Another great Skill Share event!

Last weekend we held the third of our annual members Skill Sharing Events, this year at the Green Wood Centre in Coalbrookdale, Telford.  Despite the poor weather forecast, the sun shone (most of the time!) on an assorted gathering of members, staff, woodland craftspeople, board members and outside speakers.
On the Friday night Fiona Tooth entertained us with her woodland 'pub' quiz, which we followed with a number of 'woody' films, including some of 'Tales from the Wildwood', kindly loaned by the presenter, Rob Penn.  Most attendees stayed on site, either camping or in one of the Centre's pods.
Next day, after sampling an excellent breakfast at the on-site Cherry's Cafe, we assembled for the first of two speakers - Gabriel Hemery, of the Sylva Foundation.  Gabriel spoke about wood culture - the connection between woodlands and our communities that was so important in the past and is now sadly lacking.
After Gabriel came the more formal business of the day, with the Small Woods Association AGM.  John Blessington, the Chair, welcomed our new Chief Executive, Mike Bentley, and thanked his predecessor, Jude Walker, and gave a summary of our activities over the year - another successful one, despite the recession.  Richard Williams, the Finance Director, then gave the facts and figures.


Richard Williams, Finance Director, gives the financial report
 

John Weir, resilience Adviser for Forestry Commissiopn, was next up.  His role is to look ahead, 'think outside the box', and make recommendations for helping our future woodlands cope with climate change, tree diseases and other threats.  In particular, he challenged the orthodox view of always choosing local provenance planting stock by suggesting that we should choose trees from 3 degrees of latitude to the south of the site, which would mean from France for those in the south and midlands.  He suggested that these trees would be genetically more capable of  coping with climate warming.
After lunch there was a choice of talks, demonstrations and workshops.  Mike Bentley led a discussion on timber sales and Fiona Tooth facilitated a general discussion on woodland management issues.  Outside, Richard Thomason demonstrated hurdlemaking, Neil Mapes bowl turning on a pole lathe and spoonmaking, Rod Waterfield stoolmaking and Matt Beech tool sharpening.

Fiona Tooth's Woodland management workshop

 

Richard Thomason's hurdlemaking demonstration

The afternoon was rounded off with Foresters Question Time, which was chaired by Phil Tidey with Mike Bentley, Gary Battell and Fiona Tooth on the panel.  As usual there was a wide range of questions, from persuading hazels to produce nuts to removing rhododendron growing in a watercourse.  The day finished with a barbeque, which included some delicious local venison sausages.
On the Sunday there were two local woodland visits arranged.  The first was to Lime Kiln Wood, situated on the slopes of the Wrekin.  Here Matt Beech with his crew of volunteers is restoring the neglected hazel coppice.  The other visit was to mixed woodland on the Wenlock Edge and was led by forester Alistair Heath of the National Trust.
Members who attended had a great time.  We will do a similar event next year, probably in the south east - watch Smallwoods for details.  Many members perhaps don't know what to expect of our Skill Sharing weekend and perhaps they think that everyone who attends is a skilled forester - but this couldn't be further from the truth.  Part of the events value and strength is how it brings together experienced managers with those just starting out.
See you next year!
Phil Tidey