Hazel - Coppicing

[kygaloot]

We don't do much coppicing here in the colonies, but I have a small wood on which I would like to start. I am aware that one can coppice almost any species but I see that Hazel is commonly used for this in England.

My question is what is the actual species that constitutes English Hazel? We have both Witch Hazel and Hazelnut but I have long since learned that we use quite different names for timber.

Any help is appreciated.

Jeff

 

[bjm]

Hi Jeff

English hazel is Corylus avallana. There is some info on it (and other British natives) here.

Brian

 

[kygaloot]

Thank you, Brian.

That looks to be similar to our Hazelnut (Corylus Americana), is available here at certain nurseries and will grow in my climate zone.

I wonder why coppicing is rarely practiced here?

Jeff

 

[mr]

Could it be something to do with the larger areas of forestry in the US not being as easily managed in the same way? It could become a hugely intensive way of working given the relative size (as I imagine) of forests in the US.

Cheers Mike

 

[bjm]

Good luck with your endeavours Jeff. What are you hoping to do with it?

Brian

 

[CHJ]

Jeff when we used to be involved with coppicing we had Sweet Chestnut as well as Hazelnut, for the heavy coppicing the relative time spans for a given area clearance were something like 7 years for the Chestnut and 5 years for the Hazel, however as hazel was also commonly grown in the hedgerows on the farm the hedge Hazel was selectively cut whenever there were enough stems to suit the particular needs of the time, be it rick pegs (thatching) hurdles, bean sticks etc. The Chestnut was always split and used to make fencing.

So see you posting in 5 years time when you have enough to make some walking sticks. :lol:

I used to go around winding bailer twine or wire around suitable hazel to make patterned sticks, sometimes I was lucky enough to retrieve them before they got swiped up with all the others.

 

[Digit]

Perhaps Jeff there was no need for coppicing. Over here its final use was, and still is, for wind breaks, temp fencing, things like that.
Originally panels made from coppiced timber were used to build exterior walls with the gaps filled with a mixture of dung, clayey soils and straw, the whole mix firmly pressed into place.
Why do this with a plentiful supply of timber, either in the round or split or sawn?
When we were using wattle and daub, the timbers of the forest were owned by somebody who wasn't particularly concerned with what the people at the bottom were housed in, and timber was far too valuable to waste on their kind!
I once lived in a thatched cottage with interior walls of wattle and daub and I can promise you that fitting light switches, pictures, door mouldings etc is a bundle of fun. I also found out why such places have a porch around the front door. You can't fit gutters to thatch and the porch keeps the rain from the back of your neck whilst finding the door key!

 

[TheTiddles]

Hazel is readily propogated by squirrels round me, you can cut it in the autumn and use it to make obilisks together with some sycamore poles. If you want a cheaper option to buying trees, try pinching someone's nuts.

Copicing is a method of 'farming' straight poles for intensive use, such as making arrows for shooting the French and pikes to keep the peasants at bay whilst one reloads the musket, traditional English pastimes. The environmental benefits of it are a modern twist on an old practice

Aidan

 

[kygaloot]

Good luck with your endeavours Jeff. What are you hoping to do with it?

Brian

I like natural fencing around my gardening area and split-rail cedar is getting relatively expensive here. I also have need for hurdles as as well rustic furniture. Then, there are the myriad of uses in the garden for supporting beans, peas, etc. In my neck of the woods, about the only relatively straight, small diameter species is willow.

I agree that historically, we have had such an abundance of wood that there was less use for the smaller and intensively grown approach, although early in our history, there are plenty of examples of timber-frame with wattle and daub. However,the majority would have been sheathed on the exterior with the plentiful supply of timber, assuming that there was a local pit saw. Frontier areas were almost exclusively log cabin structures.

Overall, I think that coppicing is a nice solution for the owner of small woodlots. Maybe I can report on my first harvest in 5 years or so. I have a good spot for a hazel hedge.

Jeff

 

[Harbo]

They also coppice trees for making charcoal as you do not need large diameter timber.
More so in the past when it was used in iron/steel making.

Rod

 

[Jake]

It was all chestnut for hop-poles and charcoal in Kent where I grew up.