Small Woods Association
Contact Name: Judith
Contact course provider
Address:
The Old Station
Station Road
Coalbrookdale
Telford
Shropshire
TF8 7DR
About Small Woods Association
We are the national organisation for woodland owners, workers and supporters. We stand for living sustainable woods: alive with wildlife, people and work.
Small Woods Association's Courses
Shropshire
- Next course on 26th October 2019
This is a hands on practical course based within a coppice woodland on Wenlock Edge.
All aspects for restoring a neglected and over stood coppice woodland will be covered including:
- Assessing the age and health of a coppice stool
- Developing a coppice rotation
- Felling and processing
- Extraction
- Understanding stool density
- Layering and planting
- Pest control
- Monitoring
- Coppicing for economic and wildlife benefit
Shropshire
- Next course on 23rd August 2019
Build an Ironbridge style coracle using simple tools and techniques to suit all levels of experience and ability. The coracle has been around for thousands of years, evolving as a cheap, simple boat that anybody could make and use for all sorts of short river work, particularly fishing.
You will learn to select suitable ash laths, techniques for bending laths to shape, nailing, clenching nails and fixing and tailoring the calico cover ready for painting....
Shropshire
- Next course on 9th November 2019
Learn how how to make a traditional framed basket with professional basket maker Rachel Evans. Framed baskets are strong and versatile, useful in the garden or for shopping and make great presents.
You will learn:
- To source and select suitable material
- Create a frame using hazel rods
- Work with a selection of willow and different weaving techniques
The course will take place at the Green Wood Centre in the woodland hall based...
Shropshire
- Next course on 31st August 2019
Learn how to start and grow a woodland and craft business. An opportunity to train with successful and inspiring woodland business entrepreneurs.
The course is suitable for new and established sole traders, small businesses and community enterprises. You will be taught how to make good business decisions and shown the tools available to enable you to succeed.
You will learn:
- Developing strategies to set and achieve targets
- How to improve quality, efficiency and...
Shropshire
- Next course on 17th August 2019
You will make a traditional stool using hazel rods with mortise and tenon joints and split hazel.
You will learn:
selecting suitable material
tool selection and maintenance
how to make mortise and tenon joint using different tools
The course tutor is Neill Mapes.
Shropshire
- Next course on 13th July 2019
This is a practical hands-on 1 day course designed for woodland owners and home owners who use a chainsaw on their own land. The course will provide tips, advice and techniques to help keep you safe.
The course will cover:-
- Safe starting and stopping of a chain saw
- Choosing an appropriate chain saw model
- Cross cutting techniques
- Simple felling techniques
- Chain saw sharpening and maintenance
- The things that can...
Shropshire
- Next course on 5th October 2019
This is a 2 day practical course covering all aspects of hedge laying including:
- Identify different hedge laying styles
- Identify suitable hedge species
- Undertake the different stages of hedge laying, pleaching, stacking and binding
- Lay a number of hedges of different sizes types and ages
- Use and maintain the different hand tools needed in hedge laying
Karl is a professional full time hedge layer with over 30 years experience and...
Shropshire
- Next course on 7th September 2019
Great opportunity to spend a day with a master pole lathe turner to learn the basic principles and techniques to get you started
You will learn:
- Tool selection
- Wood selection
- Forming a billet and using a shave horse
- Setting up a pole lathe
- Turning techniques to create a number of different products
The course tutor is Neill Mapes
Shropshire
- Next course on 22nd June 2019
Learn the skills of the blacksmith and blade smith and make your own knife.
You will learn to:
- use the forge anvil and hammer
- be able to identify the temperature of steel by looking at the colours
Learn the art of hardening and tempering, forging and drawing with the hammer. Blacksmith made knives differ from commercial made knives in that they are not ground with a grinder but shaped with the hammer.
The...
Shropshire
- Next course on 7th September 2019
Completely redesigned in line with new Forestry Commission Guidelines, this two day course will give you the background knowledge to enable you manage your woodland sustainably.
You will learn:
- Assessing the resource
- Protecting the resource
- Managing the resource
- Producing timber
- Keeping it legal
- Thinking about the future
The course is classroom based at the Green Wood Centre with visits to different local woodlands.
The tutor Jim Waterson has many...
Shropshire
- Next course on 17th August 2019
A new course for woodland owners, woodland workers, and woodland managers. The course will help you have a clearer idea of the development planning system, with particular focus on England, and practical steps you can take to present your woodland project in the most positive frame to the Local Planning Authority and others.
The course content will include:
- The purpose of the planning system;
- Why the planning system matters to woodlands;
- Types...
Shropshire
- Next course on 2nd November 2019
This course will provide an introduction to the woodland tasks needed to manage a woodland. The course will provide the latest good practice guidelines along with top tips and techniques established over many years.
You will learn:
Tree selection and thinning – which tree to keep and the reasons why
High pruning to improve timber quality
Tree planting
Safe moving of timber and extraction
Dealing with brash
Ride management
Shropshire
- Next course on 10th August 2019
This course will give you the full step-by-step process of making a classic hay rake.
Rakes have been used extensively for a variety of tasks, prior to mechanisation of working on the land, such as gathering hay and straw, raking soils or gathering leaves.
During this course you will also discuss other possible designs of rake.
You will learn:
How to select suitable timber
To understand grain and orientation of grain for strength
To use...
Shropshire
- Next course on 13th July 2019
Spoon carving is a great way to start carving and to learn about the properties of wood. Each spoon is completely unique which make great presents.
This course will help beginners get started and those wanting to progress their technique further and try out more advanced designs.
You will learn
- Tool selection and sharpening
- Wood selection
- Splitting and roughing out
- Carving and shaping
- Finishing and protecting
This course is taught...
Gloucestershire
- Next course on 29th June 2019
A residential camping and woodland experience suitable for all who are interested to learn more about the woodland world.
This weekend will include a taster of lots of practical woodland crafts and skills.
The weekend is suitable for anyone wishing to get more basic understanding of woodlands and their management and have a go at woodcraft which you can do alone or share with others of all ages.
Participants will camp in the woodland and...
Shropshire
- Next course on 31st August 2019
The course is designed to provide woodland owners, managers, agents and contractors the ability to calculate accurately timber volumes in standing trees, woodland compartments and road side stacks.
You will learn:
- Measurements conventions
- Useful equipment
- Calculate the height and volume of a standing tree
- Stratification and sampling principles
- Yield class, Tariff and abbreviated tariff measurements
- Stack measurements
The course tutor will be Martin Hales
Shropshire
- Next course on 5th October 2019
This course investigates the structure and mechanisms of trees and how they interact within the woodland environment. The course and information is delivered in a format that is accessible to a wide audience with plenty of visual and practical examples to support the theory.
You will learn:
- The benefits and importance of trees
- Tree seed structure and germination
- Tree growth, development and structure, how trees function
- Flower structure, roots and leaves...
Gloucestershire
- Next course on 10th August 2019
This is 2 day camping weekend and social with a focus on wellbeing. The course is designed for social forestry practitioners, forest school, community and health leaders seeking to connect with woodlands and the natural way in a deeper more meaningful way.
The course will focus on active observation of woodlands and the natural world using various forms of art. Ideas for woodland activities, art, crafts, literature and wellbeing will be shared with an aim...
Gloucestershire
- Next course on 11th October 2019
Great opportunity for new woodland owners and managers to learn the broad concepts of woodland history and how it has influenced the shape of today’s landscape. Participants will learn how to read ‘the landscape’, to identify features within woodlands to interpret former use and activities. A wide range of topics will be covered to explain existing features, hidden gems and the type and management of woodlands we see today. The day will be spent at...
