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Growing Short Rotation Coppice Best Practice Guidelines For Applicants to Defra’s Energy Crops Scheme Growing Short Rotation Coppice Contents Introduction 4 Why grow energy crops? 5 What is SRC? 6 Where to grow SRC 7 Site selection 7 Plantation design 8 Land preparation 9 Planting material 10 Establishment 12 Planting 12 Establishment year management 13 Cutback 14 Calendar of activity 16 General management 18 Headlands and rides 18 Fertilisation 18 Nitrate Vulnerable Zones 19 Pests and diseases 19 Harvesting 22 Rod harvesting 22 Direct-chip harvesting 22 Billet harvesting 23 Yield 24 Biodiversity 25 Removal of SRC 26 Poplar SRC 27 Site 27 Planting material 27 Planting 27 Management 28 Yields 28 Harvesting 28 Removal 28 References 29 Contacts 30 3 Introduction This booklet has been produced by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to introduce farmers to a new crop. It provides guidance on the choice of site, planting techniques, crop management and harvesting methods required when growing short rotation willow or poplar coppice as an energy crop. The booklet summarises current agronomic techniques and, therefore, may need to be modified as further experience is gained. Please check that you have the latest copy of the booklet with the Defra office at Crewe. This booklet should be read in association with the Energy Crops Scheme booklet, “Establishment grants for short rotation coppice and miscanthus” which outlines the requirements for claiming grant to establish the crop. There is further information on short rotation coppice in the Forestry Commission Information Note “The establishment and management of short rotation coppice – a practitioner’s guide” (Tubby and Armstrong, 2002). 4 Why grow energy crops? Energy crops are used as fuel in power planted more commonly in the future stations and heating systems. In substi- following the production of varieties tution for fossil fuels, they have the more suited to coppicing. This booklet potential to reduce emissions of the concentrates on willow SRC, although a greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Energy section relating specifically to poplar has crops will need to contribute if the UK been included. is to meet its: Defra provides grants to assist with the • obligation under the Kyoto Protocol establishment of SRC under the Energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions Crops Scheme (ECS), part of the England by 12.5 per cent below 1990 levels Rural Development Programme (ERDP). by 2012; Grants are also available for setting up SRC producer groups to facilitate harvesting • domestic goal to generate 10% of the and supply to the energy market. Full nation’s electricity from renewable details can be found in the ECS booklets sources by 2010. “Establishment grants for short rotation This provides a significant opportunity for coppice and miscanthus” and “Grants the energy crop industry. for establishing producer groups”. Currently the major energy crop grown For details of support available for energy in the UK is short rotation coppice (SRC), crops, contact the Defra office at Crewe primarily willow, although poplar has or visit the ERDP website: been used occasionally and may be www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/erdphome.htm Woodchip boiler for heat ARBRE power station fuelled by woodchip 5 What is SRC? SRC (short rotation coppice) consists of grow rapidly in the first year reaching up densely planted, high-yielding varieties of to 4m in height. During the winter after either willow or poplar, harvested on a 2 planting the stems are cut back to – 5 year cycle, although commonly every ground level to encourage the growth of 3 years. The osier, a shrub willow, is multiple stems i.e. coppiced. Generally parental stock to the majority of willow three years after cutback and again varieties planted for use as an energy during the winter, the crop is harvested. crop. SRC is a woody, perennial crop, the The equipment used for harvesting will rootstock or stools remaining in the have been specifically developed for the ground after harvest with new shoots purpose and depends on the fuel emerging the following spring. A specification of the customer/end-user. plantation could be viable for up to 30 Most operations other than planting or years before re-planting becomes harvesting can be completed using necessary, although this depends on the conventional farm machinery. productivity of the stools. In the UK, yields from willow SRC at first Willow SRC is planted in the spring using harvest are expected to be in the range 7 planting material produced by specialist – 12 oven dry tonnes per hectare per breeders and equipment specifically year (odt/ha/yr) depending on site and designed for the purpose. The willow will efficiency of establishment. Willow SRC 3 months after planting Mature willow SRC 6 Where to grow SRC The key