A Volunteer Day in the Woods with Cwm Arian

Last week, Pengelli Woods in Pembrokeshire was alive with the sound of axes, saws, and the quiet hum of curiosity as volunteers gathered to immerse themselves in the age-old art of coppicing. Alongside staff and students from Cwm Arian and Coppicewood College, participants spent the day learning sustainable woodland management skills practised in West Wales for thousands of years.

Coppicing, a traditional technique once central to how our ancestors cared for local woods, involves cutting trees at their base to encourage new growth. This simple, cyclical method provided communities with a steady supply of timber for fuel, tools, fencing, and craftwork — all while allowing forests to regenerate naturally year after year.

Volunteers watched experienced-hands fell trees using axes, double-sided saws, and billhooks, before taking over to process the timber themselves. They learned how to prepare small sticks for bread ovens and riverbank work, medium poles for garden supports or firewood, and larger lengths for furniture or crafted items. Each action connected them not just to the craft, but to centuries of woodland knowledge and the rhythms of nature itself. Between strokes, participants paused to listen to birdsong, observe the forest’s seasonal cycles, and feel a deeper connection to the landscape and its heritage.

“The session was a real reminder of how our ancestors cared for the land,” said one volunteer. “It’s incredible to see how these low-tech methods were not only practical but also sustainable — lessons once again growing in relevance today.”

These sessions provide an opportunity to engage with sustainable land management, biodiversity, and local heritage practices. Coppicing demonstrates that human-led, low-tech forestry can be both productive and regenerative, offering valuable insight for a world facing climate change and energy transitions.

For more information or to book a session:

Kevin, Volunteer Organiser – Cwm Arian: kevin@cwmarian.org.uk

Cwm Arian is a Community Benefit Society in West Wales. Our work started with a community wind turbine in Llanfyrnach, which still generates clean energy today. We support homes, community centres, and local groups in setting up renewable energy systems, saving energy, and reducing carbon emissions.

https://www.cwmarian.org.uk/

CoedUNO, part of the Cwm Arian network, is the first agroforestry demonstration site in the National Forest for Wales, based in Tegryn, North Pembrokeshire. Designed with permaculture principles, it blends conservation, education, and community engagement, showcasing how woodlands can be productive, biodiverse, and welcoming for all. The site links habitats across the Taf and Teifi catchments, supporting wildlife while providing a living classroom for volunteers to learn skills in woodland management, orchard care, hedge-laying, biodiversity monitoring, and agroforestry, working alongside partners such as Coppicewood College and Hwb Dysgu’r Tir.

https://www.cwmarian.org.uk/coeduno

Based in West Wales, Coppicewood College is a hands-on learning centre dedicated to teaching traditional woodland and forestry skills. Students and volunteers engage in sustainable woodland management, learning techniques such as coppicing, pole-lathing, and traditional tool use, ensuring heritage skills are preserved for future generations.

https://coppicewoodcollege.co.uk/