Woodland management: rides, glades and coppice

10 Kent Wildlife Trust Land Management Advice Series

Woodland management:
rides, glades and coppice

Carpet of bluebells in recently coppiced woodland © A.Waite This advice sheet contains
information about the
Kent is one of the most wooded timber for construction, firewood and food following topics:
counties in the South East, with well such as cobnuts. Contrary to popular belief, ● why ‘manage’ woodlands?
over 45000ha of woodland ranging most of the woodlands which we know so ● management of woodland:
from sweet chestnut coppice and wet well today have come about as a result of
woodland to lowland beech and yew being managed, and the wildlife which we introducing more sunlight by
woodland and mixed broadleaved have come to associate with this particular opening up the canopy
woodland. Many factors will come into habitat will gradually disappear if these ● species which benefit from
play to determine why a woodland woodlands are no longer managed. coppiced woodland, rides
has evolved in a particular manner and and glades
what species are present: geology, soil Coppicing is a traditional management ● before starting any work
type, drainage, aspect, present and technique which can rejuvenate a tree and ● creating and managing rides
past management, isolation from other allow it to last for many years and provide & glades
woodlands, and presence of browsing further crops of timber or wood. Some of ● coppicing
animals such as deer, to name but a few. our oldest trees may be coppice stools ● grants and felling licences
rather than single stem trees (known as a ● legislation and other considerations
This leaflet is designed to give you a ‘standard’). ● protected species
broad introduction to the benefits of ● further reading and references
coppicing and the creation of rides and Both coppicing and the creation of rides and ● further advice
glades and covers some of the main glades mimic natural processes of fires and
issues to think about. However, you storms (such as the 1987 hurricane) which Silver-washed fritillary © B.Chapman
are advised to seek professional advice open up expanses of woodland to sunlight,
before starting any management work allowing ground flora to flourish, taller
such as coppicing. grassland areas to thrive, and fallen trees
to rot down. Eventually, scrub takes over,
Why manage woodlands? saplings grow, and the woodland canopy
closes up again. All of these areas provide
For many centuries, our woodlands were unique habitats for an array of species.
intensively managed to provide coppice and
timber products such as fencing materials,

Large print version available by calling 01622 662012
Your living landscape. Your living seas.

Male slow-worm © Dr Lee Brady

Dormouse © Kent Wildlife Trust Nightingale © Amy Lewis Violets © Kent Wildlife Trust

Management of woodland: many species have very specific larval ● s tarting to build up your own records
introducing more sunlight foodplant requirements (for example, the (please read our advice sheet Recording
by opening up the canopy caterpillars of the silver-washed fritillary wildlife: getting started)
feed on common dog-violet) and are reliant
As a general rule, woodlands which are on nectar for food. Other species such as ● o btaining professional advice from
structurally diverse and have a wide range of bumblebees will also benefit from an increase organisations such as Kent Wildlife Trust
micro-habitats tend to have more biodiversity. in nectar and pollen-rich plants. Bats do forage
Structural diversity means that there are, for for insects along woodland rides but be aware ● w riting a short management plan (2-4
example, trees of different ages (which is that some species prefer closed canopy and pages), with a map showing what work
not the case in a beech or conifer plantation), dense understorey and will not benefit from you intend to do and in which years (see
but also different physical ‘layers’: leaf litter opening up woodland. section on ‘Grants and felling licences’)
and soil, ground vegetation, understorey of
saplings and shrubs, taller coppice and young Before starting any work ● if there are archeological features on
trees, and then the woodland canopy. Micro- your land, such as internal woodbanks
habitats include standing and lying deadwood, Before undertaking any management work, or charcoal pits, then you need to
damp and shady areas, sunny, sheltered you need to check what plant and animal be careful how you undertake the
glades, scrub, ponds, standards (single stem species are currently present on site to make management of any trees that are
trees or timber trees as they are sometimes sure that any work will not adversely affect growing on those features and should
known), veteran trees, pollards and coppice some rare and protected species. Woodland seek expert advice (see ‘Further
stools. plant species (including lichens, ferns and reading’). Inappropriate management
mosses) which have taken centuries to build such as using heavy machinery can
Research indicates that many species prefer up can be very quickly impacted by heavy cause compaction and other damage.
to live in the first ten metres from a woodland machinery, changes in light conditions and
edge, where there is more sunlight. Coppicing competition from faster growing species such Creating and managing
and creating rides and glades can enhance as grasses and bramble. Other species such rides & glades
the biodiversity of a woodland by increasing as bats can be inadvertently affected if the
the levels of light, rejuvenating individual trees ambient conditions surrounding a bat roost A ride is a linear trackway designed for
and allowing shorter vegetation and shrubs to tree are altered. access; depending on management, it
grow, thus creating more structural diversity can have several zones: a central track
and micro-habitats leading up to the edge of Key information gathering and planning can or pathway, some taller grassland areas
the taller trees. include: either side and then some shrubs and
bramble thicket grading into the taller
Species which benefit from ● looking up historical and habitat information woodland trees. Glades are openings
coppiced woodland, rides for your woodland, which may give you within a woodland, and can either be
and glades clues about past management. The Kent coppiced or left as grassland and scrub.
Landscape Information System website Where possible, glades and rides should
Many species groups will benefit, including (http://www.kent.gov.uk/klis/home.htm) link up to create wildlife corridors. It may
dormice and other small mammals, provides maps going back to 1870 and not be appropriate to create large glades
dragonflies which forage for insects along shows which woodlands are designated or wide rides in small woodlands; creating
woodland rides, birds such as nightingale and or classified as Ancient Semi-Natural
chiffchaff, and reptiles which like to bask in Woodland (at least 400 years old).
the shorter, warmer grassland areas (with
scrub and tall grassland for cover nearby). ● c ontacting the Kent and Medway Biological
Butterflies and moths will benefit from an Record Centre http://www.kmbrc.org.uk/
increase in wildflowers and grasses, since to find out about any wildlife records for
your site

