In fertile sites growth can be very strong during the first two years after coppicing, giving rapid site capture, reducing thereafter and so a 2 year cutting cycle may be more appropriate. The first harvest is in winter, typically three years after cut back, again using specialist equipment, however a cycle of 2 or 4 to 5 years is also common. GrowthÄuring the first year it can grow up to 4m in height, and is then cut back to ground level in its first winter to encourage it to grow multiple stems. Information and advice is available from the Forest Research Yield models for energy coppice of poplar and willow website. The willow stools readily develop multiple shoots when coppiced and several varieties have been specifically bred with characteristics well suited for use as energy crops. Willow ( Salix spp.) is planted as rods or cuttings in spring using specialist equipment at a density of 15,000 per hectare. In the UK many different species have been coppiced in the past, however the principal species currently used for SRC for biomass for energy are: SRC willow Varieties Suitable speciesĪ number of different species are suitable for coppicing, with different optimum cycle periods. This practice is well established in the UK and Europe, having been a traditional method of woodland management over several hundred years for a variety of purposes including charcoal, fencing and shipbuilding. Some fast growing tree species can be cut down to a low stump (or stool) when they are dormantin winter andgo on to produce many new stems in the following growing season.
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