Specialist broadleaf woodland contractor, Wye Coppice CIC, has started the recruitment process for four paid trainees to commence work in September 2023. The year-long, part-time positions include chainsaw and first aid tickets, and provision of chainsaws, PPE and other equipment – thanks to the support of the Wye Valley AONB Sustainable Development Fund.

Wye Coppice CIC (community interest company) works chiefly in the Wye Valley and surrounding counties, restoring and managing coppice and other broadleaf woodland for conservation. The company also wants to help overcome barriers to people entering a career in forestry, and spread the word about sustainable management. The training positions will offer both a grounding in practical work and environmental outreach, as trainees will be expected to help deliver a programme of courses to the public.

“The set-up costs for entering woodland work can be prohibitive for someone just starting out,” says Joe Weaver, Director of Wye Coppice. “We hope this trainee programme will get four people started on the path to a great career out in the woods, doing valuable work that enhances the environment for people and biodiversity.”

After their chainsaw training, trainees will get to work three days each week in some stunning locations in the lower Wye Valley, alongside the brilliant Wye Coppice team. Practical, on-the-ground work will be complemented by involvement in a series of community events aimed at publicising the value of woodland management in the Wye Valley and beyond. Trainees will also learn about making products from harvested wood and the seasonal cycles of woodland work.

“The Wye Coppice team is really passionate about the work we do. It can be hardgoing when you start out and you can’t see the wood for the trees (pun intended!) but we’re the type of people who find nothing more rewarding than creating thriving habitats and sustainable, homegrown wood products,” Joe adds. “We’re definitely grafters, but when we down tools we also get to appreciate the rustling branches, birdsong and other delights of an outdoor life, together with the satisfaction of a job well done.” 

If this sounds like you and something you’d like to be a part of, look at the full job spec on the Wye Coppice website Traineeship 2023 Job Description (wyecoppice.co.uk). Applications are being accepted until 30 June 2023.

This project has been supported by Welsh Government’s Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) in the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Contacts

Joe Weaver, Director, Wye Coppice / Caroline Weaver, Consultant, Wye Coppice: info@wyecoppice.co.uk

Ruth Waycott, Wye Valley AONB Information Officer: tel: 01600 710846, mobile: 07904 436719, e-mail: information@wyevalleyaonb.org.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) provides an exceptional opportunity to apply for grant aid for innovative projects, which through partnership, aims to develop and test ways of improving the quality of life in a countryside of great natural beauty and diversity. The scheme seeks to conserve and enhance the local characteristics of wildlife, landscape, land use and community within Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). The social well-being and economic viability of communities are also important aims of the scheme. AONBs are nationally important landscapes, designated for their spectacular scenic beauty.
2. The job specification is available at: https://www.wyecoppice.co.uk/traineeship-2023-job-description
3. Wye Coppice clients include Natural Resources Wales, Gwent Wildlife Trust and private landowners. The company is led by experience woodland manager Joe Weaver MSc.