IN PERSON PLACES HAVE SOLD OUT BUT YOU CAN STILL ATTEND ONLINE: click here to book your free place.

We are pleased to announce we will be holding our AGM and Skills Share both in person and online this year.

In addition to a variety of talks, workshops and demonstrations, this is an opportunity to swap notes with fellow woodland enthusiasts, meet SWA staff and trustees, and find out more about what goes on at the Green Wood Centre. We will also be visiting a local limestone wood. 

Member fee is £20, non members is £30 - this includes lunch, refreshments and a barbecue in the evening. 

Or, to join us online, click here to book your free place.

PROGRAMME

Saturday
9:30 TEA AND COFFEE

9:45 WELCOME — CHRIS DUNCAN, SECRETARY

INTRODUCTION — IAN BAKER, CEO

10:00 SMALL WOODS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING — JOHN BLESSINGTON, CHAIR

10:45 COMFORT BREAK, TEA, AND COFFEE

11.00 KEYNOTE SPEAKER — RICHARD FORTEY

Richard is a longstanding Small Woods Association member and will be taking themes from his book, The Wood for the Trees: A Long View of Nature from a Small Wood, and sharing his perspectives on woodland history, with a future gaze. Richard has had a long and distinguished career as a writer, broadcaster, and naturalist. A leading palaeontologist at the Natural History Museum, Richard has published more than 250 papers on Trilobites alone(!) and additionally served as President of the Geological Society of London for its bicentennial year, in 2007. He is also the author of popular science books on a range of subjects including geology, palaeontology, evolution, and natural history. Since 2012, he has also been a television presenter, appearing on BBC Four presenting natural history programmes; was Collier Professor for the Public Understanding of Science and Technology at the Institute of Advanced Studies at the University of Bristol 2002, and Visiting Professor of Palaeobiology at the University of Oxford 1999-2009.

11.45 SPEAKER — KAY HAW, DIRECTOR OF UK SQUIRREL ACCORD (UKSA)

Kay will be discussing her work promoting grey squirrel control and red squirrel conservation. It is well known that grey squirrels are not only a threat to red squirrels but are also a serious obstacle in broadleaved woodland establishment. It is imperative we find an effective and long-term solution to protect and restore red squirrel populations. Kay will also be talking about the range of research currently ongoing, which will hopefully start to offer genuine solutions.

12:15 SPEAKER — BECKI GAWTHORPE, BIOSECURITY OUTREACH OFFICER AT THE FORESTRY COMMISSION

Biosecurity in a plant health context is a set of measures to help prevent the accidental introduction and spread of plant pests and diseases. Becki has a national role tasked with developing and updating plant health and biosecurity related policy and guidance. She assists with the development of communications materials and raises awareness of plant health through outreach activities. She works closely with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, ensuring that advice and guidance is audience-led and practical, and reflects current scientific understanding. She is also on standby to assist with outbreak situations when they occur.

12:45 INAUGURAL ESMOND HARRIS AWARD FOR SMALL WOODLAND INNOVATION                                                                           

Esmond will speak about the award and his and the Association’s intentions for it in the long term. The 2022 award will also be made.

13:00 LUNCH

14:00 WORKSHOPS AND DEMONSTRATIONS - Each workshop will run three sessions during the afternoon.

Workshop 1 — Social Forestry
Workshop 2 — Coppice Bundles – Overland & Underwater
Workshop 3 — Making Coppice Bundles
Workshop 4 — Biosecurity in our Woodlands
Workshop 5 — Drones and their use in woodland management
Workshop 6 —Mercian Woodland Biodiversity project

16:00 – 17:00 PANEL SESSION AND DISCUSSION

18:00 BARBECUE AND SOCIAL

Sunday
10.00 VISIT TO EDGE WOOD
The visit will be to this lovely limestone woodland with the full range of wildlife, people, and tree management issues that you might expect. The visit will include an overview of coppice management undertaken on site and dormouse monitoring.

TOOL, KIT, AND BOOK SWAP
Bring along any tools, items of kit, books and other bits and pieces that have been gathering dust