Here’s a quick post to show the progress of the 1/2ish acre that I coppiced in early 2012.
Right after the event
9 months later
This weekend
I know Sept 2012 to now doesn’t look much different, but it’s worth bearing in mind that it’s been a slow year for *any* growth this year due to our extended winter so the season has only just started; I fully expect it to look like a jungle by Autumn.
The rabbits have decimated most growth, except the Bluebells that are loving it, and the Hazel stools themselves that we protected with chicken wire. The bits of scrubby Elder have flourished and there were some new Sycamore shoots but unfortunately no new Hazel, Alder or (as I had hoped) Oak. Nettles seem to be establishing themselves and the dreaded bracken was just showing itself for the annual Summer to Autumn blanket covering (that we’ll have to try harder to combat this year.)
Still, it was an experiment after all so I’m not too concerned. We’ll have to have a more focused fencing strategy for the next batch of clearing that we intend to do in the winter.
Finally, here’s a shot of some Hazel 18 months on:
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