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May 2021 May 2021
Coppicing The court heard that Turner would approach elderly and often vulnerable victims
and frighten them into believing that their roofs had serious problems which
If you take a walk from Black required immediate attention. Two of the victims were in the later stages of
Hill to Kite Hill you’ll notice dementia and one was registered blind.
some quite extensive areas of
coppiced hazel near to the If you suspect there are rogue traders in your area please report them to Trading
dilapidated woodsman’s hut Standards by phoning the Citizens Advice Consumer Service freephone 0808 223
just off the main track. These 1133. If you believe a doorstep crime is in progress call 999. When selecting a
areas have been cut over the trader to carry out work for you then consider Trading Standards approved
past winter and follow other traders at Buy With Confidence or call 0808 223 1133.
nearby areas that have been
previously coppiced.
Coppicing is a traditional
me t h o d o f wo o d l a n d
management which has largely died out over the past fifty years. Coppicing has
many benefits, so it is good to see this craft taking place. Apparently, coppicing
dates back to the Stone Age evidenced by the discovery across the Somerset President - Ian Spalding R O G S
Levels of Neolithic wooden trackways formed from coppiced material. Captain - Neil Middleditch c/o Mr G R Storey, Secretary
Vice - Matt March 9 Boswells Close, Bere Regis, BH20 7JE
Coppicing involves repeatedly felling trees at their base and allowing them to Secretary - Guy Storey Telephone:- 01929 471041
regrow. This activity provides a constant and sustainable supply of timber. Within a Treasurer - Merrick Smith
woodland coppicing typically takes place on a rotational basis, every five to ten www.bereregis.com e-mail: golf@bereregis.com
years. The timber produced has had a number of uses, including for producing Golf Days held every month, usually the last Friday, from February through to October.
charcoal, making wooden hurdles, fencing and thatching spars. Hazel is probably Membership currently full. Contact Guy Storey – 471041 for waiting list and details.
the most coppiced tree. Traditionally willow was also cut back for timber,
although often at about two metres above ground to prevent regrowth being V E N U E S 2021
grazed by animals. This method is known as pollarding.
Date Venue Trophy Winner
These days the demand for coppiced timber is much lower than in the past, but it
remains a popular conservation practice for the benefits it offers to wildlife; 30th April Wareham Golf Club
coppicing increases woodland biodiversity, as greater amounts of light can reach 28th May Salisbury and South Wilts
the ground, allowing other species to grow there. Many of these species are food
sources for butterflies and other insects, which in turn provide food for birds, bats 25th June Ashley Wood Golf Club
and mammals. The evidence of the growth of a range woodland plants is clear
at Kite Hill with an abundance of primroses, bluebell, violets and wood anemones
in recently coppiced patches. One mammal that has benefited from the
coppicing at Kite Hill is the dormouse, as seen in the photo below taken by the
coppicer. The dormouse is a protected species, shy and nocturnal so rarely seen.
It spends most of the spring and summer in tree branches, rarely coming down to
the ground. It eats buds, hazelnuts, berries and insects. They build their nests out of
grasses, stripped honeysuckle bark and fresh hazel leaves. They hibernate over
winter, often on the ground (under logs, leaves, in grass tussocks and at the base
of trees). There are also benefits to the trees from coppicing as the process of
coppicing increases their life span.

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