*** FINAL PUBLICATION *** Coppice Forests in Europe

Coppice Forests in Europe

Edited by
Alicia Unrau, Gero Becker, Raffaele Spinelli, Dagnija Lazdina, Natascia Magagnotti,
Valeriu-Norocel Nicolescu, Peter Buckley, Debbie Bartlett and Pieter D. Kofman

ISBN 978-3-9817340-2-7

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Authored by 115 experts, researchers and practitioners from 35 countries across Europe and beyond, this volume primarily focusses on traditional types of coppice, but also addresses more recent forms such as short rotation coppice. Besides extensive coverage of the themes silviculture, utilisation, conservation and governance, the volume provides information on each of the 35 countries and discusses management and policy options for the different situations in which coppice is currently found.

This publication is based upon work from COST Action FP1301 EuroCoppice, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). It is the last of a variety of activities carried out by EuroCoppice (2013 - 2017), from awareness raising for coppice issues, to supporting the careers of young researchers - see fields on the left for details.

If you have any questions, please contact: eurocoppice (at) fob.uni-freiburg.de

Recommended citation for the full volume:
Unrau, A., Becker, G., Spinelli, R., Lazdina, D., Magagnotti, N., Nicolescu, V.N.,
Buckley, P., Bartlett, D., Kofman, P.D. (Eds.) (2018). Coppice Forests in Europe.
Freiburg i. Br., Germany: Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg.

Recommended citation for individual chapters/articles:
List of author(s) with surname(s) and initial(s). (2018). Chapter/article title. In A. Unrau, G. Becker, R. Spinelli, D. Lazdina, N. Magagnotti, V.N. Nicolescu, P. Buckley, D. Bartlett, P.D. Kofman (Eds.), Coppice Forests in Europe (pp. xx-xx). Freiburg i. Br., Germany: Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg.

 

Download single chapters

0. Cover, Foreword, Contents, Authors, Preface, Policy-Maker Summary

1. Overview

2. Silviculture

3. Utilisation

4. Conservation

5. Governance

6. Thirty-Five Countries

7. Outlook

8. Annex

 

Download single articles

------------- Overview -------------

Coppice Forests in Europe - A Traditional Landuse with New Perspectives
Gero Becker and Alicia Unrau

Coppice in Brief
Rob Jarman and Pieter D. Kofman

Typology of European Coppice Forests
Valeriu-Norocel Nicolescu, Debbie Bartlett, Gero Becker, Gheorghe F. Borlea, Peter Buckley, Pieter D. Kofman, Dagnija Lazdiņa, Natascia Magagnotti, David Rossney, Raffaele Spinelli and Alicia Unrau

Glossary of Terms and Definitions Related to Coppice
Dagnija Lazdiņa, Kristaps Makovskis, Pieter D. Kofman and Alicia Unrau
 

------------- Silviculture -------------

Silvicultural Guidelines for European Coppice Forests
Valeriu-Norocel Nicolescu, João Carvalho, Eduard Hochbichler, Viktor J. Bruckman, Míriam Piqué, Cornelia Hernea, Helder Viana, Petra Štochlová, Murat Ertekin, Martina Đodan, Tomislav Dubravac, Kris Vandekerkhove, Pieter D. Kofman, David Rossney and Alicia Unrau

Two Potentially Invasive Tree Species of Coppice Forests: Ailanthus altissima and Robinia pseudoacacia
Alexander Fehér and Gheorghe F. Borlea

Active Management of Traditional Coppice Forests: An Interface Between Silviculture and Operations
João Carvalho, Natascia Magagnotti, Valeriu-Norocel Nicolescu, Philippe Ruch, Raffaele Spinelli and Eduardo Tolosan
 

