Traditional Skills

Despite the wide range of technology available to foresters, many still choose to use traditional methods of harvesting and working with wood.

Horse Logger

Horse loggers use working horses to extract felled trees. They are often employed to extract trees from areas where modern machines might struggle to reach without causing damage. Horses provide a low-impact, sustainable alternative to conventional machinery. Most horse loggers are self employed contractors.

What qualifications will I need?
An Accredited Apprenticeship Scheme has been established by the British Horse Loggers Charitable Trust. The aim of this apprenticeship scheme is to give apprentices the skills and knowledge to become self employed contractors.

Typically self-employed and seasonal – estimated wage of £9,000 – £20,000

Coppice Worker

Tasks include:
– management of coppice woodland
– making charcoal
– greenwood crafts
– harvesting wood for biomass boilers

Typically self-employed and seasonal – estimated wage of £9,000 – £19,000

Woodturner

Woodturners turn wooden blanks on lathes into wood products. A woodturner generally works with green (unseasoned) wood. For many people woodturning begins as a hobby, or as a self-employed part-time job. As well as selling their products, woodturners can make money through being hired to provide demonstrations at shows and fairs. The AWGB (Association of Woodturners of Great Britain) offers a certificate in woodturning.

Typically self-employed with earnings dependent on products produced