The Hampshire Coppice Craftsmens Group

"Putting Life into your Landscape"

Gardeners urged to support Britain’s coppiced woodlands-

 Bob Flowerdew backs call for gardeners to switch to British coppiced beanpoles

- National Beanpole Week 2009 (23 Apri l-1 May) events programme launched

Organisers of National Beanpole Week 2011 today urged gardeners to support Britain’s coppiced woodlands by switching to eco-friendly, locally-grown coppiced beanpoles.

By choosing British-grown coppiced beanpoles, gardeners and growers will be doing their bit to support the environment, wildlife, rural jobs, ancient skills and traditions - and their beans.

“Traditionally managed coppiced woodlands are a really important part of our countryside because they supply us with truly sustainable wood, provide an incredibly rich wildlife habitat, support hundreds of rural jobs and keep many ancient skills and traditions alive,” said Judy Walker, Executive Director of the Small Woods Association

“Britain lost 90% of its coppiced woodland during the 20th century - and to protect what remains, we need to support the coppice workers who manage these woods by buying their excellent eco-friendly coppiced beanpoles,” she added.

These comments were made during the launch of the full events programme for National Beanpole Week 2009, which is being held from 25 April until 3 May (see www.beanpoles.org.uk for the full events programme).

National Beanpole Week will celebrate Britain’s coppiced woodlands, the animals and plants that live in them, the coppice workers who look after them and the beanpoles and other coppice wood products they produce. Special events will be held nationwide, from coppice wood gardening workshops to family beanpole festivals.

“Coppiced beanpoles and pea sticks give gardens a more natural look, and provide excellent support for vegetable plants. Hazel pea sticks may even encourage peas to crop over a longer period of time than when they're supported by netting - something all gardeners and allotment keepers would welcome,” said Bob Flowerdew, the green gardening expert.

“It really makes good sense to use more British coppice wood products in the garden, so I’m supporting this year’s National Beanpole Week by adding my voice to the call for gardeners and growers to switch to locally-grown coppiced beanpoles and pea sticks,” he added.

“This year’s events programme offers something for everyone, so we look forward to seeing a great turnout,” said Richard Thomason from the Small Woods Association.

“You’ll be doing your bit to secure the future of Britain’s coppiced woodlands - and their wildlife and coppice workers - when you go along to Stansted Park garden centre or Sunnyfields farmers’ market he added.

As well as being very good for the countryside and the environment, coppiced beanpoles are great for the garden because they make an attractive addition to the vegetable patch and provide excellent support for bean plants.

“Using coppiced beanpoles helps my runner beans grow at the same time as creating the traditional rustic garden feel I love, and coppiced hazel pea sticks help protect my peas from pigeons without turning the garden into a mess of plastic netting,” said Geoff Sinclair, from Allotment Forestry.

A large proportion of Britain’s coppiced woodlands were neglected during the 20th century - mainly because many coppice wood products were displaced by alternatives, which today are often imported and less eco-friendly.

However, a growing interest in local wood products, and a greater awareness of the benefits of coppicing, has created new markets and wider support for the hundreds of skilled coppice workers who continue to manage the countryside. And keeping the countryside working is more important than ever during the current recession.             

Traditional coppicing is Britain’s most sustainable method of woodland management. Coppicing is the craft of carefully cutting trees to ground level and managing the young new shoots to a usable size before cutting again. Coppiced wood is grown to produce long straight stems with few or no side branches.

Coppiced woodland is harvested in rotation, ensuring a continual supply of wood and creating a habitat patchwork that is crucially important for all kinds of wildlife, including woodland fritillary butterflies, nightingales, willow warblers and the endangered common dormouse.

Coppice workers avoid the use of synthetic sprays and fertilizers, which can damage wildlife and the environment in general. And coppiced beanpoles and other coppice products are usually produced and sold locally, whereas the alternatives often need to be imported over large distances by polluting transport.

For more information about National Beanpole Week 2011 and coppicing, or to find out where you can buy coppiced beanpoles and other coppice wood products, please visit www.hampshirecoppice.org.uk or www.beanpoles.org.uk