MENTER ADDYSG Y GOEDWIG
FOREST EDUCATION INITIATIVE
Patron: His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester KG, GCVO, RIBA, FSA, FRSA
Rhondda Cynon Taf FEI Cluster Group
Minutes
28th February 2013
Present - Janet Thomas (Bodringallt Primary), Liz Dean (RCT CBC), Juliette Staples & Aled Hopkin (Forestry Commission), Nicola Kathrens (Cwmbach Primary), Alison Llewellyn (Coleg Morgannwg),Susan Allan (Ynyscynon Early Years Centre)
Apologies –Fran Lewis, Tim Orrell, Amy Riley, Caryn Edwards, Jo McGuiness,Sheena O’Leary.
1. Tour of Grounds – To take place after updates.
2. Treasurers report – There was no Treasurers report as Tim Orrell wasn’t present to give an update.
3. Updates from group members -
Liz – Tim is currently running a project looking at Council managed sites for schools to use or areas within school grounds. It is hoped to work with one teacher in each school to go through forms and processes e.g. Risk assessments.
Tim had asked Liz to talk about the Flowers packs currently being put together. There is a basic key (aimed at FP/KS2) being created using the Plantlife website to ID the flowers they might see in their area.
Tim is also providing Liz with a pack for sites to show which are more suitable to use as many have poisonous plants ranging from Fox gloves to Hemlock dropwort (?). Discussing these plants provide learning opportunities but would need risk assessing.
Liz might be looking at new sites in the next financial year for example Taff’s WellPark which has a Green Flag and a school next door. If anyone is interested, Liz can look at different opportunities depending on Tim’s availability.
The grants format was discussed - as it is CCW funded, it is unclear how the NRW Single body will affect it.
Liz discussed that they are looking at promotion on the Councils website with the possibility of tying in with tourism. It was discussed that the FEI website could think through to this. The Id booklets were handed around for comments and feedback.
Alison – Plans of the Outdoor area at Coleg Morgannwg were handed around and it is starting to come together. The college received the trees as a gift from the 1st Minister for the Jubilee. The process has been delayed somewhat and the college are waiting on the last of the trees.
The IT students working towards their Welsh Baccalaureate have been clearing the site. The College and FCW are jointly funding an employee at the site.
The site will be used more regularly in the summer once it has been set up and has settled in.
There is a wheelchair path going in and students have been making benches and bird boxes. Vandalism is a concern but as so many people have been involved there should be a good feeling of ownership by the community. The 1st minister will be planting his tree in April.
Alison invited Yr 4/5/6 class from Bodringallt Primary as they can walk to the site. Although it is not quite ready yet they are more than welcome especially as a link to how Bodringallt's site can be developed.
Nicola – Unfortunately the Forest school programme hasn’t worked this term but it is hoped that after the Easter holidays it will be up and running. The junior school had a log circle but it was moved during the construction works. The builders on site will move the logs to allow students with complex learning needs to use the log circle area on the junior school site. All juniors will have ForestSchool or Woodland activities in the new term.
Susan – The staff held their ForestSchool session as soon as they were back after the Christmas holidays and found some interesting mushrooms. On March the 9th there will be a Woodland session which is an Egg hunt finishing in Ynyscynon and is open to everyone.
It was added that students with children from Coleg Morgannwg attended last year and really enjoyed it.
The treasure hunt clues are currently being written but are Top Secret!
Ideas were shared on where to get willow as Cwmbach have ordered some but hasn’t arrived. It was suggested that cuttings could be obtained from schools with willow structures as this will also help with maintaining the structures.
Janet – Sheena is waiting to start the Forest school sessions. The school are currently waiting on the land to be litter picked.
The year 4/5/6 class recently did a ForestSchool session with the Fire Service.
It is hoped that the Behaviour Unit students can start their Forest school programme with Sheena soon as it’s difficult to take them off-site, they are looking forward to it and will get a lot out of the sessions. The local PCO will be attending too, which will be a very good link outside of the school.
There is a Community group being set up with Keep Wales Tidy and RCT Homes, so it will be great once it’s all set up.
The school are currently waiting on Richard Barratt to clear an area to use.
Janet handed around a copy of the Trees for Schools fund as the person responsible for the cluster asked if anyone from the FEI could be involved.
