Traditional woodland skills

Coppicing, charcoal burning, horse logging, using billhooks/axes/handsaws, and creating wattle fences... I think I'd love to be part-arborist, part-woodsman living and working in the woods, but able to carry out tree surgery on some big old ancient trees on the side. Ah, the dream!


I'm currently researching and writing an investigative project at college about traditional woodland management. The following books have been of great help...


Elizabeth Agate - Woodlands: a Practical Handbook (BTCV)
- this contains nearly everything the conservationist who works with woods needs to know - a bit of background on woodland history, how to use handsaws, how to coppice, make charcoal and use coppice products


D. Cook - The Ax Book: the Lore and Science of the Woodcutter
- makes me want buy an axe and work in the woods with it - an amazing book about axes and woodsmanship!


Anything by Oliver Rackham, especially his engrossing contribution to the New Naturalist series, simply called "Woodlands"


Piers Warren - British Native Trees: their past and present uses


Ben Law - the Woodland Year


plus:
http://www.smallwoods.org.uk/
http://www.craftsintheenglishcountryside.org.uk/
http://www.englishcharcoal.co.uk/
http://www.commonground.org.uk/ (especially for those arty folk!)


and priceless others...

They all make for really interesting reading about a time before forestry meant harvesters, chainsaws and spruce plantations. The woods were managed in a truly sustainable way, and no one used gas or coal for home heating, and we didn't use imported timber. It's a shame how things have changed, and I personally think we should start doing more of this sustainable management before the oil and coal run out and we realise softwoods won't solve our problems.

College so far

5 weeks in and generally - it's going well. I'm e6njoying learning about the different fungi and diseases of trees, for instance, and we're having to do our own personal guide to trees. I'd started doing this in the summer, taking photos when the leaves were out, and now it's a case of identifying the twigs and buds and putting it all together with photos and my own descriptions into one document. It's great for honing ID skills, actually looking at a sample and writing my own description of the texture, look and smell of foliage, bark or twigs. For instance, I'd never realised just how rowan buds look a bit like hairy beetles, with a "head" and then "wing cases" made out of bud scales. Things like that help them stick in your mind. 


However - some of the aspects of the N.D. are slightly simplistic, although maybe that comes with having university and work experience beforehand. More of problem that I'm finding is that some (but not all, thankfully) students seem interested only in climbing trees and swinging about them with a chainsaw. Knowing the theory is what makes you an arboriculturalist, not just being able to climb and wield a chainsaw up in a tree. Students who aren't even on the arb course are demanding to climb, which then leads to these guys climbing up trees while the actually arboriculture students are being groundies. If you're desperate to climb that much, but don't want to do the theory, then do your CS38/39 short courses and stop taking the place of those who want to learn how to care for trees, not just cut them!


On a more positive note I've had some feedback on some Visual Tree Assessments that I did as a ranger, and the professional surveyor I reported them to was very impressed - I have to thank Klaus Mattheck's wonderful books about VTA for that, but still, it's good to know you're doing it right and picking up on the right symptoms.

Becoming a student again

Start the N.D. Arb in a week - the impression I've got is that its a good mix of theory (e.g. tree science, pests & diseases, and surveying) and the practical climbing, pruning and dismantling work - which probably stands a student in better stead to look after trees than just doing 2 weeks of short courses in climbing and cutting.

This summer's been good for chainsaw work (more so than the previous season). Most of the saw work has been scrub clearance or rhody bashing with volunteers, but there's been some woodland thinning work - all a bit of practice for the course. Also tried out climbing with a qualified friend, just to get used to being up a tree and moving about.

Is there work out there in the conservation sector for trained arboriculturalists? I think there's quite a few people working as rangers or wardens at woodland sites who have arboricultural experience, and one of the conservationists I know working for the local Wildlife Trust has quite advanced arboricultural training. The conservation world recognises the importance of ancient trees for biodiversity, and the importance of monitoring and managing them to keep them alive and standing as long as is possible, without compromising on safety. For instance, at a local nature reserve the warden (who is quite advanced in arboricultural knowledge) explained how they are doing everything they can to keep a giant, fungus-ridden beech standing for the sake of the bats that are known to roost there. He's already thinking ahead to when it may fall, and when reducing the crown he'll also be weighting it so that it will eventually fall away from the path and provide a valuable deadwood habitat in its afterlife. Quite encouraging, holistic, and forward-thinking - hopefully I'll be at the level one day?

