Small Woodland Owners' Group (SWOG)

News & Events

  • Newsletter June 2014

    Celebrate the first hint of warmer weather with the latest SWOG newsletter. Featured this month: Ash dieback news – how woodland owners can help Revival of the Woodland Improvement Grant Making a wooden mallet Tarrel Wood – ‘downsizing’ to 60 acres in Scotland And the regular summary of activity on the Forum, forthcoming woodfairs and…

  • Heartwoods – bringing woodlands into management

    Will Tomkins from the Small Woods Association has sent us information on a scheme which would help owners of unmanaged wood in the West Midlands. For more detals contact the number below directly.

  • Charcoal making course

    Ian Baldwin is a  woodman based near Guildford in Surrey who, as part of his business, makes charcoal.  This is an excellent, if rather labour intensive use of wood which may have little other value, for instance small diameter wood which is unsuitable for firewood, can go in the kiln. If you’re managing your woodland…

  • 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