Even narrow grassy paths can benefit wildlife Scallop along woodland ride Zoned woodland ride management
© J. Weightman © J. Weightman © Kent Wildlife Trust

‘scallops’ along narrow paths and rides can Coppicing a woodland will dramatically alter the ● if the woodland is very small, it may not
usually offer a suitable alternative. look of the woodland, at least for the first two or be appropriate to coppice the required
minimum area; however, one can get
● where possible, create or manage rides three years © Kent Wildlife Trust around this by creating a shallow coppiced
running east to west since these receive ‘scallop’ along the woodland edge or ride
more sunlight; however, you may need or so. You may also wish to consider how (preferably running east-west)
to work around historical pathways your woodland fits into the wider landscape:
already present if several adjacent landowners are already ● t he regrowth can be particularly vulnerable
coppicing large tracts of woodland nearby, to browsing from deer or rabbits (deer
● think about prevailing winds to make there may be less need to reinstate coppice in particular since they are taller and can
sure that a ride does not act as a wind on your land. reach the regrowth for the first two or three
tunnel with potential for damage to trees years); repeated browsing can kill the stool.
● c oppicing involves cutting each pole (stem) Please see Further reading.
● a void introducing new wildflower seed on the stool (stump) as close to the ground
or saplings: regeneration is generally as possible, at an angle. Most species ● it is better to allow natural regeneration
better and will ensure that only adapted, will respond well to coppicing, given the to take place if you would like to diversify
local species can grow. There are often right conditions, although species such as the species in your woodland; however,
many bulbs and seeds in the ground just oak and beech are very slow growing and if you do wish to plant some new saplings,
waiting for the opportunity to flower, therefore tended to be left as timber trees. make sure they are of local provenance and
given a little sunlight and space. suitable for your soil and woodland type
● d epending on the species, the coppice will
● manage any scrub growth by cutting need to be cut again every 5-20 years Recent coppice © R. Jarrett
one third of the scrub every 3-5 years
or so between November and February ● a s a rule, the area to coppice (a coupe)
(this will ensure nectar and berries are should be between 0.25 and 1 hectare;
available every year) any smaller and the coppice will be in the
shade and not grow well; rotate coppice
● c ut the central part of the ride short on a areas within your woodland to create a
yearly basis, at the end of the summer chequerboard effect

● c ut longer grass areas on a three year
cycle, as for scrub

Coppicing

Coppiced woodlands can include pure
coppice or coppice with standards. Not all
woodlands have been coppiced in the past
and you should only consider re-introducing
a coppicing regime to woodlands which
have been coppiced in the last 60 years

Further reading
and references

Forestry Commission Practice Guides
on a wide range of topics are available
to download for free or buy a hard copy.
Call Forestry Commission Publications
on 0161 495 4845 or look online at
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/
publications.nsf/

Very old hazel coppice © A. Waite Forestry Commission. (2009)
So, you own a woodland? Getting to
know your wood and looking after it.
An excellent (free) 37 page booklet
giving a broad introduction to most
aspects of woodland management.

