Short rotation coppice

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/short-rotation-coppice

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary function?Production of woody biomass for energy generation
2. What is the harvest cycle duration?Typically 3 to 20 years, with resprouting from stumps
3. Why do trees grow so fast in short rotation coppice?The trees used, like willow and poplar, are chosen because they grow quickly and produce a lot of wood. They are planted close together on good soil and given fertilizer and weed control to grow fast.
4. How do the trees keep growing after they are cut?When the trees are cut, their roots and the stump (called a stool) stay alive and send out new shoots. This is called coppicing and it lets the trees grow again without planting new ones.

Coppicing: A traditional woodland management technique where trees are repeatedly cut back to ground level to stimulate new growth.
Silvicultural System: A scientifically managed approach to cultivating and harvesting trees.
Syngas: A fuel gas mixture consisting primarily of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, produced from gasification of organic materials.