Suitable for: improvers, professionals

Considerations: Classroom based, partially outdoors, practical elements can be physically demanding 

What to bring: Outdoor / wet weather clothing. Sturdy shoes. Pen and paper for taking notes.

Refreshments: Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available throughout the day. We also have a fantastic on-site cafe, Embers, run by local chef Shropshire Lad.

The course:

Designed for new or aspiring woodland owners and managers, this course is guaranteed to develop your knowledge, understanding, and practical skills. SWM is made up of two days of classroom sessions, and a practical skills assessment/ woodland products day. Learn how to balance the environmental, economic and social benefits of your woodland.

Topics will include:

- the principles and practices of sustainability.

- different woodland types and structures.

-  types of woodland management.

- how to process timber.

- woodland craft skills.

- how to promote biodiversity.

- woodland law and management.

You will also gain an accreditation at Level 3 with Agored, subject to successful submission of a completed course workbook.

Your tutor:

Chris Keeler

Chris is our dedicated training officer, who co-ordinates and teaches woodland management and heritage skills, as well as being the lead trainer for the Lost Woods project in Sussex.

He was born into an estate forestry family, and has worked in the coppice, woodland, and arboriculture industry for over 20 years. Chris learned his trade from some of the last ‘proper’ woodsmen who cut trees with axe, hook, and hand saw and still uses these tools to this day. He is passionate about passing on this knowledge to others, as well as communicating his love of all things nature.

"I have a lifetime of experience working in the coppice woodlands of Sussex and Kent, and I love to show how these traditional activities support the health of woodlands and enhance biodiversity."