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How much you’ll be paid Ìý

Up to 80% of actual costsÌý

How this item benefits the environmentÌý

Using this item to cut areas of neglected coppice stools (one tree with several shoots) which have not been actively managed will restore coppice management. Overstood coppice is where the coppice shoots have been left uncut to grow into tall muti-stemmed trees. This enhances temporary open spaces which will increase biodiversity.Ìý

Where you can use this item Ìý

You can use this item in woodlands where you have agreed with the Forestry Commission that coppicing is appropriate. You’ll need a woodland management plan.ÌýÌý

You can also use it alongside these Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier actions and supplements:Ìý

• CWD2: Woodland improvement
• CWS2 Manage and restore plantations on ancient woodland sites (PAWS) ²õ³Ü±è±è±ô±ð³¾±ð²Ô³ÙÌý
• CWS5: Improve woodland resilience supplement
• CWS7: Manage historic features in woodlands supplement
• CWS8: Manage native woodland including ancient semi-natural woodlands (ASNW) supplement)

What you must do to use this itemÌý

You must:Ìý

• provide at least 3 written quotations for completion of the work with your application, identifying associated costsÌý
• agree the selected quotation with the Forestry CommissionÌý
• coppice trees between September and the end of MarchÌýÌýÌý
• cut trees at an agreed height above ground levelÌýÌý
• protect cut stools from livestock, deer and rabbits (if needed) to allow re-growthÌý

Evidence you must keep Ìý

You must keep and provide with your claim:Ìý

• receipted invoices or bank statements where a receipted invoice is not availableÌý
• photographs of the completed workÌý
• detailed specification documentÌý
• copies of any planning or other permissionÌýÌý
• any consents or permissions connected with the worksÌý
• a felling licence from the Forestry Commission (if applicable)Ìý

You must also keep and provide on request:Ìý

• a copy of the Forestry Commission adviceÌý
• a Forestry Commission approved woodland management planÌý
• photographs of site before works startÌý
• photographs of the completed workÌý

Read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the Agreement holder’s guide: Capital Grants, Higher Tier capital grants and Protection and Infrastructure grants for more information.Ìý

If you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, read the record keeping and site visit requirements in theÌýCSHTÌýagreement holder’s guide.

Other items you can use with this itemÌý

You can use this item with:Ìý

FG1: Fencing Ìý

FG2: Sheep nettingÌý

FG4: Rabbit fencing supplement Ìý

FG9: Deer fencingÌý

FG12: Wooden field gateÌý

FG16: Deer pedestrian gate Ìý

FG17: Deer vehicle gate Ìý

FY1: Deer high seat Ìý

FY8: Supplement for a freestanding deer high seat

Advice to help you use this itemÌý

The following advice may help you to use this item, but you do not have to follow it to get paid. It’s not part of this item’s requirements.  Ìý

Controlling injurious weedsÌý

You should control the growth of nettle, thistle, dock, ragwort and other weed species. If you need to apply herbicide, do this by spot treatment or weed wiping only.Ìý

Picking the right locationÌý

You can use this item for blocks of trees that were previously in a coppice rotation but are now overstood.Ìý

You can also use it either:ÌýÌý

• to bring trees into a coppicing programmeÌý
• for the selection of single stems to grow on to become mature treesÌý

Consider the short-term visual impact on the landscape when deciding what percentage of trees you’ll coppice.Ìý

Managing the coppiceÌý

Angle cuts away from the centre of the stool when coppicing to allow water to run off.Ìý

You can use cut material to create dead hedging around cut stools or dispose of it by either:ÌýÌý

• stacking in piles on siteÌý
• removing it from the siteÌý
• burningÌý

Leave material in as large pieces as possible and do not stack against the trees that have been cut.Ìý

You can burn small branches and twigs (under 10cm in diameter) on site providing trees are not damaged. Avoid disposal on sensitive habitats or historic features.Ìý

Fire sites should be a minimum of 10m from the canopy of any tree.Ìý

Simple coppiceÌý

An even-aged, single-storey crop generally grown for fuelwood and medium or small sized produce (or just one of these).Ìý

Coppice with standardsÌý

In many coppice woodlands, a proportion of trees are grown to timber size with the coppice as a layer of vegetation below (understory). Alternatively, you could use a different species to the coppice crop that you encourage to grow to a high forest tree.ÌýÌý

Such trees are called ‘standards’ and can occupy a small or large amount of the stand. They often occupy around 30% to 40% of the area. The standards are widely spaced so their crowns are not touching, allowing plenty of light to the coppice crop below. The standards can be of various ages and should consist of 3 to 6 different age classes. They can be of a different species (for example, a coppice storey of hazel with standards of oak).