No more felling in the coppice

Last Sunday was our last day of cutting in the coppice coupe for this spring.  It's bird nesting season.

We cut a lot of dogwood   

Andy with the loppers

As well as some holly, spindle, guelder rose and wayfaring tree

Frank amongst the twigs

and used most of it to construct the dead hedge round the coupe

Some of the hazel and dogwood was cut to make stakes.

Mad axeman Peter

These were sharpened

And then two parallel rows of stakes were driven into the ground 

 about half a metre apart

Chairman Eric staking his claim

Brash and other cut wood was laid between the stakes to form a sort of hedge, 

a dense habitat for small creatures.

It also clears the ground so that flowers can grow.  

We have some bluebells coming up for the first time in this part of the wood.

And it marks where we have cut, so we know for next year.

We have left two entrances so you can go into the coupe, but we still have a lot of cut wood to process so be careful.  Cut stubs in the ground are also a trip hazard.

Photos: Derek Hore