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VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER
Proposals to build more runways atBirmingham, Luton and Stansted
airports have been facing the first stage
of public scrutiny in recent months.
The airports' owners have revealed their
intentions in airport master plans, which are
subject to consultation and Woodland Trust
members have been making their views known.
One of the people cheering them on fromthe Trust's Grantham headquarters is head
of campaigns Ed Pomfret. The impact of
aviation on the environment, he explains, is
not just a general one: it poses a particular
threat to woodland.
The proposals at all three of these airports
to build new runways would damage ancient
woodland, and not just because land which is
wooded will be lost to the runways.
Hatfield Forest, for example, near Stansted, is
an important wildlife habitat. There's a huge
amount of nitrogen poured out of aircraft
exhausts, and this acts as a fertiliser for
vigorous plants which will out-compete more
delicate species and may upset the natural
balance of the habitat.
Ed has been encouraging
supporters to respond to
the airports master plans, which are the first
stage of the route which the airport owners
have to go down to get approval.
This stage of the process is now over for
these three airport schemes, but Trust
volunteers will have further opportunities to
help, when the airports submit their planning
applications. Luton's first planning application
will be submitted in the summer, Stansted's
Summer 2006
www.woodland-trust.org.uk/getinvolved
Stop the destruction
News pages 2 & 16
How youve made a million
Ancient trees page 3
Make the oak your icon
Speakers bulletin page 4
Community Woodland
Network page 5
Nelsons playground
Grants up for grabs
In the woods page 6
Keeping it in the family
Good shot! page 8
Tips for top photos
Out of the woods page 10
A secret history
In business page 12
Phenology page 13
Frequently asked
questions page 14
Volunteer
opportunities page 15
Getting in touch page 16
continued on page 12
NickCobbing
With over 340 ancient
woods under threat
on the Woodland
Trusts database
David Goymourexplains what we can
do to help save them
INSIDE
The proposals at all three ofthese airports . . . would damageancient woodland, and not just
because land which is wooded
will be lost to the runways.
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Dear friends
Weve got lots to inspire you in thisissue.
If, like us, youre frustrated to seeconcrete taking the place of naturalgreen in our landscapes, youllappreciate our front cover featurearticle about campaigning.There arelots of simple things that anyone can doto save woods under threat and peoplepower really does work.There arecountless woods that wouldnt be heretoday had it not been for campaigningby people like you.
Our other feature (pages 8 & 9) is for
anyone with a good eye for a picture.The Trust can use pictures in publicityto spread the word and can evendirectly raise money by placing themon woodlandpictures.com.There arealso a few tips on how to get goodresults with a camera.
All in all this newsletter is packed with ahuge variety of ideas and articles tointerest and amuse you. Once again,were really pleased to say thatvolunteers have been responsible for a
huge part of its production.Werelooking to increase this involvement byrecruiting a volunteer editorial assistant.If youre interested, see page 15.
As always, if youd like to contribute tothe next issue in any way, please get intouch with Sallyanne, our editor (seepage 15). Shed love to hear from you.
Enjoy the summer,
Best wishes
The volunteers team
2 email: [email protected] tel: 01476 581111
NEWS
Catch the roadshowThe volunteers team are hitting the road and liaising with local staff tomeet, network and match volunteers to available tasks. Trips to the south
east, north west and north east of England and central Scotland are all
planned this year. If youre in one of these areas look out for your invitation.
We hope to see you soon.
Hello again
From left to right: Julie Reynolds, Carl Hughes, Merle Dekanski
and Karen Lifford
Dering Woodlanders Group has dissolved following the retirement of key
members. They have donated their tools to other groups in the south east
region, and a bench has been placed in Dering Wood as a thank you for their
hard work over many years.
Dering Group closes
WTPL/JamesSimpson
PeterRate
Because youre worth itIn 2005 volunteers across the Trust gave a
staggering 252,000 hours of their time, equating to
a notional worth of just over 1.9 million. Tree for
All and phenology helped push the Volunteer
Investment Value Audit (VIVA) end of year total to
a new high.
The variety of tasks that volunteers participate in
now is so great; from tree planting, wardening and
recording natures events to detailed surveying,
providing legal advice, mentoring staff and many more.
