We are very grateful for the financial support of Scottish Natural Heritage and LEADER towards this work.

We are also grateful to the BIG Lottery Community Wildlife programme for their support of our work with children and young people.

 

Woodland Learning

The Forest of Falkland: a place for living, working and learning with woodland

January 2012: the calm after the storm?

The old year certainly went out with out with a bang not a whimper! We had three mighty windstorms during December and early January, the final one being the worst for at least a decade. Thousands of trees are down all over the Forest of Falkland, and paths are blocked in a number of places. The Woodland Team and conservation volunteers are working flat out to clear the paths where they can, but this will take some time.

Meanwhile, everyone needs to take extra care and avoid the affected areas – we are putting signs in place, but there are places where trees weakened by the storms may be blown over by even moderate winds, SO PLEASE BE ALERT AND CAUTIOUS EVERYWHERE ON FALKLAND ESTATE. If anyone is thinking of bringing a group on a visit, please call the office first to discuss your plans.

Responding to this storm damage is a challenge – not least for Nick Page, our new Forester who started the day after the worst of the winds went through the trees like a scythe in places! We are currently revising the Forest Plan to see us through the next decade (2013-2022). This offers the opportunity to think about what we will need to do differently to develop and nuture a forest which will be more resilient to this kind of extreme and unpredictable weather event that scientists suggest will become more frequent as the climate changes. We’ll be looking carefully at species selection and the design of new planting, as well as seeking appropriate ways to manage the existing forest as we seek to move more of the woodland into continuous cover forestry rather than a clear fell approach. However in the short term, these storms may necessitate a “clear fell” of certain compartments that have been so decimated and opened up - that they are now extremely vulnerable to winds. The economics of dealing with all of this will be challenging. The wind tends not to blow down the right trees in the right place – and it will be expensive to deal with, particularly in areas of challenging terrain, such as Maspie Den.

We do need help – both practical and financial – to deal with the clear-up operation. Several new volunteers have already come forward. Please get in touch if you might be able to help. However many of the windblown trees will require professional forestry contractors with the right equipment – and this will be expensive. If you are able to make a donation, it will help us get the paths restored as soon as possible. Please also bear with us, as it will take time, effort and a stretch of our resources. Thank you!

Autumn 2011 There’s growth in the Forest of Falkland this autumn!

We are very pleased to welcome several new members to the Woodland Team in the Forest of Falkland. Our Woodland Ranger, Sam Docherty, started in early October, in a post supported for two years by Forestry for People Challenge Funds. Five young men have joined the team as Forestry and Landscape Ranger Assistants for six months until April, with funding from Community Jobs Scotland. And a new Forester will be starting in January.

All of this additional capacity will contribute towards the changes we are making in the way the woods are managed, moving towards more sustainable, low impact methods, offering more people the opportunity to get involved in learning, working and volunteering in the woods.

Autumn Harvest Programme

The Forest of Falkland has been a busy place during this delightful mild autumn season. Our Autumn Harvest programme of events, supported by International Year of Forestry funding, funding, has been very well attended – indeed demand was so great that some events had to be repeated so we didn’t disappoint too many people. Hedgerow basketry with Jane Wilkinson was particularly popular, and several tours of the House of Falkland were filled to capacity, giving a large number of people the chance to see its fascinating and unique arts and crafts interiors, where woodland wildlife and orchard fruits are wonderfully represented in fine marquetry panels, carvings and plasterwork.

Ten primary schools took part in ‘Wild art’ sessions inspired by the magical colours, textures and shapes of autumn leaves and fruit; indoor activities were led by artist Jan Hendry while expeditions to the woods were led by Sam Docherty and Wendy Gudmundsson from the Woodland Learning Team. Wendy also led several workshops for people of all ages to learn about cooking and preserving fruit.

The apple press based at the Centre for Stewardship has been in very high demand, even though this year was not a good apple harvest in Fife, after several years of abundance.

During the October school holidays, several families enjoyed a two day bushcraft skills course led by rangers Bob Weston and Kate Morison of Fife Coast and Countryside Trust, assisted by Debbie Cranmer, our new Centre Assistant who doubles up as a voluntary ranger when she can escape from the office! Meanwhile children from our October Holiday Club had a whole week playing in the woods, doing art with natural materials, telling stories, learning how to safely make fires and, of course, toasting marshmallows, with storyteller Owen Pilgrim and our ranger Sam. We’re already looking forward to another two weeks of holiday clubs at Easter, when Hazel Darwin Edwards will be back for more child-led woodland fun activities – demand for these weeks is high so book early to avoid disappointment!

