Coppice systems
There are a number of silviculture systems which include a proportion of coppice
Coppicing consists of cutting back the stem of certain broadleaf species to near the ground and allowing the growth of multiple stems from the stool. Not all species coppice, and some coppice unreliably. Coniferous species do not coppice
| Silvicultural system | Rotation length | Regeneration method | Thinning | Felling | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short rotation coppice (SRC) | 3 years | Coppice regrowth until around year 20; then replant | None | Field by field | Usually grown as an agricultural crop rather than forestry |
| Coppice | 12 - 20 years | Coppice regrowth | None | Clear fell to stoolat end of rotation. Usually a small area felled annually | Only used with specific broadleaved species. Coniferous species do not coppice, and some broadleaves coppice unreliably |
| Coppice selection system | 12 - 20 years | Coppice regrowth | Weaker or undesirable stems thinned (e.g. coppice restricted to 5 stems per stool) | Clear fell to stoolat end of rotation. Usually a small area felled annually | Only used with specific broadleaved species. Coniferous species do not coppice, and some broadleaves coppice unreliably |
| A proportion of coppice stems cut at each rotation allowing the remaining stems to grow on | Ongoing cutting of growth | ||||
| Coppice with standards | 12-20 years for coppice. Full high forest rotation for standards (minimum 40-60 years, may be longer than 160 years for slow growing species such as oak). | A combination of coppice under layer and single large trees allowed to grow on for seed and/or a timber crop | Thinning may be carried out by coppicing poorer trees and allowing standards to grow on | Coppice felled on a regular rotation with standards allowed to grow on a much longer rotation | Only used with specific broadleaved species. Coniferous species do not coppice and some broadleaves coppice unreliably. Standards may be any forestry species |
| Short rotation forestry (SRF) | 15 - 20 years | Usually replanted | Usually none | Clear fell at the end of rotation | Not a true coppice system as there is no initial cutback to produce multiple stems from the stool |