About the Coppice
The campground is surrounded by coppiced woodland that was once regularly harvested by local residents. Fallen leaves provided fertilizer for their fields, and dead branches were taken for firewood. Every 10 to 20 years, trees in the woodland were cut down to supply wood for charcoal, after which they would be left to regrow new shoots from the remaining stump. This process is called “coppicing.” Accordingly, the species present today are those with strong regenerative power. Many trees in the woodland bear signs of these harvests, such as multiple trunks growing from a single base.
Species of Trees
• Sawtooth Oak (Quercus acutissima)
Long leaves with short, tooth-like bristles along the edges. Thick bark with deep,
irregular furrows. Charcoal made from the wood is used in Japanese tea ceremony.
• Konara Oak (Quercus serrata)
Leathery, elliptical leaves with shallower serrations and longer leaf stalks than the Japanese Oak.
• Japanese Oak (Quercus crispula) (syn. Q. mongolica)
Also known as Mizunara oak or Mongolian oak. Elliptical leaves with prominent serrations.
The wood is prized for whisky casks.
• Daimyo Oak (Quercus dentata)
Large, shallow-lobed leaves reaching 35 centimeters in length. Dead leaves are retained until spring.
• Redvein Maple (Acer rufinerve)
Leaves are five-lobed with double-serrated margins. Bark has the distinctive
green-and-black vertical striping of Snakebark maples.
• Japanese Clethra (Clethra barbinervis)
A large shrub with fragrant white flowers. Bark peels away in patches, leaving a smooth trunk.
• Japanese Bigleaf Magnolia (Magnolia obovata)
Large leaves with smooth margins, reaching 40 centimeters in length.