We would like to thank everyone for providing the
information that helps us to gather these results. WTPL/RebeccaWhitley
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ANCIENT TREESWe have teamed up with the Ancient Tree Forum to celebrate ancient trees and do all
we can to conserve them. Read about whats happening in this section and, if youhave internet access, please help keep the discussion forum alive by logging onto
www.ancient-tree-forum.org.uk or www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.ukPage edited by ancient trees volunteer, Phil Marshall
The oak tree is quintessentially English, a symbol ofour natural heritage. From ships to shelter and firewood
to furniture, its been a practical provider for hundreds of
years. Its been an inspiration to many a poet and artist. Its
been an integral part of our natural landscape.
The oaks not our only
national treasure of
course, and maybe we all
take it too much for
granted. Well, nows the
time to find out. In a poll
its up against other
English icons, including
Stonehenge, Londons
Routemaster bus, the red pillar box and even a cup of tea.
Icons: A Portrait of England is a two-year Government-
funded project, where the public is invited to nominate
those things that it treasures most about England.The
mighty oak was one of the
first dozen icons put
forward by leading academic
and cultural figures for
consideration by the public.
Would you vote for themighty oak? To find out
more, visit www.icons.org.uk
and click on your favourite
English icon.
NolKingsley,FRPS,www.noelkingsley.com
Mapping the elm
VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER 3
Click on the IconLike the oak, the elm has a long history and
provides important wildlife habitats for
a variety of species. Over recent
decades, however, weve lost
countless wonderful old elm trees,
victims to disease, violent storms and to peoples actions.
Now you can help by contributing to the Elm Map.This was
launched during Walking Week in 2003, led by the Ramblers
Association and the Natural History Museum in London.
Ramblers have taken part in over 90 walks covering some 500
miles since then, recording hundreds of elms along the way.
As a result of their efforts, the Elm Map has provided our
Ancient Tree Hunt with more than 150 mature elms, including
a smooth-leaved elm in Glemsford, Suffolk with a girth of
some 4.75 metres.
This is an ongoing project, and you can help by entering online
atwww.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk the details of any mature
elm tree that
you know
about or that
you find when
youre out and
about.
Trees under threatElsewhere in this edition youll read about ancient
woodland under threat.This applies to ancient trees too.
The Woodland Trust and the Ancient Tree Forum wantto know of any such tree which is under threat.
Investigations can then be made and consideration
given to what action might be possible to save another
wonderful part of our natural heritage. For more
information visit www.woodsunderthreat.info TedGreen
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With good reasonWe asked our speakers why they do it. Here are a few of the replies
I spent a working life teaching and lecturing, so it is what I do. I love it to bits; meeting lovely,
caring people who tell me all about their woodland experiences.Pam Farley
I used to be a professional fundraiser and wanted to offer my skills as a volunteer. Because
I love woods so much and have visited many of ours, I want to communicate that to others
and enthuse them too.Lesley Nickell
To help inform more people of the value
of woodland, especially on their doorstep
and to educate them on the work of the
Trust. I get a great deal of satisfaction
when I see how interested many
audiences are, especially when they ask
questions and want to follow up the talk
with a site visit.Ian Retson
After a lifetime in woodlandmanagement, I was made redundant
Speaking for the Woodland Trust has
enabled me to use my expertise in a way
that I enjoy.Jim Dickinson
Our Voluntary Speakers Scheme was set up in 1991 by Hilary
Allison who is now the Woodland Trust's policy director. In 2006,
the 15th anniversary of the scheme, membership has grown tonearly 100 and weve got most of the UK covered.
Many of the original joiners are still with us. Our longest servers are:
Derek Brown, Malcolm Carrington, Liz Taylor, Bob Macdonald,Derek Bedford,
Ian Hammerton (see page 5), Peter Cox, James Headford, Graham Worrall,
John Searle, David Farrier, Roger Tolman, John Godber
Thank you all for your years of service and for sharing your passion for
woods with so many people. If we have missed anyone off the list, apologies;
please let us know so we can honour you too.
SPEAKERS BULLETIN
Our network of nearly 100 voluntary speakers all over the UKplays an invaluable role spreading the word about the Trusts work.To find out more about becoming a speaker or if you know of an
organisation or group that might like to book a presentation,contact Nick Sandford on 01476 581135 or email [email protected]
4 email: [email protected] tel: 01476 581111
Happy 15th birthday
Summing upOur annual questionnaire to
voluntary speakers shows that
during 2005,our speakers gave
301 talks to audiences totalling
10,000. Donations following
talks totalled 6,300 the
biggest annual figure we have
ever achieved.
The highest deliverers in
terms of number of talks
were Pam Farley (21), closely
followed by Peter and Rosemary
Dodd (18) (see page 16),
Margaret Anderson (17) and
Mike Hyde (16). But the total
figure was very much a
collective effort so a big thank
you to everyone.
