Planting and managing a woodland

Master the essentials of creating and caring for a healthy, regenerative woodland—from planning and planting to protecting trees, boosting biodiversity, and managing growth for long-term success.

Course Content

This course will cover all aspects of planning, planting and managing a woodland, particularly in the first few decades.

We will cover these key points:

• Reading the land, soil types, species choice, spacing, planning and planting
• Biodiversity, companion/appropriate species
• Weed control and protection from deer, rabbits and voles
• Nutrition, disease management
• Managing your trees: thinning to promote growth, selection for products, regeneration
• Legal protection, felling licences, planting grants and support from national bodies
• Local markets and the balance between woodland health and contribution to income

For a taster of what to expect see this video by Andy:

Why plant a new woodland?

By taking a permaculture approach, you can harvest many yields from planting and managing a woodland:

• Grow woodland products: poles, mushroom logs, charcoal, biochar, and of course timber in the longer term
• Provide your own fuel – firewood or woodchip
• Capture carbon
• Provide habitats for wildlife

Who is this course for?

This course is open to anyone aged 16 or over.

It is open to absolute beginners and people already engaged in woodland planting or management.

The course will be entirely outdoors, so please dress appropriately. We will walk approximately 1.5 miles. Some of the day will be spent looking at examples in the woods, and some will be theoretical in our outdoor classroom.

Why do we teach this course?

A new woodland capture on average 8 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare per year over the first 100 years.

Our Planting and managing a small woodland course teaches traditional skills, connecting people with nature, supporting carbon capture, local livelihoods, and biodiversity.

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