Bookings are now being taken for BHMAT’s Woodland Pioneers, which runs from Monday 28th August – Friday 1st September in Silverdale.
More info can be found on the BHMAT website: http://www.coppiceapprentice.org.uk/pioneersbook.php
There will be a work day at Moss & Height Springs Wood, Bouth, on 19th June (Monday). The day is organised by BHMAT & all CANW members are invited.
Please drop Twiggy a line if you intend to come (greenwoodtwiggs@btinternet.com)
The task will be peeling oak trees, possibly one of the most satisfying things one can do on a summer’s day. If you don’t believe me just watch this with the sound on: https://youtu.be/-bdcXtBK5kw
The bark goes to the last remaining oak bark tannery in the UK (JFJ Baker) with proceeds donated to BHMAT.
If you’re interested in the process of oak bark leather tanning, see here: https://www.jfjbaker.co.uk/the-process
If you haven’t been to one of these events it’s generally a great chance to hang out with some woodspeople & learn loads of stuff…
There is a budget for demos depending on what people want to do. Contact Julia (see image for number!)
Download the Spring/Summer edition at News – National Coppice Federation (ncfed.org.uk) or you can go straight to it here. It’s a great read – full of coppice and woodland related information, views, reviews and news. Written by members for members.
The Heritage Crafts Association is preparing to publish its latest assessment of threatened crafts under its Redist here – http://heritagecrafts.org.uk/redlist/. NCFed has been asked to contribute. If you have not already been consulted and think you might fill in any gaps in numbers, individuals or states of crafts, here’s a link to an online survey – https://forms.office.com/e/kAgjDq59PW.
Since the last version, published in April 2021, new crafts have been added to the lists and of course many will have been buffeted by the tides of Brexit and Covid. HCA are particularly keen to have our help in an accurate assessment of Wattle Hurdles and Spars.
This survey is the first of its kind in this place and invites structured attention to some of the wide range of skills and trades derived from stick farming that we discuss here. If you have comments about this work or you or any of your members would like to help NCFed keep an eye on any trade(s) in particular, please email resource@ncfed.org.uk. All contributions welcome.
28th March 2023
We need to get the deer fence up round Mike and Dans section at the top of the byway. A mob handed group is required to get this done. Please bring fencing tools if you have them, and gusto. If not there’ll be plenty stuff to do that doesn’t require your own tools. All help appreciated. Start 9.30am
18th April 2023
We’ll tackle the fencing around Lorna’s old coupe that’s now being cut by Andrew.
If you need more details please contact Ian Taylor at Lakelandcoppiceproducts@mail.com
Iain Patterson from The Crannog Centre is in need of very large numbers of hazel hurdle rods for a project. Splitters & weavers, max diameter 2″ at the butt, will pay £2.00 per rod. He’ll be coming down in a very large van to collect rods from suppliers in Lancs/Cumbria Sunday 26th March. Please contact Iain directly if you are able to supply.coppice@crannog.co.uk
joel.henderson@prospectsfoundation.org.uk is looking for craft workers to demo at this event this year. Budgets and dates are still to be firmed up but it’s likely to be a mid-late June weekend. They’re wanting to make a dedicated craft area this year. Please get in touch directly to register your interest in attending & get in the loop for the final details.
We have recruited Emma Groves to produce a newsletter for CANW. There’s loads of interesting stuff going on (we have such interesting members), so it would be good to share the news. If you have any interesting projects on the go or anything to share please get in touch with me (secretary.canw@gmail.com) & I’ll forward it on to her.
In anticipation of our member’s collective shyness(!) we have tasked Emma with actively seeking content, which means that she might get in touch with some of you (our members) individually at some point in the year to see what you’re up to & if any content can be generated that way. (If you’d like to opt out of being contacted please let me know & I’ll redact the contact list that she receives.)
Natalie Pownall from National Trust Dunham Massey is looking to source good quality coppice hedge stakes. If you can supply please get in touch with Natalie.Pownall@nationaltrust.org.uk, otherwise she’ll have to use softwood ones, which would be a shame.