Children, Schools and Woods

[Ryan]

Hi forum - first post from a person very close to taking the plunge and buying a wood. Any advise will be seen as favourable and welcoming.

I have small children of my own, plus I am a primary school teacher. My intention is to use the woods for enjoyment with my family, but to also offer school trips to the woods to get primary aged children more hands on with wildlife, conservation and nature.

Having spent quite a few years in education I feel that the children would relish the idea of getting involved in a woodland project, or to just visit a wood that can be enjoyed in a safe environment.

I know for fact my children would thoroughly enjoy it but I am thinking a little wider and opening it out to a bigger audience.

My initial concerns are one of liability insurance, toilet facilities and no water! But I am sure with a little more thought these could be only small hurdles (hopefully!).

I have a vision in my head on how this would take shape but I am not sure if I am being realistic.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

[tracy]

Hi Ryan

That all sounds great - and you are so great, school kids love it. I am a primary school teacher too - I do supply now and I get to bring kids to the woods.

I am paid for a days supply -not for the use of the wood, and the school brings its own insurance, risk assessments, first aider and sufficient adults. I simply lead the day. Works very well and the kids have a ball! My one concern was that now all the kids would know where my woodland is and might decide to come on weekends with friends and older family, but there is no sign of that happening.

We have dug a big hole and made a frame with a toilet seat, put a toilet tent around it. I believe proper composting loos are not hard to make. When it is a school day I take large water containers up, with hand washing stuff and some anti bac. hand cream stuff.

You can see some stuff about the school visit here:

http://peplers.blogspot.com/2008/12/school-visit.html

with of course no pictures of the kids, and in the video you can't see who they are under the coats!

You could look into forest school stuff, I found the training too expensive and too much paperwork. As I have one school visiting, where I do my supply work, this works for me. We don't do it very often, and if you are planning on doing it a lot, you may need to look at any 'change in use' clauses and how lots of kids would affect other owners.

Let us know how you get on and welcome to the world of woodland ownership ;-)

[Ryan]

Thanks for your Tracy - I appreciate your comments (from a fellow colleague as well!!)

Still got some reservations, finding the ideal place for a start. Seen a couple of ideal woods but really would like something more close to home but Essex seems to be lacking on the woodlands front!!

Not sure I want to go down the Forest School to start - would just like children to see the outdoors more and what a great way.

I need to look more at what is allowed to be erected. I have a good idea, over 5 acres - 3 caravans, sheds etc but I am looking more at a Summerhouse type building - nothing large but more appealing on the eye.

More research needed on my part but still very keen to buy this year.

If you know of an Essex wood, do please let me know!!

Thanks again for your help.

[tracy]

We have a meeting in July about buildings in woodlands, I suggest you come along. The last thing you need is to put up some structures and then find they are illegal - or put in 3 caravans and get loads of complaints from trespassers! As far as I am aware, summer house type place will be denied, perhaps unless you did actually go down the formal forest school route. I found it much easier not to.

Also, contact woodlands.co.uk ([email protected]) to tell them what you are looking for, and get on to their mailing list. Then you will hear about new woods pretty quickly and they might be able to tell you about some coming up.

Hope you find one!

[Ryan]

Thanks Tracy - I have emailed jason

Can you give me details of the July meeting please?

Thank you

[tracy]

Hi Ryan, make sure I have your email address (send it to me, [email protected]) for the next newsletter has a lot of information in it about it - but you can also see the details here:

http://www.swog.org.uk/forum/topic.php?id=239

11th July, Flimwell. Hope to see lots of you there, very few have booked your places.... ;-)

[Exeldama]

Just a thought as im am also in the process.

"water".. personally i intend to capture rain water, boil it up and filter it. I have done this for years as i have camped in odd places, by rivers, woods etc. If you took some spare containers to you would have a back up. Try solar stills.. (see Ray Mears).

Thinking of shelters, im all for kids getting dirty and basic...so how about getting some curved sheets of corrugated iron..sinking them into the ground, then covering with soil thus allowing nature to both insulate them and reclaim them. They would look like Telly tubby homes and blend into the wood if well done. Depends how many kids i guess.

Fun just thinking about it.

[Ryan]

Thanks for the info Tracy - I will email you today.

I like the corrugated iron idea and more importantly the children would as well !!

As I previously said, I have a vision in my head, it's just getting there.

I think I have made my mind up to go for a wood, it's just finding the right one at the right price.

Location for me is key. I would rather wait for the right one, rather than buy one I will regret.

I really do like the look of the Brant River Wood (www.woodlands.co.uk/buying-a-wood/east-anglia/brant-river-wood) but it's in Lincolnshire and that's too far from me.

Anyway, thanks again for all your help, please feel free to add some more!

Enjoy your Sunday afternoon

[Darren]

We have a forest school in out woods.

[Ryan]

Hi Darren - could you tell me a little more about that please?

Do you have a website that I can take a look at?

Thanks for any help