COPPICING TREES for Sustainable Firewood

Of all the forestry techniques available to woodland owners, few methods are as underutilized as coppicing. Coppicing is a reproduction method wherein a tree is cut back periodically to stimulate new growth through dormant buds on the living stump, or “stool.” In turn, these buds develop into sprouts, also called “shoots,” capable of growing firewood in approximately half the time it would take to grow the same amount of wood from seed.

Growth Variables

As a forester, I’m often asked how long it will take a tree to grow to a specific size. If I know something about the site, I can make an educated guess. However, more often than not, too many factors are at play to make any sort of reasonable estimate because both environmental and genetic factors