BennetAldous
BennetAldous
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A neglected bramble-
infested woodland near
Lowestoft has been
transformed by a team of
inspired volunteers, but
the wood has alreadyrepaid its saviours many
times over.
When Barry Shimmield
suggested improving
Gunton Wood at a resident's meeting more than a decade ago
he was a retired petroleum engineer who had spent many years
working abroad and had just moved to a pleasant 500 house
estate where he knew virtually no-one.
Today he is chairman of the Gunton Woodland Community
Project. So he has around 200 friends on his doorstep, has put his
retirement to good use by leading a group that has helped bring
social cohesion, purpose, achievement and fun to hundreds of people.
Since its formation the project members have cleared the 21/2
hectare wood and planted around 3,500 trees. They have fenced,
laid paths, provided information boards and have a management
scheme which includes dog waste and litter clearance a product
of their own success as the wood is such a popular place.
Their efforts have also been rewarded with The Queen's Golden
Jubilee Award for volunteer groups and the wood being
designated a local nature reserve, approved by English Nature.
To mark the bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar members of
Lowestoft Sea Cadets planted a large oak, particularly fitting as
Gunton Wood is reputed to have been a childhood haunt ofHoratio Nelson.
Barry and his dedicated
committee deliver regular
newsletters to 180 families and
as spin-offs from the project
there are outings, clothes
merchandising, parties and the
especially popular summer fetes.
Barry acknowledges that over
the years a great deal of help
has come from the Woodland
Trust's Community Woodland
Network in the form of
information and grants both for
new tools and training.
VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER 5
In early 1959 I placed a deposit on a house in
a new estate called Joydens Wood near Bexley
in Kent. My young family and I watched our
home rise up from the clay and we moved in
in time to celebrate fireworks night in themuddy garden. At the bottom of this garden
was a main pathway into the wood.
As my family grew up, our walks there got longer and my interest
in its wildlife deepened. There is so much in the wood and its the
perfect spot to find tranquillity. But by 1986, rumours began to
circulate that part of it was to be sold to another housing
developer. I joined others in suggesting a Save Joydens Wood
Appeal and was elated when in September 1987 the Woodland
Trust acquired the wood.
The night before the opening ceremony, the notorious hurricane
came and by the morning fallen
trees blocked all the entrances to
the wood.Locals rallied together
to form the Joydens Wood
Support Group.
I am the secretary and leader of the
group that still meets weekly today.
Since 1986, as well as helping to keep
the paths open, I have given several
hundred talks about the wood, led
numerous walks and encouraged many children in learning about its
wildlife. All members of the group do everything they can to care
for the wood and raise awareness of its value.
Ian Hammerton has an MBE in recognition of his services to
conservation and is a previous winner of Volunteer of the Year.
COMMUNITY WOODLANDNETWORK
The Community Woodland Network (CWN) supports community groups thatare managing woodland or creating new woods. It offers advice,
networking opportunities and funding.To find out more, call 01476 581155 or visit www.yourwoods.org.uk
My patch Ian Hammerton has had a love affair with JoydensWood spanning a very eventful 45 years
Grants of up to 2,000 are
now available for voluntary
community woodland
groups. Funding can be spent
on tools, training or
promotion of the group.The
closing date is 31 July 2006.
To find out more, visit
www.yourwoods.org.uk
then click on about us and
then visit grants or call the
CWN number above.
Grants up for grabs
GuntonWoodlandCommunityProject
Mandy Hillierprofiles a group that had more reason than
most to mark the Trafalgar Bicentenary
WTPL
Nelsons playground
WTPL/BrianAldrich
Ian Hammerton
Joydens Wood
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6 email: [email protected] tel: 01476 581111
IN THE WOODSIf you go down to the woods today you could find Trust volunteers involved in
all manner of roles ranging from practical tasks, running events, surveyingand generally taking good care of our most special natural places.
Protecting Prehen for posterity
Voluntary warden George McLaughlin
explains how caring for Prehen has been very
much a family affair
It is almost the end of the nineteenthcentury, the place Prehen Woods near
Derry. There is a smell of burning.Young
George Phillips is using the leaves of the
tobacco plant, which grows in abundance around the Knox family
house at Prehen, to try out an old clay pipe.
The young Phillips boy is taking a well-earned break from his duties
working as a herds boy for the Knox family. In an estate of manyhundreds of acres including woodland, pasture land,kitchen gardens
and ornamental gardens, the demands on employees were great.