determinants of SRC yield are Site selection water availability, weed control, light and A site must meet the requirements of the temperature. ECS, these can be found in the Willow SRC will produce good growth Establishment Grants booklet. where there is sufficient soil moisture As a perennial crop, SRC is likely to be in available within 1 metre of the soil surface. the ground for up to 30 years and can It can withstand seasonal flooding but reach 7-8 metres in height prior to harvest. not permanent waterlogging. Where Its impact on the local landscape, ecolo- land is prone to flooding most years, the gy, archaeology and public access must willow will survive but consideration must therefore be considered alongside the be given to operational requirements, operational parameters. particularly the need to harvest in winter. Annual rainfall of 600-1000mm is ideal. Under the ECS, a proposed SRC site is assessed and consultation takes place to ensure there will be no significant adverse impact on the environment. This consultation takes up a significant part of the 3-month application process time. To speed the process potential growers may wish to contact organisations that may be affected by the planting of the crop in advance, e.g. local councils for bylaws relating to public rights of way or the county archaeologist to check the records for any important archaeological remains. Where a proposed site is adjacent to a SRC in the landscape river or on a floodplain, the Environment SRC can be established on a wide range Agency should be consulted. of soil types from heavy clay to sand Another factor to consider is soil erosion. including land reclaimed from gravel Compared to many crops, SRC has large extraction and colliery spoil. Clay or sandy areas of open ground within the crop loams that retain moisture but are well during establishment. On light, sandy aerated are ideal soils. Establishment may soils this can lead to wind erosion of the be slow on heavy clays as they tend to be soils and also some damage to the newly cold in spring although, once established, emerged shoots due to abrasion. On SRC grown on these soils can be highly sloping sites, soils can be eroded following productive. Where compaction may prove heavy rain. to be a problem, sub-soiling to a depth of 40cm will be necessary to ensure Willow roots, which are fibrous in nature, maximum root development. Soil pH will penetrate down to field drains and it should be in the range 5.5 – 7. is recommended that SRC is planted at 7 Where to grow SRC least 30 metres from any drains that are account. Headlands of at least 8 metres considered important. When choosing a in width are necessary at both ends of site consider the life of the drainage the rows to allow for vehicle turning. system in relation to the expected life of Where only one trailer will be available at the SRC plantation. harvest or the harvester has an integral trailer, row lengths should be restricted To be eligible for grant the proposed site to a maximum of 200 metres to avoid must be at least 3ha in total, although the need to reverse along the rows to off- this can be made up of smaller plots. load. Where two or more trailers will be However, to ensure economies of scale available, row lengths can be longer. for all field operations larger plantations However, if liquid sludge is to be applied are better. The most appropriate field using an umbilical system, the maximum shapes are those that minimise the need row length should be 400 metres. Rides for short row lengths or require no of 4 metres should be left along the changes in direction during field edges of the crop to allow machinery operations. Choosing fields that can be access for willow beetle control if harvested economically is of critical required. A maximum of 20% open importance. For ease of operations the ground is allowed within a SRC plantation ideal site would be flat or with a slope under the ECS. of no more than 7%. It is strongly recommended that the slope of the field should not exceed 15%. Appropriate access must be available for all machinery involved in establishing and harvesting the crop. Gate widths should be at least 4.5m but it is recommended that if new gates have to be installed they should be up to 7.2m in width. Bridge height or weight restrictions should also be considered where necessary. Ideally areas for transferring and storing the harvested crop should be adjacent to the coppice. Plantation design The plantation design should fit in with the surrounding landscape and advice relating to this can be obtained from Forestry Commission Guideline Note 2 (Bell & McIntosh, 2001). Operational requirements must also be taken into Edge of SRC plantation 8 Land preparation The importance of efficient land Rabbits, if present, must be kept out of preparation for SRC cannot be stressed the crop at least during the first two too highly.
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