News
HomeCheck out the educational video from Howies BSW Sawmill -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-xLdqLaVXc
The 7th European Forest Pedagogics Congress 2012 is being held in Scotland . The congress is being hosted in partnership by Forestry Commission Scotland, Forest Education Initiative, Livingclassrooms and the Forest Communicators Network. The theme will be Working in Partnership to deliver Sustainable Development Education.
The conference will take place at the Hilton Hotel Dunkeld in beautiful Highland Perthshire http://hilton.co.uk/dunkeld . Procedings will begin with an evening reception on October 2nd with a full conference programme on the 3rd and 4th October. The Conference fee will be £165 for 2 nights dinner, bed and breakfast and 2 days conference in a twin room (£265 for single occupancy). Field trips will be available as an optional extra on the 5th October.
FOR FULL INFORMATION AND TO BOOK PLEASE CLICK HERE.
You will find information on the workshops here.
To assist those coming from overseas to find public transport links - http://directgov.transportdirect.info
Please note the closest airport is Edinburgh Airport and the closest train station is Dunkeld and Birnam Rail Station - the hotel will pick you up from the rail station. The hotel is near the village of Dunkeld.
FEI Wales is offering a special grant of £250, which is available to all cluster groups to organise their own ‘Woodland Olympics’ during the period of the Olympic Games.
Please see the Woodlands Olympics flyer for more information.
Please click on the link below to read the first FEI newsletter for 2012/13, which includes information about the FEI co-ordinator role, this year’s partnership fund, small grants and forthcoming events.
At the beginning of May, Kim Burnham, will be moving to a new job within Forestry Commission Wales. Kim, who has been FEI Co-ordinator for three years, said, "I would like to thank you all for your help and support over the last few years and for helping to make FEI the success it is within Wales."
Kate Jones will be offering temporary support until a new FEI Co-ordinator is appointed. Many of you know Kate who currently supports the Radnorshire, Montgomeryshire and South Powys cluster groups.
Kate's contact details are: kate.jones@forestry.gsi.gov.uk, Tel 0300 068 0300 or 07768 457 292.
From the 1st April 2012, The Forest Education Network, will be developed and run by the partnership of the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom (CLOtC) and Fiona Groves, the Natural Route. This will help raise the importance and contribution of forest education to the wider approach to outdoor learning, and allows forest educators to benefit from the progress already made in establishing support mechanisms for learning outside the classroom.
Priorities for the FEN will be to bring those with an interest in forest education together; promote the sharing of good practice; improve communication and help raise opportunities for, and standards in, delivery. One of the initial tasks will be to seek the views of Cluster Groups, organisations and individuals with an interest in forest education with a view to agreeing direction for the FEN over the coming years.
Fiona Groves is the new Forest Education Network (FEN) Coordinator for England. The priority for the FEN at the moment is getting a good database set up so please let me know if you want to be added as there is a short Database form and agreement to fill in - you can contact Fiona at fen@lotc.org.uk.
The host for the network is the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom (CLOtC) and Fiona will be working in collaboration with them and be the main delivery contact for the Network. Beth Gardner, Chief Executive of the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, is thrilled that CLOtC has been selected to host the FEN: “The work of the Forest Education Network aligns perfectly with all that we are trying to achieve as the national voice for learning outside the classroom, in helping to provide all young people with the opportunity to experience life and lessons beyond the classroom walls as a regular part of growing up”. The FEN will aim to build on the valuable work done by FEI in the past to help delivery on the ground and will:
· Promote the wide range of learning experiences related to trees, woods and forests, including those offered by Forest School and in the wider forestry and timber sector; and advocate the value of these educational experiences.
· Support delivery on the ground, act as forum for exchange, share good practice, improve communication and help raise standards of practice.
· Work in collaboration with members of FEN, inputting their ideas and expertise into the development of the network and provide a collective voice to influence policy and practice.
We are keen to establish a regular bulletin/newsletter with contributions from those in the network (Forest Schools, woodland initiatives, educational resource providers and those in the timber chain right through to shop floor). and hope to be in touch with you about how the network could develop, look at opportunities to get together at a local level and work on projects and funding sources in collaboration with others.
Fiona is an experienced forest educator, having spent a career developing forest education services on the ground; and providing training and support resources in the development of forest and wide environmental education.
She had a central role in developing the Forest School Quality Improvement Framework (FSQuIF) with FEI and its adoption by CLOtC within their Quality Badge framework.
There are many questions from Cluster groups as we go forward to the new FEN particularly as partnership funding and the FEI groups will not exist in England under the new arrangements. Just for information, a couple of groups have chosen to become a CLOtC Network group as this gives added benefits and can represent those working under the wider umbrella of learning outside the classroom. We will of course be looking for a way to recognise any forest education work as a specialist area within those groups. A couple of other groups are thinking of becoming independent in the meantime and are keen to stay registered on the database. There is no set approach and of course it is understood that some groups that are Forest School orientated may align with the new National Governing Body as it emerges and we will be keeping you in touch with developments on that. If you have any questions or would like some advice regarding the options open to you please do not hesitate to contact Fiona or the CLOtC Network Coordinator who will be happy to talk it through.