Young George looks after the cattle and a small herd of reindeer
as well as working in the woodland. As the new century dawns,
he works long hours, learning the ways of the woods, caring for
the animals and respecting the countryside.
In his late teens, love blossoms among the Prehen bluebells with
a girl called Susan Woods. They marry and have a first daughter,
Agnes. She grows up and falls in love with a boy called Jim
McLaughlin. They have a son called George.
Young George, the son of Jim and Agnes and grandson of George
Phillips is reared on mystical, romantic tales about Prehen; the
story of Mary Ann Knox and Half Hanged McNaughton, the old
Colonel, the haunted house and strange figures roaming the woods.
Because of a very close bond with his Granda he develops a
love for the freedom of the fields and the countryside. He meets
and falls for a young teacher called Aileen. They have three
children Declan, Helen and Roisin and six grandchildren.
So what has all this got to do with me, George McLaughlin, being
a woodland warden and conservationist? The answer lies in
my genealogical connection with the woodland
and the emerging generations for which the
future of the woodland has to be secured.
The duties of a woodland warden can be
quite varied. The duty of just being in the
woodland can be a joy in itself, keeping an
eye on it, tidying up if need be and looking after
our woodland animals, especially the red squirrel. All these
tasks are vital, but serious campaigning to protect the many
development threats that have faced the wood has perhaps been
the most important task.
Recently after a walk in the woods I overheard my two
grandsons talking.The younger boy said,Dont trees give oxygen
and help us to breathe? His brother replied, Yes thats right.The
younger brother then asked,Why do the bad men cut down
trees? The older boy said I dont know but wouldnt you thinkthey would know better because by cutting down the trees arent
they killing themselves?.
If the future of our woodlands lies in the questioning and thinking
of these two boys then the future is definitely very bright.
WTPL/GregorFulton
Springtime at Prehen Wood
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VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER 7
Woods Under
Threat Casefile
Name: Pencoedtre Wood
Located: Near Barry,
Vale of Glamorgan
Size: 15 hectares/37 acres
Profile:
The Countryside Council for Wales describes this as one of the mostvaluable woods in southern Wales. It contains 46 ancient woodland
indicator species, far more than is typical for a wood of this size.
Examples include greater butterfly orchid, wood sorrel and dogs mercury.
Threat:9 hectares (23 acres) could be
destroyed to make way for a mixed
housing and industrial development.
This would be by far the greatest loss
of ancient woodland in Wales since theAssembly gave it protection under
planning regulations in 2002.
Action needed:Please write to Vale of Glamorgan District Council urgently, objecting to the
proposal. A sample letter is available fromwww.woodsunderthreat.info
then download a letter from the latest news section or call Mary Wand
on 01476 581102.
For the latest on woods under threat, visit www.woodsunderthreat.info
YoungprideSome young people find school life a
struggle. For them, the future can be
bleak.They are often tempted by crime,
many leave with no qualifications.This
can make it hard to get a job and
crushes their self esteem.
In Swindon and Wiltshire, the
Woodland Trust has been working
with BTCV to implement a scheme
called Positive Activities for Young
People. A group of students betweenthe ages of 13 and 17 have been
visiting woods and working on a range
of practical tasks like putting up signs,
coppicing and building bird boxes.
Giles Aspinall of BTCV says,Theyre
getting a real sense of achievement.
The job always gets done unlike at
school. Theyre learning practical and
social skills like using tools, how to be
a leader and work in a team. These
are going to stand them in really good
stead in the future.
At the end of every task, their pride
is palpable.
At the end of every task,their pride is palpable.
WTPL/GrahamBradley
WTPL/G
rahamBradley
WTPL
Try this
Tyrrels Wood visitors book
Want to know what visitors think
of your wood? Turn to back page
to find out how.
Pencoedtre Wood
Pencoedtre Wood one of the most valuable woods in southern Wales
Another wood is damaged by development
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Do you have training that you could use to help the Woodland Trust?
Here we highlight four very different ways that people are using their
professional skills to benefit the UKs woods
Pauline Howells is a retired accountant whofirst became involved with the Trust when they
acquired a huge area of land near her home
in Fordham, Essex to create a new wood.That was two years ago and shes now
developed an internal audit framework
for the Trust.
This ensures that when the organisation spends money, it is
even more efficiently monitored than before. The framework
also enables other qualified volunteers to carry out an audit.
Such careful housekeeping pleases funders and sees every
penny well spent.
The accountant
Peter Vince, 39, is an independentmanagement consultant from Cambridge.
He has provided mentoring for two
Woodland Trust managers, and has also
helped with team problem-solving.
