coppicing standards

[Darren]

I'm currently clear felling spruce with lots of standard Ash trees in amongst them. Trying to create a new coppice in it's place.

What's the minimum and maximum age a standard can be turned into a coppice

[RichardKing]

Well, the BTCV book "Woodlands" says that coppicing can begin as "soon as the trees are established ie at 5 - 8 years"

Also bear in mind that for Ash they recommend 200 - 500 stools per hectare and a rotation cycle of 25 - 35 years.

[tracy]

I am pretty sure a forester told me he used to coppice chestnut 50 years old. Not sure about Ash though, be interesting to find out!

[RichardKing]

Once you have coppiced make sure that you protect the new growth as deer love young Ash shoots and may kill the stools if not stopped.

[Kentish Man]

The BCTV handbook says upto 50 years, although just to note, Hazel over 40 years may not all regrow.

You could alternatively try the stooling or layering techniques to grow new coppice stools from older standards, but you'll have to be particularly careful when you do the latter:

The relevant section and guidance on it is at the bottom of this page: http://handbooks.btcv.org.uk/handbooks/content/section/3756

[Darren]

Thanks for the replies.

the cleared area has been fence off with plastic deer fence. We have replanted some areas with a mix of Ash and hazel. It was my understanding that a coppice could be cut when it has grown to the desired size. Tried to let some of the area regenerate. Some Ash and Hazel have grown well, but the Birch are the majority. Going to thin out the Birch when they get to the right thickness to make things from.

Kentish man, the link is in regard to age of coppice. I assuming due to the lack of info out there that there is only a minium age a standard can be coppice and not a maxium. I'm going on a Ben Law coppice course at the end of next month and I'll ask him.