Silk Wood Spring Fair in the Cotswolds

See traditional woodland coppicing at this Cotswolds event.

Celebrate traditional woodland management and witness the skills of professional coppice workers at Westonbirt Arboretum’s upcoming Silk Wood Spring Fair.

The fair will be taking place from Saturday 5 to Monday 7 May 2012, and will feature a number of demonstrations such as clog making, saw milling, wooden flower making and more.

Organisers said that traditional woodland coppicing has taken place in Westonbirt’s Silk Wood for more than 700 years.

They added: ‘Coppicing cuts trees to ground level and manages the new shoots to a usable size before cutting again. This style of woodland management is also beneficial to wildlife as it opens woodland areas for different plants and animals to thrive in.’

Visitors will have the chance to browse and buy a number of products at the fair that have been handmade using materials from The National Arboretum’s own Silk Wood and neighbouring local woodlands – including clogs, shingles and garden accessories such as beanpoles and hurdles.

What’s more, Plantlife, a charity that advises on woodland management and the restoration of plant species will also be exhibiting at the fair, giving those with green fingers a chance to learn a little more about our local environment and what they can do to help support the cause.

© SoGlos

Wednesday 25 April 2012