UNIT 4 WORK BOOK

UNIT 4: Planning a Forest School Programme

3 credits – 30 hours This unit has 4 learning outcomes.

Learning Outcomes Assessment Criteria

The learner will: The learner can:

1. Understand the development of the Forest School ethos.

1.1. Summarise the history of Forest School locally In the UK.

1.2. Evaluate two pieces of research on Forest School practice..

2. Understand the ecological impact of a Forest School programme.

2.1. Assess the ecological impact of running a Forest School Programme on own site.

2.2. Develop a three year management plan for the sustainable use of own Forest School area, based on the ecological impact assessment.

3. Know the relevant policies and procedures required for a Forest School programme.

3.1. Create a Forest School handbook containing relevant policies and procedures in line with statutory requirements and good practice specific to own client group and Forest School site.

3.2. Explain the process of managing risk and how it applies to Forest School.

3.3. Produce relevant risk assessment and risk - benefit assessments for own Forest School sessions.

Learning Outcomes Assessment Criteria

The learner will: The learner can:

4. Be able to plan a Forest School programme.

4.1. Plan initial six Forest School programme sessions, showing links to own client group’s learning and development

objectives and needs.4.2. Develop a communication strategy to

exchange information with: those assisting a Forest School

programme other interested parties.

Forest School Programme Leadership: Level 3 Training – UNIT 4

Name:

Address:

Post code:

Date of Birth:

Email:

Phone Number:

Tutor Name:

Declarations:

Student:

I certify that this workbook and portfolio of evidence presented for assessment and

moderation by the above student is my own work and authentic.

Signature:

Date:

Tutor:

I certify that to the best of my knowledge the evidence presented by the above student was

collated under the required conditions and was appropriately supervised.

Signature:

Date:

Internal Moderator (if sampled during the moderation process):

I have sampled this workbook and portfolio during the internal moderation process and

confirmed the tutor’s assessment decisions.

Signature:

Date:

Learning Outcome 1: Understand the development of the Forest School ethos(Word count guideline for answering questions below is between 50 – 500 words except 1.1 below)

1.1 Summarise the history of Forest School: locally and in the U.K. Include reference to the history of other environmental education type movements that have influenced the Forest School movement in the U.K (approx. 500 – 1000 words).

1.2 Evaluate two pieces of research on Forest School practice and discuss and review with reference to your own Forest School experience.

Learning Outcome 2: Understand the ecological impact of a Forest School Programme.

2.1 Assess the ecological impact of running a Forest School Programme on your own site. Include overview of site and reference to ecological impact (see Appendix 1 for an example template)

2.2 Develop a three year management plan for sustainable use of own Forest School area, based on the ecological impact assessment. (see Appendix 2 & 3 for an example management plan template).

Learning Outcome 3: Know the relevant policies and procedures required for a Forest School Programme.

3.1 Create a Forest School Handbook containing relevant policies and procedures in line with statutory requirements and good practice specific to own client group and Forest School site. Include daily operating procedures; Health & Safety procedures including risk management; Child protection; Equality & Diversity; Good Practice (please refer to Health & Safety file on disc supplemented by own research.

3.2 Explain the process of managing risk and how it applies to Forest School. Define the terms: Hazard, Risk, Accident, Near Miss, Incident, safety, emergency planning – including Accident and incident related to Forest schools and nature based work. How would you differentiate ages/abilities/groups and encourage children to manage risk for themselves?

3.3. Refer to Unit 5 (Practical Skills for a Forest School Programme) for site risk assessment; generic benefit risk assessment; activity risk assessment and daily checklist.

Learning Outcome 4: Be able to plan a Forest School Programme (Please refer to other units where necessary).

4.1Plan in detail a minimum of 6 Forest School Programme sessions including staffing, resources needed, timings, activities linked to client needs & possible differentiation & other variables. Show evidence (photos) in portfolio of delivery of a minimum of 6 Forest School sessions (also relates to Unit 1: 1.1)

4.2Develop a communication strategy to exchange information with: those assisting a Forest School Programme and other interested parties.