Arboriculture courses

After doing a day course in Basic Tree Survey and Inspection I really got the idea about learning more to do with arboriculture and forestry. Since being at uni I'd been increasing interested in trees and the day course was so enjoyable that I could have done a week of it without being bored - learning about the body language of trees, tantalising glimpses into what is going on in these magnificent but quiet beings. Speaking to the tutor he put the idea in my head that if I have a passion why not follow it?


So after researching how to get into arboriculture I came up with two options that would give me more knowledge...


1. Do the Arboricultural Association Technicians course - a day-release level 4 course that covers in-depth theory of tree biology, the legal status of trees, how to utilise them, woodland management and so on. Since this is a purely theoretical course I'd have to do then do my CS38 and CS39 tickets as well if I wanted to get into the practical side of arb.


2. Do a National Diploma in Arboriculture at a nearby agricultural college. Given my background in ecology and my work experience, the tutors there feel that I can skip the first year (basic woodland ecology, tree biology and the first few chainsaw units) and go straight in to do the second year, which covers more in-depth biology, tree surveying, pests and diseases, and tree ID, as well as training for CS38, 39 and more tickets.


Now as far as I can see the AA Tech would give me a higher theoretical knowledge which can be well applied to conservation jobs that aren't directly "arborist" jobs. It also fits around employment, and may open the doors to consultancy jobs. However, the ND course (whilst being at a slightly lower level - level 3) does give more theoretical knowledge than I first thought, as well as the very useful chainsaw tickets and an integrated project to be investigated through work experience.


So I think I'll apply for the ND course - one year out of work seems worth it to get my pest and disease ID knowledge, build on the basic tree survey course that I did, do more tree biology, and also pick up the practical qualifications needed for arboriculture work. The plan is to do the work experience with conservation charities to try and integrate the two interests - I'm keen not to follow the easy route into utility arb or tree surgery, but to try and apply what I learn for conservation's sake (e.g. caring for ancient trees that harbour biodiversity, or planting the right trees in the right places, or managing woodland for biodiversity). I suppose I could always supplement that after with an AA Tech certificate to build on the knowledge, especially if I decide after a few years that I'd like to become a consultant or similar; or there's the possibility of doing a distance learning MSc. It should be an encouraging next step.

The beginnings of a blog about trees. And conservation as a career.

OK, so here goes. I've decided to blog about trying to make it as a conservationist, or arborist, or forester, or preferably a mix of the lot. Why am I blogging? To see if anyone else is in a similar situation and to post a bit about things I do and learn.


I studied ecology at university - although beginning my course wanting to do more zoology subjects, I left nearly a botanist. A week after graduation I began a volunteer placement as a practical conservationist, carrying out practical work like coppicing, fencing, scrub clearance, boardwalk building and all manner of other things at nature reserves across South Yorkshire.


Soon after finishing this I was applying for seasonal ranger jobs, and got offered such a role about 250 miles away from my home, up in Ayrshire, Scotland. Living and working on a beautiful country park is without a doubt one of the best things I've decided to do. The variety of work kept things interesting and there wonderful and the atmosphere of living and socialising with other people on the park was brilliant. I further developed my passion for trees by wondering through the stunning woodland gardens on site, identifying and learning as much as I could.


I recorded trees for the Woodland Trust's Ancient Tree Hunt (www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk), did tree work with foresters, monitored biodiversity on the park, taught endless school groups, dressed as both a dinosaur and a witch for various events, and strimmed countless paths and glades. In short, I really enjoyed it, and learnt as much about the flora and fauna there as I could.

After taking a more office-based conservation job at the end of this, I realised I wanted to be doing more work with trees, and learning about them and how to conserve them. This led me to research different courses that could take me towards a forestry or arboriculture job, and I began volunteering with organisations like the Wildlife Trust to learn more about trees and how to work with them. I also decided to go back to seasonal rangering, which gave me a chance to do more work with foresters and learn more about trees, and eventually ended up with a choice between two arboriculture courses that will hopefully further my knowledge of trees. So here goes...