------------- Utilisation ------------- 

Coppice Products
Natascia Magagnotti, Janine Schweier, Raffaele Spinelli, Eduardo Tolosana, Paula Jylhä, Ivan Sopushynskyy, Pavol Otepka, Ljupco Nestorovski, Mário Costa, Abel Rodriguez, David Rossney, Philippe Ruch, Petros Tsioras, Karl Stampfer, Matevž Mihelič, Nike Krajnc, Vasillaq Mine, Piotr Mederski and Andrew McEwan

Guidelines for Coppice Forest Utilization
Natascia Magagnotti, Janine Schweier, Raffaele Spinelli, Petros Tsioras, David Rossney, Eduardo Tolosana, Abel Rodrigues and Stefan P. P. Vanbeveren

Impacts of Coppice Harvesting Operations on Soil
Rodolfo Picchio, Marco Senfett, Irene Luchenti and Rachele Venanzi

------------- Conservation -------------

Conservation of Coppice and High Forest Management within the Natura 2000 Network – A Review
Peter Buckley and Jenny Mills

The Status of Coppice Management within Forested Natura 2000 Sites
Paola Mairota and Peter Buckley

Prevention of Soil Erosion and Rockfall by Coppice and High Forest – A Review
Peter Buckley, Christian Suchomel, Christine Moos and Marco Conedera

Historical Coppicing and its Legacy for Nature Conservation in the Czech Republic
Radim Hédl

------------- Governance -------------

Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Coppice Management in Europe
Debbie Bartlett, Rubén Laina, Nenad Petrović, Giulio Sperandio, Alicia Unrau and Miljenko Županić

The Potential Barriers to Persistence and Development of Small Scale Coppice Forest Management in Europe
Debbie Bartlett, Rubén Laina, Miljenko Županić and Eulalia Gómez Martín

More than a Century of Experience: The Community Forest Beočin in Serbia
Nenad Petrović

------------- Thirty-Five Countries -------------

Introduction to the 35 Country Reports
Alicia Unrau, Peter Buckley, Dagnija Lazdiņa and Valeriu-Norocel Nicolescu

Albania
Abdulla Diku, Vasillaq Mine, Elvin Toromani and Luljeta Mine

Austria
Martin Kühmaier, Eduard Hochbichler, Karl Stampfer, Jenny Mills and Peter Buckley

Belgium
Kris Vandekerkhove, Stefan P. P. Vanbeveren, Reinhart Ceulemans, Hugues Lecomte,
Didier Marchal, Jenny Mills and Peter Buckley

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ćemal Višnjić, Sead Vojniković and Besim Balić

Bulgaria
Ivailo Markoff, Grud Popov and Patrick Pyttel

Croatia
Tomislav Dubravac, Martina Đodan, Damir Barčić and Miljenko Županić

Czech Republic
Petra Štochlová and Radim Hédl

Denmark
Pieter D. Kofman, Kjell Suadicani, Jenny Mills and Peter Buckley

Estonia
Katrin Heinsoo, Indrek Jakobson, Jenny Mills and Peter Buckley

Finland
Jyrki Hytönen, Jenny Mills and Peter Buckley

France
Philippe Ruch, Jenny Mills and Peter Buckley

Germany
Gero Becker, Alicia Unrau, Patrick Pyttel, Achim Dohrenbusch and Christian Suchomel

Greece
Giorgos Mallinis, Ioannis Mitsopoulos, Petros Tsioras, Thomas Papachristou and Gavriil Spyroglou

Hungary
Norbert Frank

Ireland
Ian Short

Israel
Orna Reisman-Berman

Italy
Paola Mairota, Francesco Neri, Davide Travaglini, Rodolfo Picchio, Pier Giorgio Terzuolo, Pietro Piussi and Enrico Marchi

Latvia
Dagnija Lazdiņa, Santa Celma and Kristīne Štikāne

Lithuania
Marius Aleinikovas, Mindaugas Škema and Julija Konstantinavičienė

fYR of Macedonia
Pande Trajkov and Ljupco Nestorovski

Netherlands
Patrick Jansen, Jenny Mills and Peter Buckley

Norway
Giovanna Ottaviani Aalmo

Poland
Piotr Mederski, Martyna Rosińska, Mariusz Bembenek and Zbigniew Karaszewski