Mentoring is rewarding because asking
questions from an independent perspective
can often help to uncover different angles and approaches.
And I feel I'm doing something for the Trust that not
everyone could do.
Peter is also a voluntary speaker and gives talks on the
Woodland Trust to groups around Cambridgeshire.
10 email : volunteers@woodland-trust .org.uk tel : 01476 581111
OUT OF THE WOODSYou dont have to be in the woods to help the Trust
The mentor
Q: How did you first get involved?A: I became a trustee in 2001, having responded to an
advert. It was exactly the kind of thing I wanted to do
after working in the City for 20 years. I becamechairman of the Woodland Trust last year.
Q:Whats the role about?A: The most obvious part is chairing the meetings of the
Trusts Council which is responsible for governing andsupervising the Trust. But the chairman is, in some ways,
also a link between the trustees and the chief executive.
Q:What do you enjoy about it?A: Being part of an organisation that is as successful as
the Woodland Trust and helping to ensure that the
Trust can continue to achieve its aims. Most important
is the opportunity to work with such committed and
interesting people.
Q:What moves you about trees and woods?A: Despite living in the capital, I am very lucky to be near a
piece of ancient woodland full of oaks and hornbeams.
There is something really peaceful and beautiful about
many ancient woods and it is truly inspiring to be
creating new woodland for the future.
Like Pauline, Dan Ware, 35, helps theTrusts money go further but his specific
interest is in buying.He is a procurement
specialist from Manchester who works full
time in the financial services sector.
He has helped the Trust to implement aprocurement policy that ensures whatever
we purchase is good value as well as complying with our
ethical policy. His experience couldnt be more relevant as
the company he works for is also an ethical employer. Soon
they will be donating a day of Dans time as he visits the Trust
offices to deliver some training.
The procurement specialist
Name: John Lake
Volunteer role: chair of trustees
Age: 57
Location: North London
Occupation: retired investmentbanker, various non-executive posts
CLOSE U P
The professionals
Nicky Souter, 55, is senior lecturer in
biology at the University of Strathclyde.
In collaboration with the Association for
Science Education, he is writing a book forschools called Nature in a changing climate.
The publication will be offered to teachers
to use as part of the Trusts Nature Detectives project (see
page 13).
Nicky says,Ive found the insight into climate change
compelling and its kept me off the golf course where I do
most of my field observations!.
The lecturer
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1875
1580the kit
chen fed 400 people
with
January 3
rd deliveries i
ncluding beef
venison, wild
boar,swans
,
sparrows, la
rks and blac
kbirds.
1658one pe
nny paid for
every
hogg[sic] f
eedingin the
woods.
1677each villager paidone hen
to the Lord forthe right to
1771 1772 much timber felled for rails,
postsand gates as partof the
process of Inclosures.
four loads
of barley de
livered to
the woods
to feed the
pheasants.
1895
20,000 tree
s planted a
t a cost
of 78-1
5s-6d.
collect wood.
VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER 11
Historical research:
unlocking the secrets of the pastPeter Bloxham, reveals the pleasures of unraveling the history of your local wood
Whilst enjoying a woodland walk, do you ever wonder what secrets the wood holds?What of those undulations and earthworks? Its the old park pale, the boundary
of an ancient deer park. This, in turn, is part of an ancient Royal Forest, once
renowned for vast herds of deer, an abundance of game birds, even golden
eagles: a hunting ground for king and nobility up to the 1700s.
Consider the path you follow. Its an ancient trackway a road before 1800,
dating back to Roman times.
What was that overgrown track passing through the wood? It is the route once
taken by funeral parties for burials at a neighbouring village church, known
over the centuries as Procession Way.
And what do you make of that rocky outcrop, almost hidden at one end of the wood?
Its an example of the oldest rocks in the British Isles,
formed in the pre-Cambrian period, some
700 million years ago.
From old manorial estate records (see left)
we can learn much about life in and around
the woods over the centuries.
Old maps and documents could reveal
the wood existed in the 1600s, making
it an ancient woodland.
These are just a few examples of
the details uncovered by researching
three Woodland Trust woods in
the Midlands, a truly fascinating
activity.
So why not become an
historical research volunteer
for woods in your area?
Those woods will never seem
the same again.
Extracts from
manorial estate records
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67 per cent of employees believe
that employers should offer staff
the chance to donate to their
favourite causes directly from
their salary.
If you are an employee who would like to
give regularly to charity, or you think your company could offer its
staff the opportunity to sign up to payroll giving schemes, then now
is the time. Generous incentives are now being offered by the UK
Government to help set up and support payroll giving.
