Working Woodlands Cornwall is a Community Interest Company, a not-for-profit organisation, established in 2017 to improve the health and biodiversity of Cornwall’s woods, bring neglected woodlands back into sustainable management, and increase access for all.
MEET THE TEAM
TOM KEMP – DIRECTOR
Tom has been involved with woodland management for the last fifteen years. He actively manages a number of woods and woodland creation projects in Cornwall as well as providing forestry consultancy. His latest personal projects include using rare breed pigs for woodland creation ground preparation and close-to-nature pork
NICK JARVIS – DIRECTOR
Nick first got into woodland management in 2014, volunteering with his local community woodland group. In 2015 he completed his Permaculture Design Certificate, and then began a 3-yr apprenticeship in traditional woodland management. He now works in woodland management operations, consultancy and planning. He is passionate about integrating farming and forestry to create a biodiverse, productive future.
Previously, Nick had been working as an Events Manager in the Arts and finding a route into a forestry career seemed difficult at first. This sparked a particular interest in making forestry more accessible to all.
GRACE FINNIE
Grace joined the Working Woodlands Cornwall team in 2021, originally through an apprenticeship programme. She is a skilled chainsaw operator, qualified tractor driver and trainee woodland consultant and hoping to continue growing her practical knowledge of what sustainable forestry can entail. She has great enthusiasm for wildlife and working amongst the trees, with a particular passion for ancient tree conservation. At the same time Grace is a visual artist; her interactive, infrared tree portraits aim to spark a new fascination towards plants and reignite our innate connection to trees.
CHERYL YARHAM – DIRECTOR
Cheryl grew up in Hampshire between the New Forest and the Solent. From a young age she always loved nature, animals, and the environment. As an experienced team leader and scientist, Cheryl is helping WWC develop citizen science projects.
Currently Cheryl volunteers at the Cornwall Wildlife Trust 1-2 days a week. She started off helping ERCCIS with the mapping of Cornish hedges using ArcGIS. When that project came to fruition she was asking to stay on and help with the Marine Strandings Network as a data analysist.
INTERNS
LIAM HOWES
Liam is one of our fantastic work placement students from the University of Exeter, here’s a few words on his time with Working Woodlands Cornwall so far :
” I’ve really enjoyed being outside and learning hands on forestry skills even if it has been in the pouring rain. Everyday is a new challenge while being in the company of really great people. The community feel is superb.
Through this internship I’ve been pointed in the right place in how to up skill myself. Without working woodlands I would never of imagined being able to access the forestry industry let alone being helped on what, where and how I could pursue a successful career in regenerative forestry. “
HARRY STONE
Harry is another one of our enthusiastic interns from the University of Exeter :
” I am interested in how local economies can be formed to help decentralise resource distribution, something which they do well.
My favourite part of our work has been watching the change in ecosystem dynamics through the seasons, as the coppiced coupe lets light in for the first time in decades! “
SILVIE HILL
Silvie is a great work placement student, getting involved with Working Woodlands Cornwall this spring and summer. Here’s a few words from her:
“I grew up in South East London surrounded by the remaining fragments of the great North wood which started off my interest in woodland wildlife. I am currently working towards a BSc Zoology degree at the University of Exeter, where I found out about wwc during research for my dissertation.
Since I was young, I’ve been interested in woodlands and wood as an incredibly useful natural material and beautiful structures. Since learning more about sustainable forestry I am interested in its implementation across woodland, for the sustainable fuel it helps produce and the diverse wildlife it supports. “
A FEW OF OUR WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS…
ABOUT DEVICHOYS WOODLAND
Devichoys Wood Nature Reserve is an ancient, semi-natural woodland (Sessile Oak with Hazel, Holly and Rowan understory) with a long history of coppicing and charcoal burning. Active management appears to have ceased around 1940 resulting in the current neglected state of the wood.
Working Woodlands Cornwall will restore Devichoys wood to a productive coppice that is a valuable asset to the local community – producing firewood, charcoal and many more woodland products.
Coppicing is an extremely sustainable woodland management technique practised in Britain since prehistoric times, and selected by the Cornwall Wildlife Trust (who own the land) as the best way to manage the woodland for biodiversity and conservation benefits.
Working Woodlands Cornwall 