Coppice

coppice, also called copse or thicket, a dense grove of small trees or shrubs that have grown from suckers or sprouts rather than from seed. A coppice usually results from human woodcutting activity and may be maintained by continually cutting new growth to ground level as it reaches usable size.

As a gardening or woodland management technique, coppicing exploits the ability of certain shrubs and trees to regrow following harsh pruning. A coppiced plant sends up new shoots, often of similar sizes, that can then be harvested repeatedly for fuel, fencing, weaving, basketry, or other uses. Traditional harvests are frequently done on a rotation, which allows continual production of the given crop. In a woodland setting, coppiced plants allow more light to reach the forest floor, facilitating the growth of other plants, and provide a variety of stem sizes as habitat for animals.

A large number of trees and shrubs are suitable for coppicing and can be grown for a variety of uses. Birch (Betula) and hornbeam (Carpinus) have traditionally been coppiced for bundles of brushwood for fuel on a short cycle. Oak (Quercus) can be coppiced over decades to produce stout poles for fencing, and red oak (Quercus rubra) was historically an important source of curved regrowth used for boat keels. The coppicing of willow (Salix) fosters the growth of thin young stems for basketry and other weaving, while white mulberry (Morus alba) is frequently cut back to promote the growth of large leaves for silkworms. In the floral industry, coppiced eucalyptus (Eucalyptus) plants are often the source of cut foliage used in flower arrangements. Many other ornamental plants are still commonly cut down to the ground to foster dense regrowth for privacy hedges.