I was recently told that my coppicing looked “messy”. I took this as a compliment as it referred to the piles of branches and log heaps that I am making, which provide sheltered habitat for insects, amphibians, birds, hedgehogs and mice as well as enriching the fungal content of the ground.
These heaps may look messy, but they are an integral part of the management plan for the woodland. An important consideration is the safety of the person who will be doing the next round of coppicing in 7 years time (hopefully me!). Log piles are potential trip hazards so they are always located downhill from a brush heap (the brush heaps will still be easy to see).
The brush heaps flatten down pretty quickly over a year or two as the branches decay and settle. A heap 12 feet high now will be only 6 feet high next year and then settle to about 4 feet where it will stay. This means that on the next Coppice cycle the same set of heaps can be added to - which will ensure that I don’t cover over any nice wildflowers.
