residential weekend course

managing small woodlands

venue: Redfield Community, Bucks

This course is run by Andy Reynolds of IBS Woodland Training - a professional forester and consultant working and specialising in lowland forestry.

Good woodland management and operations are beneficial in many ways, from sustainable production of fuel wood and building materials to encouragement of habitat and woodland flora and fauna diversity. These wildlife benefits are now recognised even in organisations that formerly considered woodland management as something to be avoided.
  
The course covers all aspects of sustainable woodland management based around the natural disturbance ecology of woodlands, and so the secret is in the scale of operations. The weekend will be full of practical tips, know-how and walks in the woods. The course takes participants through the various methods of planning and managing lowland woodlands, from traditional coppice firewood production to thinning and group selection. The bringing back into management of neglected or degraded areas can be particularly problematic and this thorny and often avoided subject is covered in some detail. Woodland creation on previously open ground is desirable in many cases to extend the influence of woodlands or create extra habitat, whilst contributing to carbon capture. The planning and operation of this are covered as is grant funding availability.

The course covers a wide diversity of subjects including those outlined below. You will have plenty of opportunity to ask questions and talk about your own projects through the discussion based and informal course format.

We will look at:

  • legal constraints
  • grants & licences
  • ecology and woodland operations
  • felling systems
  • forward planning for sustainable production
  • woodland surveying
  • woodland creation
  • woodland produce & sales
  • production for home use

The subject links in with other LILI courses and would be of particular benefit to participants on building with timber and heating with wood.

dates: see 'book online' below

more on trees, woodlands & timber


how to book:
  

if you can't open the booking form, you need Acrobat Reader - it's free
arrive:
  
Friday evening at 6.30 for dinner at 7.30
depart:
  
Sunday after lunch (served at 1.00)
directions:
  
click here for directions by bicycle, public transport and car
what to bring:
  
pen and notebook; towel; work clothes or overalls; boots / wellies (meals and bedding are provided)
NO DOGS PLEASE
let us know:
  
if you are vegan or have any food allergies, or any special needs
accommodation:
  
3-4 people sharing single-sex rooms
prices:
  
£190 high-waged; £170 waged;
£150 student / unwaged
Refundable up to two weeks prior to course (minus £30 admin fee)
No refunds for cancellations within two weeks of course
car sharing:
  
visit our car sharing forum to offer or request a lift
 

 

 

 


surveying a stack of beech sawlogs from woodland in the Chilterns prior to marketing


 

 

 


 

 

 


 


a visit to lime woodland in Lincolnshire




 

 

 

 

 

 

 


this is an extremely useful piece of kit called a 'skidder'; it pivots in the middle and has a winch on the back for extracting felled timber from woodlands