forestry rules

mickjgardner

Well-Known Member
Have just been out on one of my permissions and noticed the devastation the new owner of the wood next door is causing.He is clearing out the beech wood which is fair enough if he was just thinning but he is not .He is totaly ripping out everything apart from the mature beeches ,it is toatlly bare.It has totally ruined the habitat for all wildlife in there,Is he allowed to do this or are there rules governing it,if so does anyone know who enforces them
 
Mick, I think what you are describing is coppicing or coppicing with standards. When the crop is mature it is harvested leaving only large mature trees. The growth from the stumps is very quick and is very beneficial to wild life( very susceptible to deer damage). There will be far more birds in this area come the summer time as with the renewed light the forest floor will now burst into life. Some coppice stools are hundreds of years old and if managed correctly last a very long time. I am certain he will have a felling license from the Forestry Commission as it sounds like he is taking more than 5 cubic meters in a calendar quarter.
 
I'm no forester but I think you'll find that most beech stands are pretty barren places due to the dense canopy. I'm with deer man on this and suspect you will see the area become much more diverse in quite a short time. All that new forage and cover is likely to draw in more deer too, so I'd say you're probably going to be thanking your neighbour for his efforts in due course. Fill yer boots, I say! :D
 
Thanks guys ,makes me feel a bit better about it.Did not notice if he had left stumps but cant see him digging them up so should be ok,Was mainly ash so should re-generate i suppose.I am hoping it will bramble up for the muntjac
 
yeah and ash is classic coppicing wood, very good indeed. ALso with coppicing the closer you cut the stools (stumps) to the ground the better for longevity. Hope he's got some good fencing or he's going to be providing a pretty good feed for few deer, they'll flock to it! Maybe this is where you fit in mick - offer your services...
 
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