Helping You Make the Right Choice
If you know even the slightest thing about tree surgery, chances are you have heard the terms pollarding and coppicing. In fact, they are often mentioned alongside each other, and this can make many people think that they are interchangeable. They are actually two very different forms of tree surgery, and luckily for you, we specialise in them!
At Essex Tree Brothers, we carry out both pollarding and coppicing across Essex for homeowners, landowners, and commercial clients. With over 350 five star Google reviews and a team of qualified, experienced arborists, we are trusted across the county to give honest, expert advice on the right approach for every tree.
As some of the leading tree surgeons in Essex, we are here to tell you everything you need to know about pollarding and coppicing. This will allow you to make the best possible choice for your trees.
This guide will help you understand the difference between the two techniques and work out which one your tree actually needs.
What Is Tree Pollarding?
Pollarding is one of the oldest forms of tree management in the world, with records of the technique stretching back to Ancient Rome and evidence of its use in Britain dating to at least the medieval period.
It involves removing the upper branches of a tree back to the main trunk or a framework of primary branches, encouraging the tree to produce dense new growth from the pruning points. It keeps trees at a smaller size than they would grow to naturally and is normally started once the tree has reached a certain height.
If it is then carried out on a yearly basis from that point onwards, the tree will stay at that desired size. Once started, pollarding needs to be maintained consistently. Leaving a pollarded tree unpruned for too long can result in heavy, weakly attached regrowth that becomes a structural hazard.
Trees commonly pollarded in Essex gardens include:
- Willows
- Limes
- London planes
- Poplars
- Some fruit tree varieties
How Often Should Tree Pollarding Be Carried Out?
Pollarding needs to be carried out on a consistent cycle once started, typically every one to three years depending on the species and the growth rate of the tree. Leaving a pollarded tree unpruned for too long results in heavy regrowth with weak attachment points that can fail in high winds.
What Is Tree Coppicing?
Let’s turn to coppicing now. Coppicing is an equally ancient woodland management technique that involves cutting a tree or shrub back to just above ground level. Rather than killing the tree, this triggers vigorous regrowth from the base – a cluster of new stems that shoot up from the stump, known as a coppice stool.
This is another pruning technique that has been used throughout history, and it sees a tree cut down to ground level. This results in the regeneration of new stems from the stump. T
Coppicing works because most broadleaf trees have the ability to regenerate from their root system even after the main stem has been removed. The new growth is typically faster and more vigorous than the original tree, drawing on an already-established root system.
Coppicing is carried out in late winter or very early spring, just before the tree comes into active growth. The timing is important — cutting too late in the season can stress the tree and reduce the vigour of regrowth.
Trees and shrubs commonly coppiced in Essex include:
- Hazel
- Sweet chestnut
- Hornbeam
- Willow
- Dogwood
- Elder
How Often Should Tree Coppicing Be Carried Out?
Coppicing is carried out on a rotation that varies significantly by species. Hazel is typically coppiced on a seven to ten year rotation, while sweet chestnut can be left for fifteen to twenty five years before cutting. In a garden setting, the rotation is usually shorter than in traditional woodland management.
Our arborists will advise you on the right cycle for your specific trees during your free consultation visit.
Which Method Is Right for Your Tree?
Neither one is better than the other; it’s just a matter of what is the best choice for your tree. If you have a tree that would naturally be too big for the space that it is in, then pollarding is the right pruning method for you. It can also reduce the shade cast by a tree, making it a great choice if light is a concern in your garden.
Coppicing is a good move for those looking to generate new stems or encourage larger leaves, depending on the species of tree. It’s a drastic pruning technique, but it can work wonders and really rejuvenates and renovates old trees and shrubs, along with hedging plants.
Not sure which technique is right for your tree? Call Essex Tree Brothers today for a free consultation. Our arborists will assess your tree and give you honest, straightforward advice with no obligation.
Pollarding vs Coppicing – Key Differences at a Glance
| Pollarding | Coppicing | |
|---|---|---|
| Where cuts are made | Upper branches, back to trunk or framework | At or just above ground level |
| Main purpose | Control height and size | Regenerate new stems from base |
| Best timing | Late winter to early spring | Late winter to early spring |
| Maintenance required | Yes — regular ongoing cycle | Yes — on rotation, typically 3 to 25 years |
| Effect on tree size | Keeps tree compact and manageable | Produces multiple new stems from stump |
| Suitable for | Trees too large for their space | Woodland management, multi-stem shrubs, producing new growth |
| Common species | Willow, lime, plane, poplar | Hazel, sweet chestnut, hornbeam, dogwood |
| Can be reversed | Not easily — once started, must be maintained | Yes — tree can be left to grow on |
Do You Need Permission to Pollard or Coppice a Tree in Essex?