Payroll giving is a simple, tax efficient way to donate. Payments are
made directly from employee salaries every pay day,providing the
Woodland Trust with the security of a regular source of income.
For more information about corporate partnership
opportunities and payroll giving
visit www.woodland-trust.biz or call 01476 581112.
12 email : volunteers@woodland-trust .org.uk tel : 01476 581111
and Birmingham's at the end of 2006 or early next
year. Ed will be encouraging us to make our views
known to these planning inquiries.
Aviation is one of the key campaigning issues for Ed
and his colleagues. Others include climate change,
ancient trees and individual woods under threat.
The campaigns team have also been working with
members to put the record straight on badgers in the
British countryside. Early in 2006 the Government
consulted experts on how to go about culling badgers,
which Ed sees as a misguided attempt to control
bovine TB.
The scientific evidence, he says, indicates that the way
cattle are kept and moved is a more significant factor
in spreading the disease. The Government'sconsultation exercise is now finished, but hundreds of
Trust supporters made their voices heard and the
campaigns team are waiting to hear if DEFRA (the
Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
takes notice of the overwhelming weight of public
opinion.
Woods under threat
is a key battleground
for the campaigners,
and the Trust has just
launched an
interactive website to
help volunteers.
Campaigns on this subject tend to be locally focussed
and locally driven,but campaigners will have interests and
information needs in common. The Trust has been
developing www.woodsunderthreat.info to support
volunteers' efforts. New interactive features of the
website will enable volunteers to get the information
they need to submit objections to planning applications,
and to link up with others interested in the same issue.
On the issue of climate change, the Trust is developing
a personal pledge where supporters can sign up to
reduce their own carbon emissions and then ask the
Government to take action to do the same at a
national scale.Watch this space.
Take action
Individual action does save woods. By their nature,
campaigns are fast moving so for the very latest ways to
help, see www.woodland-trust.org.uk/campaigns/takeaction.
Take a look at Trees under threat on page 3 and the Woods
Under Threat case file on page 7.We also need campaign
letter writers (see page 15).
continued from front page IN BUSINESS
What your company
could do for us
The value of the supportthe Woodland Trust getsfrom companies is
immeasurable.
Involvement with us
also gives companies
the opportunity to
engage with key
environmental issues.
We have a team dedicated to
forging links with organisations.
Thats where you can help.One of
the best ways of making contact with an organisation is through
employees who already have links with the Trust.
If you think the company you work for might be interested in
exploring opportunities to work with us wed be delighted if you
could encourage the key decision makers to get in touch. Whether
your company is looking to improve its environmental credentials
and reduce its carbon emissions or for ways to engage its staff with
the charity sector, we can tailor make packages to cater for them.
Payroll givingNickCobbing
Partnerships get results.
Sainsbury's Woodland eggs have
raised over 60,000 for our woods.
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PHENOLOGYThe Woodland Trust runs the UK Phenology Network with the Centre for Ecology
and Hydrology. It gathers crucial information about how climate change isaffecting UK wildlife, with the help of over 21,000 recorders.
To become a phenology volunteer, visit www.phenology.org.ukor call 0800 026 9650.
Have you got what it takes to show teachers how
to make the most of our assets?
Nature Detectives is
the junior arm of the
phenology project.
With fantasticresources available
online, it helps young
people to develop a
lifelong love of our
natural heritage. They
can use it to improve
their wildlife
identification skills,
enjoy fun learning activities and get involved in hands
on recording of seasonal events.
Most young people hear about
Nature Detectives through their
school so were looking for people
who can show teachers how to
get the most from the project.
The new volunteer role of In
school trainer will involve running
training sessions for primary or secondary
school teachers. Trainers will be asked to recruit
teachers onto the sessions, organise the events and
present the training.
A typical training session would include explaining the
Nature Detectives project, exploring the online resources
and hosting a practical outdoor session helping teachers to
become more familiar with some of the species recorded
on the scheme.
All you need is some experience of
running events and training sessions,
a little knowledge of environmentaleducation and your own PC with
internet access.
Contact the volunteers team for details.
Our future generations need you!
Teaching the teachers
VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER 13
Name: Jennifer Wright
Volunteer roles: phenology
recorder
Age: 58
Location: Harlow, Essex
Occupation: retired state
registered nurse
Q: How did you first get involved?A: Ive been housebound due to ill health since 1997. In
2002 I fractured my spine and while I was in hospital
my husband died. It took me two years to recover
mentally but by June 2005 I felt well enough to take
up new interests. I came across the Woodland Trust
and now go out on my electric scooter and take noteof the changing seasons.