The Woodland trust tree packs for schools were also discussed. Janet added that RCT could potentially fence the site if there was community involvement. The group discussed the possibility of applying for the Woodland Trust Community pack which comes with tree guards.
Juliette – Covering the heads of the Valleys area (Blaenau Gwent, North Torfaen, North Caerphilly, Merthyr and RCT) Juliette offers free woodland visits from Garwnant or local woodlands.
Juliette suggested booking summer visits early as the Forestry Commission Education officers book up quickly.
BodringalltSchool said that they would like to come out at the end of their ForestSchool programme.
Liz discussed her role in RCT with Juliette and talked about an ESDGC group for teachers, run by teachers. Liz suggested that Sheena got in touch with her as the next meeting is about Outdoor learning in June.
1. Tour of Grounds–The group visited the outdoor area and shared ideas and discussed the site. The site has huge potential. Main points discussed were access, trees for planting, ant hills, bracken removal, minor branch removal on tree near entrance and litter pick. Liz offered to chase up her colleagues to get the litter pick underway.
Liz spoke about the community funding related to wind farms.
Information sent from Liz via e-mail:
My info is from Dec 2012, so hopefully up to date.
Ferndale: Mynydd Ty’n Tyle, S of Ferndale. NW of Penrhys 8 turbines installed contact 01202 847680
Pen y Cymoedd 30 turbines in RCT (more in Neath Porttalbot) approved may 2012
Mynydd Pwllrhebog, S of Clydach Vale, NW of Gilfach Goch under construction (due for completion April 2013) 7 turbines
4. Small grants –
- The £300 grant was discussed which is linked to Climate Change or Woodland management.
Willow planting and willow craft was also discussed. Members said that they had done willow weaving before. It was discussed that a Willow pruning/maintenance focus might be better. It was suggested that a Willow management and use of cuttings session would be beneficial.
The group discussed which schools/organisations in the area had mature structures requiring maintenance. Our Lady School (Fran is an FEI member) have them and have been there for around 2 years. Emma Elliot from DareValley was suggested as someone worth asking.
It was suggested that Penygawsi and Cwmbach have woodlands which could require management. Susan added that RCT Audit gave a 3 year plan.
Juliette suggested using the money in the account to cover transport costs for Climate change visits. Susan suggested that the summer holiday club could be involved and Alison said that although the collage students finance themselves it could subsidise their transport for example.
Liz raised the question if there would be a merit in the schools meeting and Alison suggested that she could bring students. This idea was discussed in detail debating the best way to arrange/share buses, which age groups, ratios, logistics and timings.
It was decided that the schools could visit Garwnant for a Forest school Party with the College students planning and running activities with assistance from Aled and Juliette.
Actions: Susan to book the buses and confirm with Aled once they are booked. Alison to email Aled to confirm dates of the visit and an additional visit for the students to plan the day.
- It was suggested that the £300 grant could be used for a willow course and opened up to the area to gain new members, especially if it was on maintenance. The willow management date will be put in the diary pending confirmation from Our Lady School.
Action: Janet to contact Fran at Our Lady School.
5. Plans for the future– Some points already covered and there was insufficient time left to discuss these.
6. AOB
Aled brought the Toolkit on behalf of Sheena. Aled has created an up to date contents list attached to the bag and in hardcopy for the group. The tool bag has been lent to Alison from Coleg Morgannwg.
No. / Item5 / 24” Bow Saw
1 / Small Bow Saw
1 / Small Axe
2 / Billhook
1 / Plastic Mallet
2 / Pruning Saw
6 / Secateurs
3 / Hook Knife
3 / Hacksaw (full size)
6 / Junior Hacksaw
5 / Replacement Junior Hacksaw blade Pack
1 / Large Hand Drill
3 / Pistol Grip Hand Drill
3 / 7 Piece Plug Cutter Drill Bits
(one 4mm bit missing)
7. Date and venue of next meeting
This will be the same date and venue as the Willow Course, which will be confirmed shortly.
The Forest Education Initiative is a partnership between the Forestry Commission, the Timber Trade Federation, CONFOR, the Tree Council, BTCV, Groundwork, the Field Studies Council, England’s CommunityForests and the Woodland Trust.