This is one of the most important questions to ask before any pruning work takes place. If your tree is protected by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) or sits within a Conservation Area, you will need to apply for consent from your local authority before either pollarding or coppicing can take place.
Essex has a significant number of TPO protected trees, and many areas — including parts of Chelmsford, Colchester, Brentwood, and Rayleigh — carry Conservation Area designations. Carrying out work on a protected tree without consent is a criminal offence and can result in a substantial fine.
Essex Tree Brothers always check the TPO and Conservation Area status of your tree before recommending any works. We can also manage the consent application process with your local authority on your behalf. For more information on Tree Preservation Orders, visit the government guidance on TPOs.
The Environmental Benefits of Pollarding and Coppicing
Both techniques have genuine ecological value when carried out correctly, which is part of why they have been used for thousands of years.
Pollarded trees often develop hollows and decay pockets over time that provide valuable nesting habitat for birds and roosting opportunities for bats. Well-managed pollards in the Essex countryside are among the most ecologically valuable individual trees in the landscape.
Coppiced woodland creates a constantly changing mosaic of light and shade on the woodland floor that benefits a wide range of plants, insects, and birds. The open conditions created immediately after cutting encourage rare woodland wildflowers, and the dense regrowth provides ideal nesting habitat for birds like nightingales and garden warblers.
If you have a garden or small woodland in Essex and are interested in managing it in a way that benefits both the trees and local wildlife, pollarding and coppicing are two of the most effective tools available to you.
Helping You Choose
Whether you know what you want or you aren’t sure if pollarding or coppicing is the right choice for your tree, we can help. We have plenty of experience with both types of pruning and will quickly be able to tell you which one is the best option. You can also count on work carried out to a high standard, with the health of your tree at the forefront throughout the entire process. All of this comes at some of the best rates in this part of Essex.
Why Choose Essex Tree Brothers for Pollarding and Coppicing in Essex?
Pollarding and coppicing look straightforward but require a genuine understanding of tree biology to carry out correctly. Done well, both techniques can extend the life of a tree significantly and improve the health, safety, and appearance of your outdoor space. Done badly, they can cause permanent damage that is difficult or impossible to reverse.
Essex Tree Brothers bring qualified expertise, the right equipment, and a genuine care for the long term health of every tree we work on. We cover all of Essex including Rayleigh, Chelmsford, Colchester, Brentwood, Maldon, and surrounding areas, and we offer free, no-obligation consultations for homeowners and commercial clients alike.
With over 350 five star Google reviews, we are trusted across Essex to give honest advice and deliver high quality results.
Get a Free No-Obligation Quote
Want to find out more about pollarding and coppicing, and how they could be used in your garden? Then get in touch today. It doesn’t matter if you need help with just one tree or several; we will ensure that they all get the care that they deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pollarding and Coppicing Trees
What is the difference between pollarding and topping a tree?
Pollarding and topping are often confused but they are very different. Pollarding is a skilled technique that establishes a permanent framework of pruning points from which the tree produces managed regrowth. Topping involves the indiscriminate removal of the upper crown without establishing this framework, which causes serious stress to the tree, produces weakly attached and hazardous regrowth, and can ultimately kill the tree. Essex Tree Brothers never top trees. If a tree needs its size reduced, we will always use the correct pollarding or crown reduction technique.
Can any tree be pollarded or coppiced?
Not all trees respond well to pollarding or coppicing. Species that regenerate vigorously from pruning cuts, such as willows, limes, hazels, and sweet chestnuts, are well suited to both techniques. Conifers, for example, generally do not respond well to hard pruning and cannot be coppiced. Our arborists will always advise on whether a given species is suitable before recommending either technique.
Will coppicing kill my tree?
No, when carried out correctly and at the right time of year on a suitable species, coppicing will not kill the tree. The existing root system drives vigorous new growth from the cut stump. In fact, coppicing can significantly extend the lifespan of certain species. Ancient coppiced hazel and sweet chestnut stools in Essex woodland are often hundreds of years old.
Is pollarding bad for trees?
Pollarding is not bad for trees when it is carried out correctly by a qualified arborist on a suitable species at the right time of year and maintained on a proper cycle. The problems associated with pollarding arise when it is carried out incorrectly – particularly when trees are topped rather than properly pollarded, or when a pollarded tree is left unpruned for too long and develops heavy, weakly attached regrowth.
How much does pollarding or coppicing cost in Essex?
The cost depends on the size of the tree, its species, its location, and the complexity of the work involved. Essex Tree Brothers provide free, no-obligation quotes for all pollarding and coppicing work across Essex. Call us or get in touch online and we will arrange a visit at a time that suits you.
Ready to book? Call Essex Tree Brothers today or request your free no-obligation quote online. Our arborists cover all of Essex and would love to help you get the most out of your trees.
