Some of Wales’s most disadvantaged and vulnerable people are building a better future for themselves by learning to live more sustainably in one of the most beautiful parts of the country.
The Welsh Government woodland, Millwood, on the Gower peninsula provides the backdrop for groups of young people and adults to engage in a range of outdoor activities designed to give them the skills to turn their lives around.
The personal development programmes also aim to increase the participants’ appreciation of the environment as they learn about sustainable woodland management.
The programmes, which run for a day per week for at least 10 weeks, are hosted by Down to Earth under an agreement with Forestry Commission Wales, which manages the 126-hectare woodland.
Down to Earth aims to offer local educational programmes based on sustainable living, from renewable technology to growing food, earthen building and woodland management.
The Millwood project involves visits by five groups of up to 10 people referred by organisations such as social services, drug and alcohol projects, mental health projects and youth offending teams, on average, once every four weeks.
During the course of the programme, they learn a range of woodland management techniques which can help them to achieve Open College Network accreditation.
Among the skills they will acquire are:
- how to clear invasive species, coppicing etc.
- developing an understanding of woodland flora/fauna
- green woodwork – using shave horses and pole lathes
- bushcraft/survival skills, including firelighting, outdoor cooking, cooking on fires
- map reading/orienteering
- use of coracles on Millwood pond.
Down to Earth Project Director Mark McKenna said, “This partnership provides an invaluable opportunity for some of Wales’s most disadvantaged groups to access a beautiful and engaging learning environment.
“Both the groups and the woodland benefit from the activities and the personal development in individuals is remarkable.”
The woodland, which is in the Gower Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, was the perfect location, enabling the company to “walk the talk” on demonstrating local, sustainable woodland management, said Mark.
Forestry Commission Wales Community Ranger Jonathan Price said Millwood provided an ideal environment to stimulate groups with different learning needs.
“The real-life element of taking responsibility for managing an area of woodland gives them the confidence which they can then apply to their daily lives,“ he said.
“By entering into these kinds of partnerships, we are able to gain real added value from the woodlands we manage.
“Allowing these local groups to use these woods is a win-win deal and Down to Earth provide huge benefits for all the groups and people they engage with.”
