Coppice woodlands form an important part of our cultural heritage and are often valuable areas for conservation and biodiversity. The 20th century saw a marked decline in coppice but in recent years long neglected woodlands have been brought back into active management. This renewed interest has been mainly for wildlife benefits, but some well-managed crops, especially in-cycle coppice, can have commercial value. Although coppicing is a simple process the results achieved may be disappointing. This may be due to a variety of reasons such as the size and age of stool, management of overstorey trees and the damaging effects of browsing. The aim of this book is to give information and advice on the management of trees, stools and woodlands as coppice, which is necessary if coppice woodlands are to continue to produce marketable crops and the variety of conservation, amenity and landscape objectives in which managers are interested.
