a temporary notice on certain days? We were thinking we'd close it when we were working in the wood near the path anyway.

You could close it 'for public safety' when you are felling trees etc.

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 01 Jun 2007, 09:30

I was chatting with a colleague just now, and she was saying that apparently people will pay a fortune these days for woodland burials in wicker coffins.

Could be a way of bringing in a good income, good fertiliser too!

grinu · Post by **grinu** » 01 Jun 2007, 19:59

If you've got twitchy locals nearby then be very careful if you are carrying out any scrub clearance of tree works. I'd try to avoid pruning things during the nesting season (March -June inclusive), and if a tree has a lot of ivy, has cavities or peeling bark make sure you get it checked for bats first (or hire an arborist and make sure you have it in writing that it's up to them to check).

Come across it all the time - people interfering with really low risk situations but before you know it the local wildlife trust, county ecologist, bat group, a hoard of residents and the local wildlife liason police officer appear out of the woodwork.

Just be aware. If people think you are ruining the wood (even if all you're doing is thinning out unsuitable trees or coppicing) they'll be on to the local authority to ask for TPO's, contacting the police to report crimes against wildlife, etc. etc. Middle-class academic types whose heart is in the right place but don't know sh*t are just a nightmare sometimes.

BTW - feel free if you ever need any advice on any nuisance things because I know a fair bit about the law, trees, planning and landscape legislation.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 01 Jun 2007, 21:17

grinu wrote: before you know it the local wildlife trust, county ecologist, bat group, a hoard of residents and the local wildlife liason police officer appear out of the woodwork.

Get your defence in first. Join all these assorted groups and you can become the local expert before they realize it

Post by **mikepepler** » 02 Jun 2007, 09:38

grinu wrote:Just be aware. If people think you are ruining the wood (even if all you're doing is thinning out unsuitable trees or coppicing) they'll be on to the local authority to ask for TPO's, contacting the police to report crimes against wildlife, etc. etc. Middle-class academic types whose heart is in the right place but don't know sh*t are just a nightmare sometimes.

BTW - feel free if you ever need any advice on any nuisance things because I know a fair bit about the law, trees, planning and landscape legislation.

Fortunately the locals we've met so far were all pleased that we were going to be bringing the coppice back into rotation, so we should be OK there. However, I am wary about anything else we do, for example if we thin some of the oak standards.

Thanks for the offer of advice - I'll give you a shout when we're closer to having a plan for the wood.