Volunteers from Sustainable Crediton's woodland and hedgerow group are looking for local areas of small woodland to manage next winter using the ancient craft of coppicing.

Team leader Charles Mossman explains,"Coppicing goes back many hundreds of years and is a completely sustainable system for managing small deciduous woodland for a number of different products including firewood, stakes and thatching spars whilst helping to support our natural flora and fauna."

"Last winter we successfully coppiced part of a neglected wood and re-laid an overgrown hazel hedge on a farm near Zeal Monachorum," continued Charles. " The landowners were tremendously pleased with the result having been anxious to use traditional methods of conserving these historic landscape features. Now we're on the look out for a new project to start next winter somewhere in the Crediton or mid-Devon area."

As part of Sustainable Crediton, key members of the group have been trained to safely use chainsaws to City and Guilds forestry standards and are fully insured. The benefit to woodland and landowners is an experienced team of volunteers who simply enjoy working outside and practising the skills required to get a good result.

"All we ask in return for our work is that we get to keep some of the coppice wood ourselves as a source of sustainable firewood - and perhaps a cup of tea every now and again!" said Charles.

Coppicing, tree clearance and hedgerow management work takes place over the winter months from October to March but the group is keen to survey potential sites now. Landowners with small woodland areas, particularly ash, oak, hazel and chestnut, or with suitable hedges requiring restoration can contact the group via the Sustainable Crediton website: or email Charles Mossman on info@sustainablecrediton.org.uk. The group also welcomes new members wishing to join as volunteers.