Woodland and Hedges – Sustainable South Brent

Name: Hedges and Woodland Group meeting
Start: 2026-09-02T19:30:00+01:00
End: 2026-09-02T21:00:00+01:00
Location: Old School Community Centre Sustainability Hub

Inaugural Community Tree Planting event scaled back

SSB — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 09:56:50 +0000

Due to the poor weather forecast from mid-afternoon onwards on Saturday 4th January, the Community Tree Planting event has been scaled back to focus primarily on tree-planting.

We’ll start the day with the unveiling of the woodland name at 10am before setting about planting as many trees as we can before the weather closes in at around 1pm. Hot drinks will still be available, but food and children’s activities have been cancelled.

A reminder that limited parking is available at Palstone Recreation Ground, a few minutes’ walk from the planting site. The route will be clearly sign-posted. Wellies and very warm, waterproof clothing will be essential. Do bring a cheery sense of humour and – if you have one – a spade.

Limited parking available at Palstone Recreation Ground TQ10 9PU – What3Words: shock.lushly.sparks. Entrance to tree-planting site – What3Words: someone.snowstorm.amends.

Guided Walk in Penstave Copse

SSB — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 01:37:17 +0000

The Hedges and Woodland Group hosted a lovely walk around Penstave Copse on Sunday 3 November (for more info see ssb.org.uk/event/guided-walk-at-penstave-copse/), with about 50 people who came to learn about the wood.

We talked about the fact that it is temperate rainforest and so an incredibly rare and special habitat, what the group are doing to manage it and how people can get involved.

If you want to know more about the group and our programme of work days, visit our webpage: ssb.org.uk/projects/hedges-and-woodland.

Find out more about the wood, which is owned by the Woodland Trust here: www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/penstave-copse/.

Penstave Copse – Path Closure to manage Ash Dieback

SSB — Fri, 25 Jun 2021 13:26:54 +0000

Penstave Copse – path closure to manage Ash Dieback: Ash Dieback is killing ash trees across Europe. Usually, affected trees are removed along public paths, but the Woodland Trust, which manages Penstave Copse, wants to do things differently, putting trees and wildlife first. Although unfortunately, some ash trees will still have to be removed, they want to close a path, so that trees can be left as deadwood, a unique habitat for fungi, insects, birds and bats and to prevent erosion, they would like to redirect a path away from the river. Penstave’s management plan will be reviewed in July; please email operations@woodlandtrust.org.uk, or call 0330 333 3300 for a summary of the proposed plan or to comment. There will be consultation walks at 10am, 12pm and 2pm on 10 July with assistant site manager Sam Manning, who will explain more about ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus), the impact it is having, and how this management work will contribute to the overall ecological resilience of the wood. If you would like to join the walk, which is part of the consultation for the management plan, see: woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/things-to-do/events/consultation-walk-at-penstave-copse/ for details of how to book a place.

Guided walk in Penstave Copse, Sunday 3rd June 2018

SSB — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 11:24:25 +0000

Guided walk in Penstave Copse, Sunday 3rd June 2018

This was the first walk of this kind, which the ‘Wood Group’ has organised, and it went splendidly. We did everything which was advertised on our poster, and a bit more. Thanks to Mike Ingram, Jeremy Sable, Harry Jennings, Desley White, and John Severn, for putting the various components together.
Jeremy Sable is a professional ecologist, and at our first stop, under a large oak tree, talked about what qualifies as ‘ancient woodland’ and the number and type of indicator species which point to a woodland being long established.
Mike Ingram pointed out some bryophytes [ ? ] and other species living on an oak tree, at our next stop.

Leaving the river behind, we climbed the steps leading up to some of the pasture where the Woodland Trust erected stock-proof fencing last year. Harry Jennings spoke about the use of cattle to graze the grass, and gradually deplete the nutrient levels in the soil. Over time, what should weaken the grasses, and give flowering plants an opportunity to thrive. Mike talked about the tendency for open spaces to fill with trees, over time, if not kept open by grazing or cutting. Jeremy talked about the change from cutting hay, to silage, on farmland, and the loss of plant species, and bird species, over large areas of grassland, which has resulted.

We carried on up the hill, to look at the area at the top, planted in the late 1990s. In the last two winters, the Wood Group have coppiced a corridor running straight up the hill, and we discussed the difference that has made, to the vegetation in that area. We talked about new variant ash dieback, and it’s future consequences, when more than a quarter of Britains’ deciduous trees die.

Returning along the walkway known as Fat Mans Trouble, we were invited to stop for a mug of tea with Desley White, and partner John Severn. They own two fields, and some Dexter cattle which they take to different fields in the locality, to help restore wildflower meadows. The coordination with other landowners is done by the Devon Wildlife Trust. Desley explained how currently, the cattle are short of grass, as most of the meadows are growing a wildflower and grass mix. These fields won’t be cut for hay, or used for grazing, until after mid-July at the earliest, when flower seeds have been set.
Desley showed us a field which was harrowed and hand-sown with wildflower seed-mix, last year. Yellow-rattle, a plant parasitic on grass was evident, and additional seeding will take place later, to increase the diversity within the field. As 97% of British wildflower meadows have disappeared since WWII, these efforts will help support the base of the pyramid, of insect life, and the others in the food chain.

After looking at the cattle, and some stroking of the calves, we departed a little later than planned, after a pleasant and informative afternoon.

Our thanks to all involved.

Guided walk, Penstave Copse, June 3rd, 2:30 departing Village Hall.