Q:What do you get out of it?A: I enjoy it so much! I was a very busy person before I
became disabled so I was delighted to find something
I can do now.
Ive got a deeper knowledge of nature now and was
thrilled to receive the charts, books and posters.
I take my seven year old granddaughter out, me on
my electric scooter and her on her toy scooter, and
hunt for the first snowdrops or leaf buds and record
the dates.
Q:What inspires you about woodland?A: When our kids were growing up we visited a forest in
Norfolk that stretched for miles.You went in and
everyone spoke in hushed tones like in a cathedral.
Theres nothing more beautiful or imposing than a
tree in full bloom, its new leaves a luminous green.
The age that trees live to I find fascinating and
humbling. The sheer variety of landscapes in our small
country is awesome and lovely.
C L O S E U P
enaturenote
s
PHENOLOGY
PHOTOGRAPHERSSee pages 8 & 9
StevenKind
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14 email : volunteers@woodland-trust .org.uk tel : 01476 581111
Our woodland officers manage up to 50 sites each. This involves organising budgets
and management plans, liaising with contractors, preparing risk assessments, monitoring the
sites, supporting Trust activities there, consulting with local people and dealing with any day
to day issues that arise.
All in all this adds up to a very busy job. But they are lucky to have several volunteers
assisting them in different ways and you are entitled to some support. In most cases
woodland officers should be able to meet with you at least annually and also provide you
with an up-to-date risk assessment for the site and your role. Depending on your level of
involvement it may be appropriate to meet more frequently.
Woodland officers are available via phone and email but because they are so busy they may
not be able to respond immediately. They do work from home so please respect their
privacy by not passing on their contact details to anyone unless they have said its OK.
Thanks for your patience.
When you first express an interest in volunteering we request information for our
database either through a paper form or an electronic version. This ensures we hold
accurate information about you so we can keep you informed and match you with the
most appropriate volunteer roles.
We never pass your personal details onto outside organisations.
Once we have received this form we dont normally acknowledge receipt to save time and
postage. But we do like to send an acknowledgement email to those people who register
online as they may not have had any personal contact from the Trust until this point.
About once a year, usually to tie in with a mailing of the Volunteer Newsletter, we also send
out an annual update form.This is used to keep your details up-to-date and sometimes we
ask more questions. For example, this year we asked all of our voluntary wardens how many
hours they put in at which woods. We then updated our records with the wood name and
were able to raise our estimates of the time spent volunteering by an average of 21/2 hours
a month for each warden. We can now use this information to help us fundraise.
Yes, please. We ask that you tell either your task manager or the volunteers team
direct. We can then adjust your record so you are not contacted while you are not
volunteering and, where necessary,we make sure that your time is not included in the
Volunteer Investment Value Audit (VIVA) calculations.
We understand there are times you may want to stop volunteering for a while so let us
know if this happens. Equally please let us know if you are ready to start again. That way we
can make sure you are informed of any news, events and opportunities that might arise.
Why do I
sometimes have trouble
getting a quick response
from my woodland officer?
QQ AA
What happens
to the registration and
update forms I fill out?
QQ AA
FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS
Should I let anyone
know if I cant volunteer
for a while because Im ill,
or if I decide to stopvolunteering altogether?
QQ AA
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15/16
they have of the Woodland
Trust. So the role of
receptionist is a very
important and fulfilling one.
We are looking for a pool of
people who could fill in on an
ad hoc basis at our offices in
Grantham. Full training will
be given.This role will suit
someone who enjoys meeting
people and has an excellent
telephone manner.
Phenology
researcher RosehipsPreston, Lancashire
This is a truly fascinatingrole for someone interested
in wildlife and history.
Some of our phenology
recorders have discovered
that, during World War Two
and into the 1950s, the
Ministry for Food encouraged
mainly schoolchildren to
collect rosehips to make
syrup.The Government
VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER 15
We welcome contributions to this newsletter.
Short items or ideas for longer articles can be sent to:
email: [email protected]
post: Sallyanne Flemons, Editor, the Volunteer Newsletter,
The Woodland Trust,Autumn Park, Grantham, Lincolnshire NG31 6LL
Campaignletter writer
UK-wide
Could you add weight toour campaigning by writingletters to appropriate bodies?
Our public affairs team will
be able to advise you on the
hottest topics and who the
letters should be addressed
to.Your role will be vital in
bringing concerns about
environmental destruction tothe attention of decision-
makers and policy specialists.
