An innovative agroecological market garden and teaching space
Projects supporting woodland ecosystem restoration
We are currently running several projects on woodland restoration at the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South West. These initiatives are working to revitalize woodlands, while also fostering greater engagement in woodland restoration as a profession.
Why?
New woodlands need planting and managing by trained individuals, in order to meet climate targets and improve biodiversity.
There is a lack of skilled labor in the forestry sector, needed to address the huge objectives to increase tree cover and manage existing woodlands to ensure ecosystem functioning.
People and woods Programme
The programme aims to provide practical training and offer experience for people from a diverse range of backgrounds, without the necessary skill set, qualifications or funds required to achieve career transition.
During this training period, we aim to provide management and restoration of 5 woodlands with the focus on bringing these back into sustainable production.
This means the restoration management we deliver will become self- funding, by providing bespoke sustainable products that can be used in other environmental projects within the county (for example, hedge laying, river restoration, horticulture, fencing).
Three charcoal kilns have been installed in privately owned woodlands and confirmed access arrangements for our current cohort of participants. Through doing this, connections have been made between woodlands and farm businesses, enabling training for agricultural operatives, and exploring options in regular farm visits for diversification, particularly in regards to Agroforestry.
More coppice into productive management
NCFed is undertaking a three year (2022 – 2025) Project in England called ‘More Coppice into Productive Management’, funded by the Forestry Commission.
The project focuses on privately-owned coppice woodland. Its aims are to
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Improve the understanding of where coppice woodland is located and its condition and restorability.
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Understand the barriers to coppice management.
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Produce a publicly available interactive web-based summary map.
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Produce coppice management/ restoration information resources.
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Produce a final Project report to include recommendations for further action and support.
This project will increase the availability of good quality coppice material to meet demand and bring many environmental and social benefits like increased biodiversity.
The Farming and Wildlife advisory group are facilitating coppice groups to contribute to this work.