Discover
a woodland work experience placement.........
East Ayrshire
Woodlands, offer a work experience programme to schools throughout Ayrshire,
which was restructured in 2006.
The work experience programme, which was previously offered through Careers
Scotland, is now
overseen by Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce.
The weekly
programme is aimed at pupils with a genuine interest in a conservation / countryside
management career and can be tailored to his / her individual interests.
The placements
are designed to highlight and offer taster modules in a wide range of tasks
and
activities that are part of a career in countryside management and to try
and broaden the view that
a career in forestry is almost exclusively male oriented and involves the
use of chainsaws and
heavy machinery.
This information,
while primarily targeted at work experience pupils is also a useful guide
for
those seeking volunteering opportunities.
*** Most
of our volunteering opportunities over the winter months concentrate on harvesting
of the willow crop and traditional craft skills ***
The range
of modules available are as follows;
Traditional
Craft Skills
Traditional
craft skills involve an introduction to coppicing techniques, particularly willow
and hazel and how materials were
used to construct fences, screens, living archways, tunnels, domes or shelters.
The module will also include harvesting techniques,
with cutting short rotation coppice, bundling and labelling. There may also
be the opportunity to use traditional materials and
techniques in making creative, decorative items or simple furniture.
Practical Woodland Management
Practical
woodland management can involve anything from initial surveys or tree stocking
density checks to planting and
maintenance of new trees, habitat or access enhancement or installing site furniture
such as benches, waymarker posts or signs.
Species and Woodland
Survey
Species
survey is a vital part of the management of a woodland, to monitor the success
of habitat enhancement work or to
assess the biodiversity health of the woodland. This module offers basic training
in identification and techniques of surveying
for: birds, wildflowers, trees and mammals.
Wildfower and Tree Propagation
East
Ayrshire Woodlands manage a polytunnel where certain tree and wildflower species
are grown in order to be used as
part of future site planting schemes and for community / education work.
This module involves the processes of seed collection, sowing, maintenance and
site planting.
Event Design and Preparation
Events
are one of the ways we communicate to the general public and promote our woodlands.
This module involves preparation
work both in and out of the office, use of PC, printers and laminator and creative
thinking.
Creative Woodland Interpretation
Interpretation
is not always a flat panel or sign, and this module allows the most creativity
and would be of particular interest
to art & design students. This module offers the opportunity to work to
a specific project brief about one of our local woodland
sites, from producing creative initial ideas through to a final design in a
range of media, which could include photography,
illustration, sculpture etc.There would be opportunities to create interpretation
features during the placement, such as temporary
natural sculpture.
How the placement
is structured
It is
envisaged that most pupils would pick 5 out of 6 modules and spend one full
day on each, though the placement is flexible and
could either allow an opportunity to experience all the 6 modules or concentrate
on a single module for a specific week-long project.
What
to do now?
If,
after reading about our work experience placements, you have a genuine
interest in finding out more, discuss this further with
your work experience co-ordinator and get them to contact
us if you have any specific questions.