Fiona has of course met many of you in the past and looks forward to working with you in order to build on the work of the FEI and help more young people access good quality and inspiring educational experiences.
FEI England will become Forest Education Network from 1st April 2012. Please see the England page for further information.
The Forest Education Network (FEN) is the successor body to the Forest Education Initiative (FEI) in England as from 1st April 2012.
Forests for the Future is designed for upper Primary learners 10 –12 years, in England and Scotland, to explore the local and global issues surrounding climate change and sustainable development. There is a focus on the role that trees, forests, and people can play in reducing and/or mitigating any negative impacts.
The Forests for the Future resource seeks to encourage teachers and their learners outdoors – using local trees, parks and woodland areas (private and public) to help understand climate change issues, the value of trees in the carbon cycle, and what individuals and schools can do to make a difference.
This resource has been produced and presented by The Crown Estate, in partnership with Forestry Commission Scotland, Forestry Commission England, Forest Research, and the Royal Highland Educational Trust, adapting and using the original material and activities developed by Westonbirt Arboretum.
To launch the Carmarthenshire FEI Cluster Group and to celebrate the International Year of the Forest, we are holding a FREE TREES Event at Carmarthenshire County Council's Llyn Llech Owain Country Park on Saturday 18 February 2012 from 12:00 to 3:00 pm.
Members of the Dyfi FEI group have created a new resource pack as a way of drawing together and sharing their expertise and woodland knowledge.
The pack was trialled on local primary and secondary, then adapted according to their feedback.
Training days will be provided for teachers to enable them to use this new exciting resource effectively.
The pack can be downloaded from the resource section of this website.
The 2012 Welsh National Networking Day was held at Gregynog Hall on March 23rd. The day was a great success, the sun shone on the seventy delegates who all enjoyed the various workshops. The most common comment on the feedback forms was, "hold more events, two or three times a year".
Syrcas- Circus a member of the Ynys Mon cluster group have just been successful in getting an Engagement Gateway project grant. This will help them restore a negelected woodland and train "economically inactive" people of all ages in woodland activities. To book a place, get further information or volunteer to help, please contact James on 07721 687905 or james@syrcas-circus.co.uk
Following on from the success of the International Year of the Forest grant last October, FEI Wales has agreed to offer another small grant in 2012/13 to celebrate the Olympics coming to the UK. The grant will be £250 and evry cluster in Wales will be able to claim this to fund an event themed around "Woodland Olympics".
The deadline for all Partnership Fund Applications for the upcoming February round is February 1st, all applications after this date will be defferred until the June round. Please contact your FEI coordinator before submitting the application to ensure that the form is completed correctly.
A whole selection of FEI Project Reports from Scotland cluster groups have been uploaded for your inspiration.... Using the resource search at the bottom of the page search keyword Project Report to see the full list of project reports available. These are to give other cluster groups ideas and inspiration. Also uploaded is a HSE report of an FEI project visiting Riding saw mill.
The FEI Annual Review has just been published for 2011, you can download a copy here.
Attached are the reviewed draft Forest school principles and criteria. Please feedback your thoughts by October 15 to Erica Wellings at erica.w@outdoor-learning.org. To read the minutes of the last ngb steering group, click here and to download the Forest School principles document, click here
In 2010 D & G FEI was granted £1,200 from the carbon action fund allocated to Gatehouse community to use for forest schools with famiies and woodland walks with nursery.
In our original application we said we would make a film as part of the project and this is it filmed directed and edited by a couple of very able local teenagers.
The forest school bit is at minute 6 if you don't watch the whole thing.
http://www.youtube.com/user/CarbonProjectFilm?blend=2&ob=5
The report for the FEI Scotland Networking Event , May 2011 is now available. Handouts and details of workshops have been uploaded to the resources section. The report can be found here.
The final Review of FEI 2011 is now available to download here. This research was conducted by Forest Research and examined the role, structure and history of FEI over the last 20 years.
http://www.foresteducation.org/woodland_learning/forest_schools/
FEI have developed two new sets of resources. We have produced a series of Tree Measuring sheets which progress the learner from the easy to the complex. There are three sheet - Tree Measuring 1, Tree Measuring 2 and Tree Measuring 3. Our new activity postcards covering subjects such as Den building, Jounrney Sticks, Seed Dispersal and more and also available in the resources section of the website.
Don't forget to check out the resources and freebies such as posters, postcards, pencils, factsheets and case studies provided by the FSC-UK. Get involved in FSC Friday an annual celebration of responsible forestry - it will be on September 30th this year - go to FSC website at http://www.fsc-uk.org/?page_id=100 for further details.
