Timber !

            About a half of Crow Wood consists of Sweet Chestnut trees. These would have been planted, we think, in the 1850s at the height of the Kentish hop industry when thousands of straight poles were needed for the hop gardens of the county. They were essentially a cash crop that would have been felled, or coppiced, every 15 to 20 years when the poles were tall and straight enough. Thousands of acres in Kent were planted for this purpose. Without this process of regular coppicing, established over decades, the trees continue to grow and having fairly shallow roots fall prey to strong winds and disease. They also produce deep shade below which discourages sun loving plants and the plantations become virtual deserts for wildlife. 

            When we first bought the wood most of the chestnut trees were what is known as "overstood", so over the years we have re-started the process of coppicing, area by area. With the demand for hop-poles non-existent our coppicing is undertaken to help promote biodiversity, provide us and friends with firewood and in the long run help to keep the trees from dying - the cut stumps quickly throw up new shoots and help re-invigorate the trees. Once more light can reach the woodland floor, flowers soon take advantage, providing food for insects and then birds and mammals.

            Nowadays we usually bring in contractors to do the work as it is physically demanding and potentially dangerous. It is usually a winter job when the trees are dormant and not quite so heavy as less full of sap. This week we had coppicers in for a couple of days to tackle an area with many dead and leaning trees. The sun shone, the trees came crashing down and wisps of smoke drifted skywards. The result ..... a suddenly open aspect with different views of the wood to get used to and enjoy, as well as piles of timber to leave to dry out for at least a year.

Afternoon light highlighting the few remaining leaves

The end result - cut lengths of chestnut

fresh shoots will grow from the cut stumps, come the spring. This cut stump could be over a hundred years old as it has grown from one small sapling planted all that time ago.

The work in progress

burning the small stuff, known as brash



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The last few copies of my book about Swifts are still available from the initial print run of 50, 

 The 90 page, soft back book features many of my photographs alongside written extracts from many sources about these enigmatic summer migrants. For more information or to order a copy at £10.75 inc postage, please contact me at tonswifts@btinternet.com

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