What is Coppicing?

Woodlands throughout England were traditionally coppiced. It is an ancient system of woodland management over 3000 years old. A tree is felled and useful products are created from the shoots that re-grow from the original stump. Coppicing is our woodland heritage and its future.

By coppicing sections of the woodland we allow more sunlight to reach the ground, increasing the variety of plants that grow here. This in turn attracts more woodland wildlife, including birds and butterflies that might otherwise disappear from within Surrey.

England today has more woodland than 20 years ago yet woodland birds, butterflies and plants are disappearing. This has been linked to the reduction of coppicing in the last century. Too many woodlands are neglected or under-managed.

What is Coppicing?

England today has more woodland than 20 years ago yet woodland birds, butterflies and plants are disappearing. This has been linked to the reduction of coppicing in the last century. Too many

neglected or

The Living Woodlands Project is restoring woodlands across North Surrey and Kingston

By coppicing sections of the woodland we allow more sunlight to reach the ground, increasing the variety of plants that grow here. This in turn attracts more woodland wildlife, including birds

Dormice are small, nocturnal and live in the shrub layer and tree canopy. Without action we could see the loss of dormice from Surrey within 50 years.

A Lower Mole Countryside Management Project

www.livingwoodlands.org.uk Tel: 01372 743783

Coppiced woodlands provide a greater variety of food and shelter for our woodland birds.*Woodland birds have declined by 20% since 1970.

Coppiced woodlands are valued for their displays of spring flowers. Most woodland flowers are not shade tolerant and prefer the lighter conditions found here.*One in six woodland flowers is threatened with extinction since 1990.

Woodlands are an important home for 41 of our 55 species of butterflies and the main habitat for 16 of them. They rely on the low-growing vegetation found in open woodland habitats. Look out for woodland butterflies in the summer months.*The UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme shows a 56% decrease in woodland butterflies since 1990.

Chiffchaff - © Chris Ward

White Admiral - © Sherie New

Wood Anemone - © Mike Taylor

Dormouse - © Hugh ClarkeIn coppiced woodlands, trees

such as Hazel, Ash and Lime are cut back regularly to near ground level. This makes them produce many shoots or “stools” from the old stumps.

Hazel stool in its first summer after coppicing.

Hazel stool after 3 years.

Hazel stool 7 years later. It is now ready to be coppiced again.

Coppiced wood provides local, sustainable, good quality products such as fencing, garden products, firewood and charcoal.

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