Hockley Woods

Hockley Woods Coppicing Management 2025

The areas shown in blue on the map below are scheduled for coppicing during 2025. These works are being carried out under a felling licence granted by the Forestry Commission and in accordance with Rochford District Council’s Countryside Stewardship agreement, endorsed by Natural England and the Forestry Commission.

Work is planned to take place between October and December 2025. For your safety, please follow all site signage and access restrictions during this period.

Coppicing is a historical woodland management technique and has been used for thousands of years. It involves cutting trees close to the ground, encouraging them to regrow from the base. Historically, this method provided a sustainable source of wood for fuel, construction, and furniture-making. Coppicing also increases biodiversity by creating a mix of sunny and shaded areas. This variety of habitats supports many plants and animals such as wildflowers, insects, birds and mammals.

Rochford District Council is coppicing to improve biodiversity and ensure the woodland amenity asset is here for future generations to enjoy.

If you would like more information, please email: open.spaces@rochford.gov.uk

What3word locations:

Top Blue area: ///undertook.recently.appetite
Bottom Left area: ///vowed.sudden.infuses
Bottom Right area: ///breakfast.emeralds.bungalows

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Covering over 130 hectares, Hockley Woods are the largest remaining area of the wild wood, which covered Essex after the Ice Age 10,000 years ago.

The woods are a complex mosaic of different trees, each species growing where conditions are most favourable. Oak and sweet chestnut grow on the higher ground; birch on the most acidic soils; hornbeam on the wet clays; willow, hazel and ash along the streams.

Many of the plants in the wood, such as the wild service tree, wood anemone, wood spurge and cow-wheat will only grow on the undisturbed soils of ancient woods.

Hockley Woods have survived because they have been coppice managed as a valuable resource.

Access to the woods is unrestricted; there is a car park off Main Road (SS5 4RN).

A walk leaflet is available from the Council Offices denoting two way marked walks.

The gates to Hockley Woods will open at 7am and close at 6.30pm.