Quote:
Originally Posted by davemac
Not sure I agree that the addition of trees spoils the coppice. It was done initially to stabilize the coppice as the top soil was sliding off the shale base on the face. It both stabilized the coppice and prevented further erosion
The majority of trees planted were larch,and silver birch.
It was said that before man deforested the country a squirrel could climb a tree at lands end and not have to climb to the ground until he reached john o'groats, should we not support replanting of trees where possible. So it depends how far back in time you are prepared to go as to what is called the "norm"
Incidentally the term coppice applies to a managed group of trees grown to support industry, don't know if it applies here but food for thought.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by garinda
The old French word copeiz, is apparently derived from the Latin word colpacticum, meaning 'having been cut'.
As much of this area had already been deforested for farming before the Roman Invasion, Susie's suggestion that the hill might have been managed and coppiced to help prevent further soil erosion, makes sense to me.
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Gary It wasn't me who suggested that, it was Dave... see above quote.
Quote:
Originally Posted by susie123
Margaret I'm with you on this... Chambers has kop, S. Afr, a hill generally round topped, from Dutch for head, and coppice or copse from the Old French for newly cut wood.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mobertol
(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Forestry) a thicket or dense growth of small trees or bushes, esp one regularly trimmed back to stumps so that a continual supply of small poles and firewood is obtained
Look to the English meaning of the word too!
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Dianne the derivation and meaning of the English word is what I was referring to in my post quoted above.
I can probably tell you more about the management of a coppice than you really need to know. When we lived in Wiltshire we were in a farm cottage on the edge of a field, all of which was surrounded by one of the last remaining areas of hazel coppice still managed in the traditional way for forestry products. These included spars for thatching (holding down the thatch on a roof) and longer poles and spars for making wattle fencing. Managed on a 7 year rotation if I remember rightly.
Our village pub had a name unique in this country, the Hook and Glove, being named after the traditional implements used by coppicers - the hook being used to cut down the wood, and the leather glove for protection.
If you want to know more... interesting website, especially the section on threats to coppices.
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