Traditional Woodland Crafts

A brand new edition of a Batsford classic, rephotographed and redesigned for a new generation of woodspeople, this fascinating book is a practical guide to traditional coppicing and woodmanship, including the all-important conservation of ancient woodlands.

It explores the varieties of trees that can be coppiced, from ash, traditionally used for tool handles, to chestnut for making perfect fences, and goes on to outline how to manage woodland, when to harvest, the best tools to use, and the most useful devices to have to hand. It outlines the expert techniques used by woodland workers through the centuries, such as riving wood - splitting it by hand - and selecting the best wood for each purpose. Also covered is the plethora of products traditionally created from coppiced wood, from humble wooden tent pegs to the time-honoured besom broom and sturdy gate hurdles used for penning sheep, along with materials used in other heritage crafts such as thatching and barrel-making.

Full of invaluable advice, fascinating historical information, useful diagrams and evocative photography, this book will help you set up, manage, conserve and gain immense pleasure from your little patch of woodland, or even the trees in your garden.