Practical Conservation
and Volunteer Days

In accordance with the dormant winter season, we’ll be carrying out most of our active habitat management between October and March.

Coppicing and tree felling will maintain the structural layers of the wood on which much of our wildlife depends. Cutting in discrete blocks means minimal disturbance to the rest of the wood and results in a mosaic of different growth, much like a 3D patchwork quilt. The wood is put to its best use as raw material for coppice crafts and green woodwork.

The volunteer days are a chance to help with practical conservation in the woods and around the Field Trail. Join the small group of people that make a huge contribution to the new projects and maintenance work on site, with plenty of tea and coffee as an extra incentive!

If you would prefer to help at Bore Place on midweek days, please contact Commonwork (info@commonwork.org). Practical conservation is on-going, every week through the year.

30th October 2011 - BRIDGE BUILDING and PATH MAINTENANCE in Kiln House Wood, Bore Place.

13th November 2011 - COPPICING HAZEL in Bushy Wood, Bore Place. This has to be done after the leaves have dropped, and before spring is underway, to avoid damaging flowering plants and disturbing any nesting birds.  Coppicing benefits biodiversity due to the beneficial effects of varying light-levels reaching the woodland floor. The harvested hazel will be turned into stakes and binders for hedge laying.

11 Dec 2011 - RIDE SCALLOPING in Kiln House Wood, Bore Place.  Coppicing and small tree felling to widen a ride in the wood, improving bio-diversity and encouraging butterflies and other invertebrates.-
 

18 Mar 2012 - Elm Coppicing

MORE DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED - please contact me for further information

Clients
and Customers....

In addition to the Green Wood Workshop, John also runs tailor-made courses that can be adapted to suit your requirements. Clients include:

Royal Botanic Gardens (Kew) at Wakehurst Place

British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV)

Weald & Downland Open Air Museum, Singleton

WoWo Campsite, Sussex
currently arranging courses in rustic furniture, living willow structures, living willow seats and willow garden structures

Downderry Nursery
(their exhibit of lavender planted in John’s tailor made giant basket won a Gold Medal, the Tudor Rose award AND The Most Creative Exhibit in the Floral Marquees at the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show, 2005 - click here for a picture)

Medway Valley Countryside Partnership

Various branches of the Women’s Institute

Women’s Farm and Garden Association

South East Water (Obelisk making)

Kent Wildlife Gardening

Sevenoaks and Tonbridge Conservation Volunteers

Various Garden and Landscape Designers, including:
Sarah Seed of Sevenoaks