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► SCAN - Rupert's Wood

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Woodland activities will include: stripping tube sleeves from sapling, work on the willow maze, general boardwalk repairs, putting up bird/bat boxes.

You will need to wear outdoor clothing, we have work gloves, wellingtons and equipment.

No skills required, just enthusiasm

Rupert’s Wood is a small woodland just north of Otterburn, Northumberland, and is owned by Lord Rupert Redesdale, SCAN’s patron (about 45min drive out of the city).. The wood itself is around 31 hectares in size, enclosed by a dry-stone wall, and is comprised of Scot’s Pine, beech, birch, and relatively new plantations of oak, ash and alder planted between 1992 and 2005. The wood is home to a stone-lined pond dating from the mid-nineteenth century, which has in the past been used for angling and swimming. Over the last 17 years, Lord Redesdale has opened up Rupert’s Wood and the surrounding estate for SCAN volunteers to undertake conservation, access and educational projects. He is very keen to see these activities continue and branch out in new directions.

Over the last decade, Lord Redesdale has opened up Rupert’s Wood and the surrounding estate for SCAN volunteers to undertake conservation, access and educational projects. Conservation tasks are run throughout the year in the Redesdale valley as well as in Rupert’s Wood. In the past tasks have included: boardwalk construction, bracken clearing, tree planting, fence building, woodland maintenance.
The long-term plan for the project has been to adapt the area of woodland into an accessible, safe and educational environment for children and young people living in disadvantaged communities, and also use it as a resource for all groups SCAN is involved with for retreats, camping and conservation training.

Rupert’s Wood Environmental Education Summer Camps have been run by SCAN volunteers since 2001 and involvement can range from coming on the camps and day trips to taking an active role in the planning and running of the project. The young people participating in the project are from youth groups around Newcastle with which SCAN has built up good relations. Both the young people and youth workers are enthusiastic about the project so days out are always tiring but enjoyed by all! Activities the project runs include environmental games, conservation activities, pond dipping, survival skills and teambuilding activities and one day of outdoor sports (rock climbing, canoeing, archery, etc.) on each summer camp.

In January 2008 Rupert’s Wood Environmental Camps 2007 was announced winner of the Environmental Project Award at the Evening Chronicle’s Environment Awards in partnership with Environment Agency.

In April 2008 The Rupert’s Wood project also won the Community Group Awards at the Northumberland Wildlife Trust’s Conservation Awards.

All details of Rupert's Wood activties will go out on the SCAN Weekly Email. To receive this email please register with us.

Requirements: No experience is necessary just plenty of enthusiasm! The project includes all sides to the planning and running of camps and day trips and because the project is free to all children and youth groups there is also fundraising to get involved with.

Training & Expenses: All volunteer training and transport are provided by the project. Food and extra travel expenses are also covered for summer camps.