Hazel Coppice - restoration and improvement Seminar

The National Coppice Federation (NCFed) in conjunction with the Forestry Commission (FC) present:

Hazel Coppice - restoration and improvement Seminar

Wednesday and Thursday, May 13th/14th, 2015

at Westonbirt Arboretum (Gloucestershire)

Coppicing has been in decline for much of the past two hundred years. In more recent times, though, there have been attempts to increase the amount of hazel in regular management. 

These may have been inspired by a desire to earn a living from the woods, by wildlife conservation imperatives or by various other reasons.

10 year old hazel coppice (picture courtesy of Hazel Coppice Products

In many cases they have struggled, or even failed, due to the current lack of available information and knowledge of this new discipline.

This Seminar will bring leading restoration practitioners from around the country together with experts in various relevant fields to help establish ‘best-practice’ guidelines. 

It will also draw on the depth of experience which will, undoubtedly, be present in the wider audience.

The venue is Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire, where some twenty five acres of hazel coppice have been brought in to various stages of rotation over the past twenty years. 

These will provide working examples of both good and bad restoration practice.

Confirmed contributors to date include:

• Penny Jones (FC), Head of Propagation at Westonbirt Arboretum
• Brian Williamson, lead coppicer at the Arboretum
• Ralph Harmer (FC), co-author ‘The Silviculture and Management of Coppice Woodlands’
• Rebecca Oaks, NCFed Chair and co-author of ‘Coppicing and Coppice Crafts’
• Graham Rimington, The Deer Initiative.

Cost will be £35 for members of NCFed affiliated Groups; £50 for non-members.

Further information can be found on www.ncfed.org  or (with booking details) from  Brian Williamson at westonbirt.coppice@virginmedia.com 

‘A wood that pays is a wood that stays in good heart.’

MULTIFOR woodfuel conference - free places available for selected delegates

The final conference for the MULTIFOR (Multi-Functional Forestry) project will take place in Amiens in France on April 10th and 11th.

This EU ERDF funded project has been active since 2010 and has explored a range of topics ranging from woodfuel (hence the Kent Downs Woodfuel Pathfinder), adaptation of forestry management in a changing climate and  improving public access in private woodlands.

The conference will include speakers from a range French and English organisations involved in both research and the practical application of new approaches that promote multi-functional woodland management.

Interreg IV A Eligible Area

The Pathfinder project can fund a limited number of delegates (maximum 15).  

This includes travel (by coach) to and from Amiens and overnight accommodation and breakfast (lunches will be provided by the conference organiser).

If you are interested in attending please call Matthew Morris on 01303 815 171 as soon as possible to discuss.





To qualify for a funded place it is preferable that you:

• Have a demonstrable connection with woodland management, woodfuel, climate change in forest ecosystems, public access in woodland or multi-functional woodland management in general.
• Work in the eligible area for the Interreg IV A 'two seas' programme (see map above)
• Can commit to attending the conference on April 10th and 11th.

Full details of the conference are below.  Please do note hesitate to call to discuss attending the conference (01303 815 171).