Definition

Noun: A small area of trees or shrubs that are grown closely together, typically consisting of trees that are periodically cut back to near ground level to encourage new growth and to provide a sustainable supply of wood. It is a managed woodland area.

Usage

A "coppice" refers specifically to a managed stand of trees that are cut on a rotation to produce poles, firewood, or other wood products. It is not simply any random thicket.

Examples

• The forester manages the coppice to provide a yearly harvest of hazel poles.
• We walked through a sunny coppice of young oak trees.
• The bluebells were beautiful in the ancient coppice that spring.

Advanced Usage

• Coppice with standards: A traditional woodland management system where some trees (the "standards") are allowed to grow to full size for timber, while the surrounding area is maintained as a coppice understory.
  • The medieval woodland was managed as a coppice with standards, providing both large timber and small wood.

Variants and Related Words

• Copse (noun): A synonym for coppice, often used interchangeably, though sometimes implying a smaller or more natural thicket.
  • A small copse of birch trees sheltered the edge of the field.
• Coppicing (noun/gerund): The practice or process of cutting trees in this way.
  • Coppiced (adjective/past participle): Describes trees that have been cut back.
  • The coppiced willows provided straight shoots for basket weaving.

Synonyms

• Thicket
• Grove
• Spinney (a small area of trees and bushes)
• Brushwood

Antonyms

• Clearing
• Prairie
• Meadow
• Open field

Related Phrases/Idioms

• To coppice a wood: The act of managing a woodland as a coppice.
  • They plan to coppice the wood next winter to promote new growth.

Noun

1. a dense growth of bushes