Training & Events

This one-day course is designed for those who want an introduction to the safe use and maintenance of chainsaws. The number of participants is limited to four to provide in-depth tuition. The techniques of cross-cutting will be covered but the course does not cover felling. Chainsaws and protective equipment are provided for use during the course.

This course receives funding from the Landskills South East Programme, part of the Rural Development Programme for England. If you work in farming, forestry or production horticulture in the South East you may be eligible for the subsidised fee. For more information about the eligibility criteria please contact us on 01273 892052.

This one day practical course is for anyone interested in making a traditional Sussex trug.

Your tutor, Charlie Groves, is one of the few traditional trug makers in Sussex. Charlie runs The Trug Store and teaches this course specifically for Woodnet. This is a full day, intensive course using hand tools and is quite physically demanding. You will make your own Sussex trug from sweet chestnut and cricket bat willow – all materials are supplied.

This course receives funding from the Landskills South East Programme, part of the Rural Development Programme for England. If you work in farming, forestry or production horticulture in the South East you may be eligible for the subsidised fee. For more information about the eligibility criteria please contact us on 01273 892052.

This course is for anyone interested in learning how to work with green/ freshly felled wood to make a range of products. If you own or manage woodland it will open up opportunities to use your produce creatively for your own use or to sell. Those interested in learning traditional crafts will also find the course inspiring. John Waller, your tutor for the day, has many years of experience working green wood. John will demonstrate the techniques, tools and materials to convert green wood into many and varied products such as candlesticks, spoons and dibbers and will show you what you can aspire to including chairs, stools and benches. This is a practical hands on day with plenty of time to practice your new skills in cleaving, shaving and pole lathe turning while you make a small item of your own.

This course receives funding from the Landskills South East Programme, part of the Rural Development Programme for England. If you work in farming, forestry or production horticulture in the South East you may be eligible for the subsidised fee. For more information about the eligibility criteria please contact us on 01273 892052.

This five day course organised by Woodnet and Plumpton College at Flimwell is for those interested in learning how to construct an oak framed building. This is a practical hands-on course with participants working together to construct and erect an 8ft by 10ft frame with a roof. You will learn the main skills required to lay out the frame, mark and cut the joints, construct the roof, make the pegs, and erect the frame. The course uses hand tools with demonstration of the use of power tools. Your tutors, Chris Nutley and Will English of Sussex Oak Framers, will guide you through the week, teaching you the practical skills and explaining the stages in planning and managing a timber frame project.

Learn how to make charcoal on this one day practical course. You will find out about the history of charcoal making, load and light different types of kiln and see the burning process. Advice on selecting wood, sourcing and making kilns and marketing charcoal will be given. You can take a bag of charcoal home. No previous experience required.

This course receives funding from the Landskills South East Programme, part of the Rural Development Programme for England. If you work in farming, forestry or production horticulture in the South East you may be eligible for the subsidised fee. For more information about the eligibility criteria please contact us on 01273 892052.

This course is designed for anyone interested in generating income from coppice woodland by selling or using produce. Learn about the uses of different coppice trees for fencing, charcoal, crafts, logs, construction etc; find out which lengths and sizes are required for different products, and learn how to harvest, store, market and sell your wood. Tim Saunders from Rother Forestry will guide you through the process from cutting, to storage and sales. Tim has a wide range of experience in the harvesting, storage and marketing of coppice and woodland products in the South East.

This course is funded by the LandSkills South East Programme, part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE). If you work in farming, forestry or production horticulture in the South East you may be eligible for the subsidised course fee. For more information about the eligibility criteria please contact us on 01273 892052.

This course is designed for anyone interested in learning how to manage woodland using hand tools as an alternative to or in addition to using machinery. Your tutor, John Waller, will explain the woodland management activities that can be carried out by hand and the benefits of using hand tools. You will learn how to fell and cut trees safely and deal with them efficiently on the ground. John will demonstrate how to coppice and fell using hand saws, billhooks and axes; how to use ropes; and how to cleave and cut felled timber. You will be able to practice the techniques individually and as a group.There will also be advice on buying, selecting and maintaining tools. The course will be in the woods at Flimwell.

This course receives funding from the Landskills South East Programme, part of the Rural Development Programme for England. If you work in farming, forestry or production horticulture in the South East you may be eligible for the subsidised fee. For more information about the eligibility criteria please contact us on 01273 892052.

A first aid course aimed specifically at those involved in farming and forestry / woodland management.

This one-day course delivers the 'Emergency First Aid at Work' course to HSE guidelines with a certificate valid for three years. The course is delivered by Vital First Aid Ltd.

This course receives funding from the Landskills South East Programme, part of the Rural Development Programme for England. If you work in farming, forestry or production horticulture in the South East you may be eligible for the subsidised fee. For more information about the eligibility criteria please contact us on 01273 892052.

This new course is aimed at those new to woodland management – those who have recently bought or started to manage a wood, those thinking of owning or managing woods and those involved in community woodlands. The course will provide you with knowledge and skills to help you identify what you have in your woodland and how you would like to manage it. You will learn how to prepare a simple management plan, where to seek further advice and support, and ways of carrying out work in the wood. The course, led by Tim Saunders of Rother Forestry, will comprise indoor presentation and discussion with outdoor sessions in the woods at Flimwell.

This course is funded by the LandSkills South East Programme, part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE). If you work in farming, forestry or production horticulture in the South East you may be eligible for the subsidised course fee. For more information about the eligibility criteria please contact us on 01273 892052.