Even though the felling season has ended there are still opportunities to get into the woods. This year we have started to introduce craft and skills session at our HQ, the green wood working and chainsaw skills sessions have both received good attendances, more details in the Heartwood HQ section. As always there is always the opportunity to run a charcoal burn at HQ, more details in the Charcoal section (and don't forget you can purchase the charcoal by getting in touch with one of the management team or popping into the shop at Rosliston Forestry centre). The Nether Hall Wood team have been working hard and are progressing with their plan, more details in the Nether Hall Wood section.
David Gravett - Membership Coordinator
What's In this Woodfueler
Rosliston Forestry Centre Shop
Wood Fuel Season Overview
The 2021/22 season closed with a rush of sessions. This was quite a challenge to manage, but we achieved what we set out to do. We left Foxley Wood in a fantastic state for the spring and summer, with excellent feedback from the public, The Woodland Trust and the National Forest. Our work at Donisthorpe Woodland Park has also achieved the objectives set by Chris Conway with the compartment thinning completed and the re-planting of several areas finished at the very end of our season.
As always there are a number of people we should thank for making the season a success, we all know who they are so I won’t create a list of names, but join me in thanking them for the many many hours of work they have put into making sessions happen. Here are a few stats for this season:-
- 36 wood fuel sessions run between 2nd October and 28th March.
- 784 attendances to sessions
- 22 members on average per session
- 38 members booked on and attended a single session on the 5th March
- 667 boot loads of logs taken home, which equates to just over 200 cubic metres of timber
- 5,109 volunteer hours recorded since the 1st October, this includes working parties and wood fuel sessions
- 16 new members joined in the last 12 months
- 115 total members at the end of the season
Kevin Banton - Heartwood Chair
Nether Hall Wood
Now the warmer days are with us and the evenings are getting lighter we are making “real” plans at Nether Hall Wood.
A number of areas of the plan are starting to progress.
- Our application to create an area of hard standing has been submitted to SDDC and is progressing, once agreed we will get the stone down.
- We have the public right of way signs ready to install.
- The Woodland Trust have provided the woodland management plan so we are now working on our 5 year plan to deliver against it. If you would like to get involved in the planning or the execution of that plan please let us know. It will be a great opportunity to learn more about managing a small woodland.
- One area we are keen to look at is the flora and fauna of the site and making sure we record it in a consistent way. We will be arranging a little training on the use of iRecord, which is a recognised database where all records contribute to national records. If you would like to be involved please contact us -
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The overall plan for the woodland is now on the web site, please take a look to see what we are doing and if you have any comments or ideas please let us know. Nether Hall Wood Plan
If you are thinking of going for a walk, why not drop in at Nether Hall? It's a lovely woodland and don’t forget we get to look after it, so whatever goes through your mind as you walk there we can look at and potentially act upon.
Kevin Banton - Nether Hall Wood Chair
Heartwood HQ
The days at HQ have continued to be productive making charcoal and getting the wood from Foxley to season for next year. If you would like to have a go and learn how to make charcoal, book onto a session and write in the comments that you would like to see how it is made. If you already know how and would like to go to HQ to do ‘a burn’ then please see the website for details. HQ Charcoal Schedule
One of our members, Rob Davies, came and did a greenwood craft session. He talked about the basics of woods to use, how to use tools and provided a template of wood to begin carving a wooden spoon. What a great day, not sure any of us thought we would end up with anything that looks like a spoon.
We are arranging more dates, plus additional skills sessions on sharpening tools. Watch the calendar for the next one or other events if you would like to do something different or just come along to enjoy the woodland. HQ Craft Activities
Remember we always have the fire going and for a small donation lunch can be provided.
Chris Adams - Heartwood HQ Chair
Charcoal
We are now producing charcoal from the timber extracted during the last season. Both charcoal retorts are being run on a regular basis and there continues to be opportunities for members familiar with running the retort to spend time at HQ. If you intend running the retorts please let Kev know so we can keep a track of who is running them and when. HQ Charcoal Schedule
If you would still like to find out more about charcoal making and learn how to use the retorts please let us know and we can get one of the trained members to give you tuition.
Kevin Banton - Heartwood Chair
Rosliston Forestry Centre Shop
We produce a number of saleable products within the group, so have taken the opportunity to rent a display stand at the Forestry Centre shop at Rosliston. Part of the plans for HQ sessions is to enable skills our members already possess to be shared, The shop at the centre has just been re-launched after being closed for two years during the COVID pandemic, but the new focus is now on locally produced items with a natural theme, so our charcoal, biochar, nest and bat boxes etc are a good fit. Anyone in the group who makes any sort of woodland product may also be able to share our display, so let us know if you have something to offer.
We plan to sell our usual Besoms, Reindeer and snowmen through this outlet later in the year, so again come along to HQ craft sessions and learn how to make something whilst creating goods that can be sold for group income.
Kevin Banton - Heartwood Chair