For more information, read
the feature article on the
front page, and visit
www.woodland-
trust.org.uk/campaigns/
takeaction
ReceptionistGrantham, Lincolnshire
For many people, anencounter with our reception
staff is the first experience
Editorialassistant The VolunteerNewsletterGrantham, Lincolnshire
If you are reading thisNewsletter were sure you
will have an appreciation of
how worthwhile it is! It
keeps volunteers in touch,
provides inspiration and
encourages new volunteers
to come on board.
We are looking for someone
who can help put together
the newsletter by carrying
out administration such as
collating the initial ideas,
chasing content, fact checking
and proofreading. If you
would like to and you have a
talent for it, there is also a
chance to get involved with
editing and writing.
The volume of work will
fluctuate but we estimate the
role will take between 1/2 and
1 day a week.
VOLUNTEER
OPPORTUNITIESIf youre looking for more ways to help the Woodland Trust and develop your talents
here are some vacancies to whet your appetite. There are lots of other ideas throughoutthe newsletter. For even more suggestions and information on how to get involved,
contact the volunteers team or visit www.woodland-trust.org.uk/getinvolved
ordered the production of the
syrup as rosehips were a vital,
cheap source of vitamin C
for the nation at a time when
little fruit was being imported.
Records of collection dates
will show us when rosehips
were ripening in the 1940s
and 50s. We can then
compare them with todays
dates. This will provide us
with important data to
inform our phenology
research (see the
introduction to page 13 tofind out more about the
phenology project).
An internet search has
revealed that two examples
of these county records are
still in existence at some
records offices.We are
looking for someone near
the Preston records office
who can go and sift through
the records to discover
these dates. We will then
collate the results and find
out what they tell us about
climate change.
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NEWS & CONTACTS
16 email : volunteers@woodland-trust .org.uk tel : 01476 581111
...and everyone who provided pictures for free or agreed to be
interviewed. If youd like to help with the next issue, see page 15.
Getting in touch
The Woodland Trust
Autumn Park, Grantham, Lincolnshire NG31 6LL
Tel: 01476 581111 Fax: 01476 590808
BT Textdirect: 18001 01476 581135
email: [email protected]/getinvolved
Name: Peter and Rosemary
Dodd
Volunteer roles: voluntary
speakers and anything else we
are asked to do!
Location: Newcastle upon
Tyne
Occupation: retired
industrial chaplain and volunteercoordinator
Q:What have you done so far?
A: Since retiring together eight years ago,weve givenover 150 talks, help to manage our local woods,
record for phenology (see page 13), provide
photos and have adopted a school to help them
facilitate their environmental education.
Q:Why did you get involved?A: We took up the cause of trees, inspired by what
we saw in Scotland where only 1 per cent of the
ancient Caledonian forest is left. But we also saw
how much remarkable work was being done to
restore it and wanted to help make a difference.
And we love going to woods whatever the weather.
Tyneside is very urban. We need to enthuse people
about trees to meet the overwhelming needs of the
environment in the light of climate change.
Q:Why the Woodland Trust?
A: We feel that no-one else is speaking out nationallyon this subject with authority. Now the Woodland
Trusts name is mentioned consistently when
woodland issues are raised.
Q:What inspires you about woods?
A: Their beauty, variety, longevity and movementinspire awe and wonder. The changing seasons are
uplifting. Trees provide a wonderful habitat within
the cycle of their lives and beyond.
C L O S E U P
A huge thank you to this issues voluntary contributors:
Lost
and found
The credits
Paw prints, Christmas
cards, doodles, dog leads,
wildlife spied, notes to friends
These are just some of the things Pam Veales found in the box
she maintains in Tyrrels Wood in Pulham Market, Norfolk. A
visitors book is kept clean and dry inside, attached with cables
to a bench in a clearing deep in the wood.
Pams been taking delight in checking
the box for several years now and its
really appreciated by visitors who use
it for all manner of things.
People use it to say what they
love about the wood, some to
give messages to friends visiting
the spot, others to draw little
sketches or record wildlife
sightings. Children especially like it
and even dogs sign it. Its been used
as a lost property box too.
Bennet Aldous, cartoonist
Peter Bloxham,
feature writer
David Goymour,
feature writer
Ian Hammerton,
My Patch writer
Mandy Hillier, feature writer
Phil Marshall,
ancient tree page editor
George McLaughlin,
feature writer
John Northover,
feature writer
Frances Nichols,
proofreader