How are your principles and Forest School introduced and then actively shared and explained with all including the volunteers, staff, parents and learner?

You may choose to produce a leaflet for volunteers, helpers, parent or schools. In your Forest School handbook you could include your ethos, procedures, roles and responsibilities of staff, volunteers, helpers, paths of communications and how you share information.

APPENDIX 1: Assessing the potential ‘Environmental Impact’ of a siteThe following template should be used as a guideline to the considerations taken when assessing a site for its suitability as a venue for Forest School activities.

Considerations Points of interest Further references

Site of Special Scientific Interest status

Does the site have status as a SSSI?

Natural EnglandCounty Council

Archaeological Status Does the site have any areas of archaeological interest?

County Council – County ArchaeologistLocal Archaeology Group

Species of national/local importance

Does the area contain any flora/fauna of national or local importance or protected species?

Natural EnglandSussex Biodiversity Records OfficeRef: Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981

Fauna Impact Does the area contain badger sets, fox earths etc that will suffer disturbance from regular human activity in its vicinity?

Visual AssessmentLocal Mammal GroupRef: Badger Act 1992; EU Habitat Regs 1984

Water Provision Does the site provide safe water?

Visual assessmentEnvironment Agency

Underlying soil structure Does the area lend itself to safe fire sites?

Visual assessment

Tree Canopy Does the tree canopy lend itself to safe fire sites and camp setup?

Visual assessment*

Soil Compaction & Removal of vegetation litter

Will the site be impacted by compaction of ground due to regular footfall and will the camp area be negatively impacted by loss of leaf litter?

Visual Assessment

Resource Provision Is the area large enough to sustain regular removal of resources such as firewood & activity materials?

Visual assessment

Management Plan Does the woodland you are using have a formal management plan which might influence your choice of activity?

Commercial Use - Forestry

Is the wood, or part of it, used on a commercial basis – moving vehicles, noise, health & safety issues?

Liaison with woodland owner, agent or ForesterVisual Assessment

Commercial Use – game shoot

Is the wood , or part of it, used as a commercial shoot – gunfire, moving vehicles, noise, health and safety issues?

Liaison with woodland owner, agent or Gamekeeper

Public Access ** Does the site have footpaths, bridle ways?

Ordnance Survey maps.

*Note: Full assessment of tree integrity should be undertaken by qualified tree surgeon.**Note: although this aspect may not affect your environmental impact assessment it may be of note regarding either security of site or potential disturbance issues.

Appendix 2

Circle of Life Rediscovery

OCN accredited training for Forest School

Simple Woodland Management Plan for Forest School

Based on your Ecological Impact Assessment you can now compile a simple woodland management plan for your Forest School site.

The Forest School Management Plan will help to monitor and manage the ecological impact. The plan should:

Set out a long term vision and three year aims for the woodland. Describe the woodland, specifically identifying factors to consider for management. Set current limits and target limits for the factors. Describe how you will monitor the limits. Suggest method of managing the factors.

Your Forest School management plan is at the micro level. It is very unlikely that as a Forest School Leader you will be involved in the drawing up a full management (unless you are also the owner). However you should check to see if a full plan is in place so that your Forest School management plan complements the existing full management plan.

Name of Wood: Location: School, County Grid Reference:

Owner including full contact details:

Details of any designations on the site: e.g tree preservation order (TPO); Protected species, SSSI.

Number/ frequency of users of the woodland:

1. Using the grid below, consider the factors and their impact on the woodland in Year 1.

Factors having an impact (activities, access, resources etc.)

Level of impact(high, medium, low)

How will this affect the woodland?(compaction, denudation, pollution, corruption)

How will you manage this?

E.g. Fire Medium Denudation of deadwood (depend on frequency)Compaction around the fire area

Limit the frequency.Bring in firewood from offsite.Either move the fire area to limit compaction or dedicate a sacrificial area for seating.

