BRAINCAKESustainable Timber Production - Coppicing
Coppicing is a traditional method of sustainable timber production. A deciduous tree, such as hazel, ash or willow, is cut down close to ground level. The remaining stump (called a stool) is not killed; it sends up many new shoots, which grow into long, straight stems. After several years these stems are harvested and the stool regrows again. A coppiced tree can be cut repeatedly for hundreds of years.
Pollarding is similar, but the trunk is cut higher up (about 2 m or more above the ground), so that deer and other grazing animals cannot eat the new shoots.
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Key terms in this lesson
- deflected succession
- Succession that is repeatedly interrupted by human activity so that it cannot progress to its natural climax community.
- biodiversity
- The number of different species living in an area, sometimes also considering how evenly individuals are distributed among them.
More in Populations and Sustainability
- Intraspecific Competition
- Conservation
- Preservation
- Sustainability
- Sustainable Fishing
- Managing Ecosystems - Masai Mara
- Managing Ecosystems - Terai Region
- Managing Ecosystems - Peat Bogs
All 17 lessons in Populations and Sustainability · All OCR A-level Biology topics