May 13, 2024 - May 16, 2024

MON & WED SOLD OUT! UK Study Tour (Whole Society Meeting)

The Notts and Lincs Division has organised what promises to be a wonderful four day programme of visits in the region. Places are limited, please book early to avoid disappointment.

SOLD OUT! Monday 13 May – Grimsthorpe Estate, Bourne

Grimsthorpe Castle and Estate have been in the Willoughby de Eresby family for over five hundred years. The estate comprises arable farmland, grassland and 500ha of woodland, some of which lies within a 1200ha park of medieval origin. The Grimsthorpe and Drummond Castle Trust aims to conserve and enhance the estate’s assets and maintain an active programme of woodland management and improvement.

AM: The morning of the visit will focus on recent replanting in woods close to the castle, as well as balancing the management of deer impacts and the amenity of visitors to the castle and estate. We will also visit the estate’s historic chestnut avenue and look at the challenges of managing the impressive veteran trees.

PM: The afternoon will include a further look at best practice in deer management and then focus on the management of oak pasture, and the selection of climate resilient species, as part of a tour of one of Lincolnshire’s great forestry estates.

Tuesday 14 May – Boston Woods, Boston

The Boston Woods Trust is an independent charitable trust established in 2001, which manages woodland at three sites around the town. The trust aims to develop sustainable woodland sites around Boston that can help improve public health and wellbeing, increase biodiversity, combat climate change, and grow marketable timber.

AM: We will visit a newly created wood that has been planted in stages since 2021, looking at how to encourage responsible access to community woodland, and the opportunities and challenges associated with planting on former agricultural land.

PM: We will visit the Sir Joseph Banks Country Park, a mixture of semi-mature woodland and parkland, and Beechwood and Grange Wood, a pair of actively managed community woods that feature a green burial ground.

SOLD OUT! Wednesday 15 May – Welbeck Estate, Worksop SOLD OUT!

The Welbeck Estate straddles the borders of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire and is one of four large forestry-focused estates known as the Dukeries. The estate covers some 15,000 acres and features a large variety of woodland managed to be productive and for public enjoyment. The estate is carrying out a rolling programme of improvements to its built and natural environments and is host to an expanding number of diverse businesses.

AM: The morning of the visit will focus on the estate’s productive forestry activities, including the management of woods for timber and firewood. In addition, the visit will look at new species selection, and integrating greater woodland diversity into a historical landscape.

PM: We will visit areas of recent planting, and discuss options for adaptive management, thinning programmes, and how the woodland enterprise works alongside the estate’s other businesses as well as discussing disease in some of the estate’s historic oak woods. Our Annual Dinner will be held in the evening at Belton Woods Hotel.

Thursday 16 May – Londonthorpe and Bellmount Woods, Belton

Bellmount and Londonthorpe Woods once formed part of the 17th Century Brownlow Estate centred on Belton House, but over time this historic landscape has become fragmented. The National Trust, which runs Belton House and its park, and the Woodland Trust, which runs Londonthorpe Woods, are working together to connect these two sites for the public to explore and enjoy.

AM: The visit will look at the management of veteran trees within the parkland close to Belton House. It will cover the evolution of the park and the management of its trees, as well as more recent measures to enhance the setting and its value to visiting members of the public.

PM: In the afternoon, the visit will encompass Londonthorpe Wood, a mixture of mature woodland and new planting managed by the Woodland Trust. This peri-urban woodland provides a space for residents of nearby Grantham to access the park and appreciate nature and biodiversity more fully.

Tickets go on sale 2 January 2024 and close on 29 February 2024. Spaces are limited and sold on a first come basis –  please book early to avoid disappointment.

Please note the programme may be subject to change as we are still planning the itinerary and routes for each day. It is likely that some routes may be off track and only accessible by foot.

For more information and to book, please download and complete the Booking Form (below) and email to events@rfs.org.uk.
Booking Form (word/.doc)
Booking Form (pdf)

We will be based at the Belton Woods Hotel (01476 514379) where we have a special B&B rate for you, see Hotel Information.

Bursaries are available for those that might like help with funding. If you’re a early career forester please take a look at our Goodhart Bursary  and for students/recent graduates and college leavers please consider our Spencer Bursary.

You can find more details of event costs and the bursaries available on the relevant bursary pages.