SSB — Tue, 15 May 2018 16:19:54 +0000

Penstave Copse, is a 21 acre Woodland Trust site, all less than a mile from South Brent, in the Avon valley. It’s part ancient woodland, part grassland, and part ‘new’ planting of trees about twenty years old. The SSB Hedge and Woodland Group help manage part of it. Some is being grazed to help restore wildflower meadows. For the present, it’s blooming. New variant ash dieback will reduce its numbers of ash trees, and at some point we might need to think about oak processionary moth, and other threats.

The walk will be led by group members who have training and experience in different aspects of woodland and pasture management, who will point out different aspects of the site. The river, trees, bluebells, and other species, make it a lovely place for a walk, and we hope, an interesting place too.

Family Woodland Activity Day on Sunday 29 April 2018

SSB — Wed, 04 Apr 2018 11:01:43 +0000

Family Woodland Activity Day from 11am – 3pm in Railway Wood (on the far side of Palstone Recreation Ground). Come along and have fun! Join in woodland crafts, games, campfire, making things, demonstrations. Organised by Sustainable South Brent Hedges & Woodland Group. Free entry NB. children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Hedges and Woodland

tissandier — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 16:35:25 +0000

To view our Summer 2026 programme of activities click here (opens or downloads as a .pdf)

For more info contact: woodgroup@ssb.org.uk

Click here to access SSB Project management documents

Click here to access relevant SSB Policy documents

Here in South Brent we are fortunate to live surrounded by fields, hedges, and trees. The Hedges and Woodland group aims to help sustain local wildlife habitats, to make better use of potential woodfuel and enjoy ourselves in the process. We continue learning and developing our skills, and our group is evolving over time.

We have had training from the Devon Rural Skills Trust, and collaborate with the Woodland Trust and some local landowners.

We are open to new people, and to new ideas

woodgroup@ssb.org.uk

Photos
Our Activities
Get Involved
Wood Fairs
How our group started
Events

View More Photos

Our Activities

Penstave Copse and coppicing

Coppicing is an ancient woodland management technique that takes advantage of regrowth after felling. Traditionally coppiced wood had thousands of uses and is still used today for firewood, charcoal, hurdle fencing, gates and plant supports, furniture, cutlery and other household wares.

Coppicing benefits wildlife by producing habitat piles and allowing light to reach the ground flora. SSB Hedges and Woodland Group is a partner in the management of Penstave Copse (Woodland Trust). Coppicing will continue each winter on a 20 year rotation according to the site management plan.

We seek to increase traditional management of local woodlands and are always keen to hear from local landowners.

Hedging or 'steeping'

Hedging or ‘steeping’

Hedgelaying, or steeping as it is known in Devon, is the traditional way to manage hedgerows for stock-proofing and benefits wildlife by encouraging a flush of new growth and providing varied habitat.

Steeping involves partially cutting woody stems so that they can be laid horizontally. Living bark is carefully left connecting the stem to its base to allow sap to rise and allow continued growth.

Woodfuel

The wood harvested comes from our coppicing and hedgelaying activities and consists of hardwood species such as oak, hazel, sycamore, ash and holly. Tree trunks and large branches are processed by a hydraulic wood processor and seasoned for two years at the Marsh composting site. Smaller branches are often overlooked for firewood but nevertheless burn well. The group borrows a wood ‘chunker’ which enables us to process the smaller wood into convenient sized chunks which are bagged up.

The group shares the firewood extracted from hedges or from coppicing amongst themselves and any surplus is sold at The Marsh.

Get involved

When?

Throughout the winter, from October to the end of February this sub-group of SSB meets on a fortnightly basis. Currently, we have a ‘steward’ system, where we rotate responsibility, and the steward will offer instruction and/or team-up a beginner with a more experienced person.

Where?

The venue changes and lifts are arranged for each session.
Click here (.pdf) to see our current (Spring 2026) programme of activities

or e-mail woodgroup@ssb.org.uk for more details.

How?

We have tools, waterproof hi-viz jackets, first-aid kit, and a risk assessment is completed on each outing.

It is best to wear warm and fairly tough clothing. A hat, boots and gardening gloves or gauntlets are advisable to keep warm and protected. Bring a hot drink and food if working all day.

There are a variety of jobs suitable for all skills and abilities. Everyone is welcome but children must come with a responsible adult.

Occasionally chainsaw work will be necessary but this is never carried out during a public session. A fully trained, certificated and insured person carries out this work before or after our sessions.

Other activities

We occasionally organise woodland activity days for families, visits to interesting local woodlands, hedging competitions and other groups.

Risk Assessments

Our activities are carefully Risk Assessed in line with SSB’s Health & Safety Policy and the Hedges and Woodland Risk Assessment can be downloaded HERE

How our group started

SSB earliest public meeting in 2007 resulted in a number of people expressing points about Trees and Woodlands. This was mainly directed at Woodfuel potential and Woodland use for recreation, traditional craft and Forest School type education. The group has in the past been involved in tree planting/seed collecting and organising visits to local Woodlands.

In 2013 Dartmoor Circle put together a ‘toolkit’ and obtained funding to inspire the formation of a number of new Woodfuel from Hedges groups in South Devon. The toolkit contained a template agreement between landowner and group, tree ID guides and practical information about tree management, as well as covering issues such as insurance.

Later that year SSB obtained Awards for All funding, some of which was used to support the new group by buying in expert tuition from Devon Rural Skills Trust, and to purchase billhooks, saws, loppers, hatchets, and more. It also helped fund the highly successful Wood Fair in 2014 (see above).