Small Woodland Owners' Group (SWOG)

News & Events

  • Newsletter May 2014

    The bluebell-filled May edition of the SWOG newsletter is out just in time for the bank holiday. This month we have articles on hedging, bench-making and a review of God’s Trees. Hope you enjoy it! The sun and the pleacher man – Rich goes hedging Make a woodland bench in just 10 minutes Review of God’s Trees…

  • Woodland Bee Hunting in the High Weald

    High Weald AONB are putting on an interesting Bee Hunting event running on Friday 9th May, and Saturday 10th May.  Details below.

  • Newsletter April 2014

    The April newsletter is bursting with news and articles. Woodland events and courses  around the country Woodland volunteers – SWOG members David Beaton and Rosemary de Moura explain how volunteers have made an impact on their woodland management. Review of Gabriel Hemery’s book  The New Sylva – and SWOG members qualify for a 30%  discount.  

  • The Sun and the Pleacher Man

    After sitting around for most of the winter, like most people I was going a bit stir crazy waiting for the weather to break so I could get on with some work in the woods.  Top of my list was this roadside hedge restoration, mainly of hornbeam, it had some poorly spaced old stools which…

  • Community Woodland Gathering – North Wales

    Rosie Strang of the Llais y Goedwig network has sent members an invitation to their Community Woodland Gathering.   When: Fri 11th 11.30am – 5.30pm & Sat 12th April 8.30am – 3.30pm.     Where: Plas Newydd, Anglesey

  • Track a Tree – Recording spring in the woods

    Dr Albert Phillimor from the Institute of Evolutionary Biology has sent us news of a very interesting project. They are looking for volunteers to record the seasonal timings of individual trees and flowering plants in our woodlands.

  • Newsletter March 2014

    Packed with useful features, the March newsletter is available here. Sarah Walters discusses woodland management plans, notably the new scheme from the RFS and the ICF. Rich Hare describes how to manage a coppice while living alongside pesky deer. And we have a list of forthcoming woodfairs, amongst other news from the woodland world.

  • Woodland Pond Management Workshop

    High Weald AONB are offering and interesting workshop on woodland pond management.

  • British Bats and Woodland Management Training

    Anglian Ecology are holding a one day training course on British bats and woodland management from 09:30 am until 4:00 pm on Friday February 28th 2014

  • Newsletter February 2014

    The February newsletter is available for download, with plenty of news and features to enliven the dankest of days. We have plans for a SWOG meeting in March, a report on the hopes of the RFS for more rigorous squirrel control and a feature about Marston Thrift, an ancient community woodland in Bedfordshire. We hope…

  • Coppice Tools – Bring and Buy Sale

    From a chainsaw to a billhook, bring along your old tools to sell, swap or barter and buy some-one else’s. If you have anything big to sell let us know and we’ll save you a space (or just bring a photo of it). Saturday 1st February 2014, 10.30 – 4pm Pepenbury, Cornford lane, Pembury, Tunbridge…

  • Meeting at Marston Vale – 2nd March 2014

    Marston Thrift is a community ASNW woodland on the borders of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. It has been worked by a dedicated group of volunteers since 1973 and it is thanks to them that the woodland has been brought back into management and now thrives. The Wardens of Marston Thrift, Clive and Angela Bucknall, have kindly…