I was delighted to be out and about to help Friends of Badock’s Wood to do some tree coppicing recently. It seems strange to be cutting back trees when we’re told we need more to help save the planet, but tree management is an important part of looking after any woodland.
We went to a copse where I learned that three tree species were planted with the idea being that you would have very tall trees (Oak I think), medium sized trees, and a smaller tree (Hazel), to provide a tree canopy at different levels.
We were asked to coppice the Hazel, which means cutting the growth right down to its base. This will then ensure that tree species fill the lower level of the canopy. I was reassured that this process won’t kill off the trees and is a normal part of woodland management.
I have to say that whilst lopping off the shorter branches was fairly easy, sawing the bigger ones to get to a stump was physically quite hard. However, after eating far too much chocolate over the Christmas break it was a great way to burn off a few calories!
If you want to join in activities with Friends of Badock’s Wood check out the website HERE