So you’ve bought your wood.  It’s lovely. Well, what now?

When we bought our wood, we wanted to find out more about it.  We started to look at the archaeology and history, and to find out what trees and other plants we had.  We could then think about how we could manage it to conserve what was good, and to minimise what we didn’t like.

As we are woodland managers, and do other work such as firewood, countryside and special fences, garden structures and other odd management work, we had most of the skills we needed to manage our wood, but we know that many people need to learn them after buying their wood.

We’ve got together with other woodland craftsmen in Hampshire to offer a range of courses designed particularly for small woodland owners, potential owners and anyone else who wants to know more about woodland, management and making things from the products.  The courses are run in our woodlands at Clanfield, Hampshire, easily accessible from all directions.

Firstly, we are offering courses to find out more about your wood:  tree recognition, woodland flowers, basic history and archaeology, as well as an introduction to managing your wood.

You can then learn about coppicing, including restoration of seriously overstood or derelict coppice, and hedgelaying, both very useful for small woodland owners.

There are also courses on hurdle making, shingle making and oak framing.

The tutors are mainly from Wesnet Services Ltd and “Out of the Woods at the South Downs Greenwood Centre”.  Both are small businesses working in the woods, managing them and making things from the products.  There are other tutors who are also local woodland workers teaching in their own area of expertise.

In addition to the courses themselves, you will see how the different parts of the wood interact to make a whole.  Work is done in the wood to source materials for courses and for a whole range of products.  An example is the hurdle making course, where you will be using rods from woodland owned by the Westcotts of Wesnet Services Ltd, cut and used by course tutor, Darren Hammerton.  Unfortunately the shingle making and oak framing raw materials are not available in our woods so have to come from other woods, not too far away.

Accommodation is available through the Sustainability Centre or we can put you in touch with local pubs and B & Bs.

Hedgelaying – 15th-16th March 2008
Darren Hammerton, Sustainability Centre, East Meon
phone 01730 823 166
e-mail courses@sustainability-centre.org

Woodland Flowers – 26th April 2008
Kester Westcott, Lowtons and Blagden Copses
Clanfield
phone 02392 596720
e-mail forestry@wesnetservices.co.uk

Tree Identification and Use – 25th May 2008
Kester Westcott (as above)

 Basic Woodland Management – 29th June 2008
Kester Westcott (as above)

Timber Framed Buildings – 26th & 27th July 2008
Darren Hammerton (as above)

Practical Coppicing – 4th & 5th October 2008
Darren Hammerton (as above)

Gate and Wattle Hurdles – 25th & 26th October 2008
Darren Hammerton (as above)

Posted in: Conservation, Working with Wood, Events & Places, Trees, Practical Guides, Plants & Flowers, Woodland Activities ~ On: 7 March, 2008

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A Guide to Tree Identification