European Coppice Conference 2014

Coppice courseKentish woodlands and the traditional way they are managed were the focus of an international conference hosted by the University of Greenwich. Visitors from across Europe, as well as from South Africa and Turkey took part in a three-day conference in the heartland of the British coppice industry to learn new techniques, share experiences and compare practices.

Speakers from the Forestry Commission, High Weald, and the coppice industry explained how and why coppice remained a strong tradition in Kent and Sussex. With contributions from woodland owners – including a presentation on behalf of SWOG about how small woodland owners manage their woods – the final words were left to forest workers themselves. Professional coppice managers explained how modern power equipment has made them more efficient, while Chris Letchford of the Surrey and Sussex Coppice Group urged the audience to give traditional craftsman the respect that that their skills deserve.

The SWOG presentation about how small woodland owners manage their woods is available to view here.


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