Unlike the burning of fossil fuels like coal, gas or oil, burning firewood releases no more greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide) than would be produced were the wood to simply rot on the forest floor. If we are responsible in the ways we grow, cut, and burn our firewood, wood burning can actually be a good choice for the environment.

Growing your own firewood is best carried out using the coppice system, which means cutting to the ground.   Most native broad-leaved trees can be cut down to the stump. They re-grow producing multiple stems called poles. These poles can be harvested.  The poles are harvested approximately every 10 years and converted into logs for burning.  Mixed broadleaved coppice woodland should produce approximately 1 tons of air-dried wood per acre per year.

To heat an average house with firewood alone would need about 7-9 tons of air-dried wood.  Therefore an area of coppice woodland would need to be at least 10 acres in order to be self-sufficient in firewood.  Of course if the firewood is for  a stove to supplement a conventional heating system less will be needed.

The most efficient way to manage coppice woodland is to cut all coppice stools in a particular area, known as a coupe.  This ensures that all the stools have a sufficient amount of sunlight in order to grow back rapidly after being cut.

The 10 acres of coppice woodland ideally should be divided into 10 coupes of 1 acre.  If one coupe is felled in turn each year on a 10 year rotation, each coupe will produce approximately 10 tons of air-dried wood over those 10 years, enough for one year’s heating requirements.

Ideally you would start with an area of derelict deciduous woodland that had been out of management for a considerable time, coppicing of the first coupe would provide sufficient firewood in the following winter for burning.

If you want to start from scratch, by planting a wood with trees for coppicing. It would be best to plant a mixture of 40% Ash, 10% Field Maple,10% Crab apple and 40%Hazel at 2m centres, these are best planted as 60-80cm tall transplants and protected with a rabbit guard and canes.  They will be ready for the first cutting after about 10 years.   Other good firewood species are Oak, Hawthorn and Wild cherry.

Another good source of firewood while you are waiting for the copse to grow is the excess brash produced when a hedge is laid, which is in its way a form of coppicing.

As always comments and questions are welcome.

Simon