2. Positive Management to improve and develop the ecology of the site.e.g selective thinning – map this over the 3 years; Introduce coppicing – splitting into compartments, opening up glades for insects, birds; looking at the edges in the woods, the light and shady areas.

3. Monitoring and Evaluation On-going observation will reveal the extent to which your Forest School activities are

impacting on the environment. This will enable you to evaluate your management plan.

Methods of Monitoring used: Frequency of Monitoring:

1. E.g fixed point photography at certain times of year to see changes

2. Plant surveys

2.

1.

2.

How does this feed back into the Management Plan?

4. Set Aims for Years 2 & 3Briefly outline how you would continue your management of the above factors in the 2nd and 3rd year.

Aims for Year 2e.g more tree planting or deadwood for habitats.

Aims for Year 3

Further References

Jargon Busting: Nature Net (Nature conservation legislation)

Jenner, L (2004) Forest School Leader’s Pack – Wales. Forest Education Initiative. Page 30 and 31.

Agate, E (2002) Woodlands practical handbook. BTCV

Forestry Commission Good Practice Guides www.forestry.gov.uk/publications

Appendix 3: Preparing a management plan for a Forest School site.

Content of a management plan:

Using the boxes blow decide what you need to include in your plan for your site. Some aspects could be covered in an appendix, or in other documents relevant to the site. Keep the management plan slim-lined and to the point – just the information someone else would need to manage the site (another template available on your disc under woodland management.)

Vision for the site – a short statement of how you want the site to be in the future, as a result of the management you propose. Describe what you think the site will look like, and how it will feel.

Ownership of the sitetenancy agreementsYour agreements to use the site for Forest School

Access:Public rights of way – footpaths, bridleways with an estimation of the level of use and obligations -

clearance of paths checks on tree safety –

how regular are these? private rights of way -

who is allowed to pass through or close to the site

Boundaries of the site - how are these identified on the ground

Background surveys history archaeology biodiversity – species

and habitat surveys

Relevant legislation such as protected species that are present on the site

otters on water courses bats dormice badgers

Identification of the different areas within the site, or management compartments

Description of the different management compartments, in terms of the dominant species their age and their structure in the site.Include areas you do not want to manage – non intervention zones

General management principles e.g.

use of horses for extraction,

production of material for craft activities

retention of dead wood where possible

Skills required for managing the site e.g.

chain saw skills tree surgery coppicing brashing surveying skills

When will you be reviewing the plan - set a date

Details of management committee if any, or names of those responsible for managing the site

Time table for different operation, this could be prepared year by year and agreed by those involved

An outline of the level of use you expect the site to receive by Forest School

A brief description of the way in which you are running forest school at the site, how you use the different areas of the site and for what

MonitoringMethods to be used for monitoring the condition of the site, aspects of its biodiversity such as particular species

Concerns and issuesAny concerns you have regarding the site, and its use. Other issues you feel should be mentioned in the plan, i.e. other things you want those managing the site to be aware of.

Map showing any constraintsPROWsboundariesprotected speciessensitive areaunsafe areas

Map of different areas within the site or management compartments

Map annotated to show proposed management of the different area

Designations e.g.SSSILocal Nature Reserve

Map showing the location of the site, clearly marking the main access point

Biodiversity survey results: plants butterflies breeding birds

Safety policy for Forest school at the site

Risk assessments forms for each forest school session

Generic risks that you are managing on the site e.g. trip and slip hazards, eye level branches

Historic maps of the site e.g. early OS maps of the site

Zoning the area for different activities you may have one route in for Forest School access and another for extraction of timber.

Features of the site:What are the features particular to you site that you want to conserve/ enhance/change?

Think about both positive and negative features.

Think about the features you have identified in your site.Do they need managing in order to achieve your vision? If so, how?

Add additional issues that you want to cover in your plan

Add additional issues that you want to cover in your plan

Add additional issues that you want to cover in your plan