Grants and felling licences Management of Health and Safety at Work Kent Wildlife Trust
Regulations 1992. Land Management Advice Series
You may be able to apply for a grant from Woodland management: control of
rhododendron and cherry laurel.
the Forestry Commission for writing a ● c heck that your contractor is aware of
management plan and forMc2e5rtain types of regulations concerning protected species Rackham, O. (2001)
Trees and Woodland in the British
managementA2work. Please visit the Forestry and designated sites Landscape. Published by Phoenix Press,
London.
Commissio3n4’s AG20rants aDnadrtfoRrdegAu2lations in ● if you are buying a woodland, check with
EngAl2a3n2 d, Land Informa2ti2on Search (LIS) Small Woodland Owners Group
aawrenswgdMfuo2wF5lrae.1tafJli2oeldoViffnrievnserigytiso1csHr5aeLtCarrer3iinnyscoto1r.dneegnnost1cvch4e.heu2sek0mmw/1t9aeeopsMbscM2pih6ny2ae0ogycueoksuAwo2ra2inlat8lrchTney65uBt1leaaa/tn6r2rep,dnr5ed:a2/ns/Cttho14wa02theamll3347 youAr24s9olicitor whether any obligatRieocunlvser will Margate website and monthly newsletter
be transferred from tHheernepBraeyvious ownerVisitor Centre with information about woodland
26 37 management, events, contacts and
Sittingbourne ac4c64e3ss13or much more www.swog.org.uk

9● f orMs2 ites2w7 ith public which are The Conservation Volunteers
Woodlands: a practical handbook and
very visible to the public, you may wish to35 other handbooks available to buy from
Canterbury http://store.tcv.org.uk/
submit with youSreavepnpoalikcsatioAn26. Plea3s2e nMoatidestothneat inform the public1i8n advance of the work
afenldlinwg ewwo8rokuVBwloidsuitgiolhrrleBCueecensctorhTeumuoanlbmlryidegreenWqd3uelolisrnelyacfaerlrliy2ni4gngliceAn22c9eM20 21 and40explainAw28 hy 4it is necAe2 ssary South East Woodland Archeology
A256 Forum: archeological feature
identification toolkit available to
out the work out betweeAn21 November and 48 download from http://www.sewaf.org.
February. uk/surveying-and-lidar/id-toolkit/
41 ● tdn hiese3e1er9d7eastaeorseb1weaAshrthaafiocnkrhdegnea3fioMfn8ef2t0coptea2ws9ctcosooaudnn1la1dtn(3pde6lga2an.A3n2ta2d0s8hmDaoyver
dieback). A2070 Obtaining further advice
Cranbrook
Folkestone For further information, please contact
LegislationA26 and other7 30 45 A259 the Trust’s Land Management Advice
considerations 44 Service by calling 01622 662012 or by
Protected species emailing [email protected]
● if the site is designated (e.g. a Site of Romney Marsh
Special Scientific Interest or AncientA21
Semi-Natural Woodland) or included A numberLyodfd specVieisitsor Cseuntcreh as the hazel
in a government scheme such as the dormice, breeding birds, great crested newts
Environmental Stewardship Scheme, and all bat species are protected by law and
you will need to follow the guidelines set you need to make sure that you are complying
out in any agreements with all relevant regulations before doing any
habitat management work. A good place to
start for more information is to look at the

● a ll contractors working on the site must Natural England Protected Species List and

wear adequate personal protective Frequently Asked Questions webpages,

equipment and adhere to all health available here: http://www.naturalengland.org.

and safety requirements set out in law uk. Alternatively, contact your local Natural

or regulation, in particular The Health England office and explain what surveys or

and Safety at Work Act 1974 and The management work you are planning to do.

Head Office: Kent Wildlife Trust, Tyland Barn, Sandling, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3BD
Head Office: Kent WiTldelli:fe01T6r2u2st6, 6T2y0la1n2dFBaaxr:n0,1ST6ae2n2l:d6l0i7n11g36,92M02aii6ndf6sot2@o0nk1ee,2nKtweFnialtdxMli:fEe01.o41r6g3.B2uD2k 671390 [email protected]

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