Growth stages and microclimate in coppice and high forest

Abstract

An important distinction among silvicultural systems is between coppice, where repeated crops of small-sized wood are regenerated at short intervals from cut stumps, and high forest in which single-stemmed trees grow from seed or transplants to their full height. For centuries coppicing was the usual method of managing woodland in the lowlands and coppiced woods are now generally regarded as valuable for nature conservation (Rackham, 1980; Peterken, 1981). There is therefore much interest in comparing worked coppice, neglected coppice and high forest systems as options for woodland management, particularly where several objectives (all or any of nature conservation, wood production, recreation, landscape or the production of game) must be satisfied, within a financial constraint.