Willow Carr Coppicing

Tuesday, October 2nd 2018

The day has finally come for us to start coppicing Coupe 5 of the Reserve's Willow Carr.

Coppicing is a traditional woodland management technique whereby you cut a tree (typically Willow, Hazel, Birch or Alder) at the base from which new shoots will grow. A wood that is managed in this way is called a copse and is split into different areas called coupes which are cut on rotation (here at Foxglove we cut biennially).

In doing so a crop is available every couple of years and the lifespan of the tree extended well beyond it's usual lifespan. The benefits of coppicing for the environment are many; management in this way creates a mosaic of different woodland ages structures that can support a diverse array of species, whereas the constructed habitat piles become home to many small mammals and invertebrates. For more information on the benefits of coppicing for wildlife see Fuller & Warren (1993).

The picture above shows a newly coppiced Willow tree, the remaining cut tree is called the stool.

Although we burn a fair amount of the cut material we ensure that a lot is kept aside for the construction of habitat piles.

The section that we have started on within Coupe 5 has many unwanted Silver Birch saplings that are beginning to crowd out everything else. At present these have been left cut high, but will be re-cut lower down and stump treated.

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Access to the Reserve: OPEN with limited access

Friday 20th September 2024 |

We are glad to announce that Foxglove Covert is reopening to the general public on Monday 7th October 2024.

A partial fix of the Foxglove Covert access gate has ensured that the safety features (sensors, emergency stop buttons) are now functional. This will allow safe access through the gate.

Unfortunately, the intercom and remote opening system by which the Guardroom normally opens the gate for entry and exit to the reserve is still inoperable. We do not have a timeframe for when this will be repaired.

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Thursday 10th October 2024 | 2pm-4pm

Join reserve staff for a guided walk around Foxglove Covert as the reserve begins to settle into autumn. Explore the reserve as tree leaves begin to change colour, migrating birds start to pass through, and fungi thrives throughout the reserve's grasslands and woodlands.

2pm-4pm.

Donation of £3 per person. Free for Friends of Foxglove. Booking essential.

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