Working with schools

Pupils from Glenrothes High School continue to come most weeks for volunteering sessions with Sam; they have been working hard to landscape the area around the SEDA cabin. We are also grateful to boys from the House of Falkland School who worked with local craftsman Tom's Byre at Westfield to make the attractive benches that now sit in front of the workshop – not just somewhere to rest and enjoy the sun on mild days, but with integral planters to grow herbs for the kitchen and to attract bees and butterflies next spring and summer. We’re also delighted with the new wooden Tree Trail markers made by pupils from Sandy Brae Support Unit.

The woodworking and bushcraft courses with pupils from Bell Baxter High School in late August/early September were greatly enjoyed, and we’re very pleased to have secured a grant from the Forest Education Initiative Partnership fund to run another Introduction to Forestry work placement for Bell Baxter pupils next year. As part of our Woodlands Awakening programme in next spring’s Snowdrop Festival, we will be running another series of workshops for primary schools. These are already fully booked, but we are developing a set of resources for both teachers and parents/carers to use on self-led visits to the Forest of Falkland – please get in touch if you would like to be informed when these are available on this website: info@centreforstewardship.org.uk.

Volunteering in the Forest of Falkland

Opportunities for people to get involved as conservation volunteers have increased now that Sam has joined the team as Woodland Ranger, so please get in touch if you’d like to know more about what’s available. Monday is now our regular task day, but other groups such as Scottish Native Woods and New Caledonian Woodlands come occasionally at weekends. We always need help with surveys and other tasks which you can do at any time.

Local and traditional forestry in Romania

Our Woodland Learning Manager recently went to Romania on a study tour of local and traditional forestry; enjoy a short illustrated report on the trip.

The SEDA Cabin

The cabin, part-funded by SEDA (Scottish Ecological Design Association), is located behind the Stables workshop and used as the outdoor learning base for events and courses. In this one building, all aspects of the Woodland Learning programme are represented:

• sustainable use of timber from the forest of Falkland
• fine woodcraft
• learning new and traditional skills
• involving people in managing and using the woods
• providing resources that will encourage more people to come to Falkland to enjoy and learn about woodlands

All of these activities fit within the Statement of Intent we have put together to describe the ways we hope to develop our work in the Forest of Falkland.

 

From this . . .

. . . to this in 3 days:

The new outdoor learning base at Falkland Centre for Stewardship

Bench made by green woodworker Kenny Grieve with help from the pupils of Auchmuty Secondary School in Glenrothes, part of the outdoor learning base

Statement of intent for the Forest of Falkland

The Forest of Falkland is a place for living, working and learning with woodland

1. The Forest of Falkland will become known as a centre of good practice in forest stewardship and woodland culture
2. Our stewardship will involve giving people and communities a genuine stake in the estate and putting long-term sustainability at the heart of all we do
3. We will seek a balanced and transparent approach in our economic, social and environmental management
4. Forestry management and practice will be based on sound science, relevant expertise, cutting edge thinking and continual learning
5. Thoughtfulness, quality and integrity will underpin all our work

Life in the Forest of Falkland

People’s lives will be enhanced by:

• a genuine welcome with well-signed and maintained forest paths
• encouragement to increase health and wellbeing through walking, cycling and other outdoor activities
• developing appreciation, attachment and a sense of place through connecting with nature, celebrating the seasons and enjoying tranquillity
• opportunities to stay for a short time in a hut in the woods
• enjoying, understanding and supporting wildlife and playing their part to increase the forest’s biodiversity

Work in the Forest of Falkland

The forest will offer opportunities for good work, with people:

• earning a living or gaining skills though volunteering, training and apprenticeships
• managing woodlands for the full range of benefits and conserving an outstanding designed landscape
• processing timber for building, fuel wood and craft work, with appropriate scale technology
• producing and selling non-timber forest products and running wild harvest events

Learn in the forest of Falkland

The forest will become a popular and reputable place for learning with:

• people taking part at many levels from watching a demonstration to taking an accredited training course
• courses, events and learning materials that engage heads, hands and hearts
• a range of learners of different ages, origins and abilities, from pre-school to postgraduate