Conservation Regeneration Education

Conservation

Here at Castell Prin Wood we have an Ancient Forest surrounding an Iron Age Hill Fort. And at the heart of our work is to conserve this magical place not only for enjoyment now but also the future. Its been around for a long time (recorded as occupied 800BC) with areas we actively leave wild.

Understanding the dynamics of this old forest does take time and that’s what it’s about. Time in the forest allows us to start to understand the seasons and micro- climates in place. To understand the needs of the trees, the residents, the visitors and the impact we make just being here.

Looking after this forest is not about leaving it alone to grow, it needs care, experience, vision and an appropriate touch to allow all the forces in place to flourish and thrive. We have a well established and ancient Hazel coppice, this needs managing to support the habitat rotation, natural hedge development and resource production.

Regeneration

We have a long term strategy here at Bearfoot, a very long strategy. These trees and fungi have been here a long time and work well protecting and supporting each other. Along with the coppicing work we undertake for Hazel products and Charcoal we manage a huge number of native trees and plants to support the forest, habitats and residents. Important residents not seen in the forest for some time have been the Hazel Dormouse and the Native Welsh Honey Bee. We are regenerating habitats and monitoring nesting sites, footprint tunnels and spent nuts to monitor and encourage these sleepy, charming, undeniably cute mammals, we’re making and developing hives around the forest to support a well needed function sadly missing from to many parts of our country.

Watch out for the Mouse and Bee Cam coming soon.

Education

Sharing our love of the outdoors we make sure all our interaction and engagement is about giving individuals or organisations encouragement in the finding of, exploration, enjoyment, enrichment and protection of our outdoor environments.

We welcome and are welcomed by Individuals, Friendship Groups, Nurseries, Schools, Universities, Families, Home School Groups, Trusts and Councils here at our lovely Forest or at your location (subject to tea production facilities).

Charities and Community Groups also regularly make use of our space and time with loads to talk about and see including: community planting, foraging, coppicing, hedge laying, charcoal production, salves, herbal teas, apiary management and beekeeping with a smile.