FEI have produced a series of exciting new learning resources - a Tree Measuring progression for all ages - progress from the simple to the complex methods of measuring trees, and a series of activity Postcards. These are all available now in the resources section of the website.
Falkland Centre for Stewardship carried out this project under contract to the Forestry Commission, who wished to pilot a five-day work placement Introduction to Forestry Course. The aim was to promote to young people opportunities to work outdoors with trees and forests, to inspire them to consider a future career in forestry, and to give them a sense of achievement. The short report is available here. If you would like a copy of the full report please contact Bonnie.Maggio@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
Here is some information on a variety of grants that are currently available and may be useful for Forest Education Initiative Cluster Groups.
Click here to download.
The Scottish Government has announced that its 2011-12 Science Engagement Grants scheme is now open for applications. Grants of up to £40,000 are available through the scheme to encourage scientists to meet and discuss their work with the public, promoting science's contribution to the economy and culture, and inspiring our next generation of scientists. Projects that receive funding may give members of the public the chance to meet scientists to discuss their work or debate new scientific developments; take science activities into communities across Scotland, for example through public events; highlight contemporary examples of Scottish excellence and innovation in science, engineering and technology, from industry or the research base; and promote science careers and strengthen young people's experience of science at school. Previous projects supported include the Institute of Physics for 'Lab in a Lorry Scotland', a mobile science lab that takes hands-on physics experiments to 70 secondary schools and Café Scientifique Glasgow which received a grant of £1,380 for 'Café Scientifique', monthly public discussion events in Glasgow providing opportunities to meet scientists and discuss their work to an audience of around 600 during the year. The closing date for applications is 1pm on the 1st March 2011.
Click here for further information.
The Big Tree Plant is a campaign to encourage people and communities to plant more trees in England's towns, cities and neighbourhoods. It is a partnership bringing together national tree-planting organisations and local groups working with Defra and the Forestry Commission to plant trees throughout England.
Anybody can get involved by planting and caring for trees to help make neighbourhoods more attractive, healthy places to live. There are grants available to groups - ideal for FEI cluster groups
We have just uploaded some proformas for FEI Cluster Groups to use with their membership schemes and resource directories.
Please note that these are suggested forms and should be adapted for use with your local Cluster Group.
A Membership Form Proforma, Membership Benefit Proforma and a Resource Registration Proforma are available here.
The Sustainable Development Commission is pleased to announce the release of a new report: Improving Young People's Lives: The role of the environment in building resilience, responsibility and employment chances. This report proposes a green thread through policy and practice, where the impact of the environment is considered alongside social and economic factors – the building blocks of sustainable development. To date, this has been the missing element in most policy making for young people, and is only sporadically evident in local delivery. It demonstrates how taking this broader approach can improve outcomes for young people, whilst supporting the Government's aims for a Big Society and being the 'greenest Government ever'. See below for further details.
A full copy of the report can be downloaded from: http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/publications.php?id=1113.
FEI are working closely with the Scottish Forest Industries Cluster to improve on vocational and careers information in schools and to give young people the opportunity to have work experience in forestry. There are several pilot projects underway being delivered by Forestry Commission Scotland including a Workshop for Career Advisors and an “Introduction to Forestry” pilot course for secondary school students. These will help form models for FEI groups to use in future years.
For further information about careers and opportunities within the forestry sector, please visit www.thedoorway.org.uk
Below are a selection of resources that may be useful when it comes to employment in the forestry sector.
Work Experience and how employers can get involved
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/14-19/documents/workexperience
The work-related learning guide - First Edition
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/14-19/documents/work-relatedlearningguide.pdf
The work-related learning guide - Second Edition
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/14-19/documents/work-relatedlearningguide_2.pdf
Diploma in Environmental and Land-based Studies
Diploma ELBS, Lantra, Lantra House, Stoneleigh Park, nr Coventry, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG
Email: connect@lantra.co.uk
Tel: 0847 707 8007
Diploma support programme
http://www.diploma-support.org
Worcester Education Business Partnership
Forestry Commission - Our People videos - various employees talk about what they do
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-7pslaf
The Doorway - portal to careers in trees and timber
http://www.thedoorway.org.uk/hybrid.asp?typeCode=174&pubCode=18
UPM Forest Life - interactive virtual tour of a Finnish Forest
(UPM operates in the UK and manages many UK forests)
http://w3.upm-kymmene.com/upm/forestlife/index.html
Firrs - exploring the science and engineering of wood
http://www.cte.napier.ac.uk/firrs/links.php
A Future in Trees and Timber - what its like working in this sector
http://www.ajobin.com/TreesandTimber/
FEI Scotland ran a pilot workshop last year on Biodiversity in Woodlands. The full resource with programme, activities, evaluation etc. is now available on the FEI website for you to download and use with your schools/groups and friends. It can be found by searching on Biodiversity in the Learning Resources.