Portugal
João Carvalho, Abel Rodrigues, Helder Viana and Mário Costa

Romania
Valeriu-Norocel Nicolescu and Cornelia Hernea

Serbia
Milun Krstić and Nenad Petrović

Slovakia
Alexander Fehér

Slovenia
Nike Krajnc, Matevž Mihelič and Anton Poje

South Africa
Keith M. Little

Spain
Míriam Piqué, Rubén Laina, Pau Vericat, Mario Beltrán, Eduard Busquets and Eduardo Tolosana

Sweden
Magnus Löf, Ioannis Dimitriou, Tomas Nordfjell, Martin Weih, Jenny Mills and Peter Buckley

Switzerland
Josephine Cueni, Marco Conedera, Patrick Pyttel, Jenny Mills and Peter Buckley

Turkey
Halil Barış Özel and Murat Ertekin

Ukraine
Ivan Sopushynskyy, Vasyl Zayachuk, Iryna Matsiakh and Volodymyr Kramarets

United Kingdom
Debbie Bartlett, Peter Buckley, Jenny Mills and David Rossney

Summary of Data from the 35 Country Reports
Alicia Unrau

------------- Outlook -------------

The Future of Traditional Coppice Forests in Europe: Lessons Learned and Actions to be Taken
Gero Becker

------------- Annex -------------

COST Action FP1301 EuroCoppice: Activities

COST Action FP1301 EuroCoppice: Members

IUFRO Unit 1.03.01 on Traditional Coppice

Full Abstract

Coppice forest management utilises the ability of broadleaved tree species to regrow after having been cut, producing shoots from the stump or stem, or suckers from the roots. It is a highly efficient system in which trees are harvested on rotation, at frequent intervals, through which large amounts of wood can be supplied sustainably and at a low cost. 

For centuries upon centuries, most of Europe’s population depended on coppice forests to provide raw material for energy, warmth, structures and tools. As early industries emerged, coppice forests were also a crucial resource in the attempt to meet a new insatiable demand for fuel, as well as products such as tannin and poles. However, the 19th century ushered in dramatic change, mainly due to the increased use of fossil fuels and a need for large dimension construction wood. Many coppice forests were abandoned and the management system fell out of fashion, with politics, science and practice thereafter favouring high forests. 

Only recently has attention returned to coppice forests, with a shift in focus to the unique services they provide and their potential role in a low-carbon bioeconomy. Not only are they able to protect against soil erosion and rockfall, as well as contribute to biodiversity and rural livelihoods, but are also an important form of cultural heritage. In the context of the bioeconomy, they are a fast-growing, renewable and sustainable source for fuel and biomaterials. Nevertheless, a particularly challenging aspect for current management is the large-scale abandonment of the past decades, which has led to expansive areas of over-aged, unstable stands. 

The largest international cooperation on coppice forest topics to date has been COST Action FP1301 EuroCoppice, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology, www.cost.eu), funded through the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union. Additional support was provided by the Eva Mayr-Stihl Stiftung. From 2013 to 2017, the Action implemented a variety of coppice-related activities, from awareness raising and scientific discourse, to supporting the development and careers of young researchers. 

In October 2018, EuroCoppice released its final publication, a comprehensive edited collection of articles titled “Coppice Forests in Europe”, authored by 115 experts, researchers and practitioners from 35 European and partner countries. Besides covering the themes of coppice silviculture, utilisation, conservation and governance, the volume provides information on each of the 35 countries and discusses management and policy options for the different situations in which coppice is currently found. 

The volume “Coppice Forests in Europe” should be of interest to any student, academic or professional concerned with forestry and the environment. It addresses historical and traditional forms of management, as well as recent ones such short rotation coppice (SRC), while balancing the variety of themes and wide temporal lens. 

ISBN 978-3-9817340-2-7