Woodlander contains everything you need to know if you are managing, or intend to manage, a small woodland. Ben's inspiring, forest-dwelling life has allowed him to put together a complete package of detailed information and practical examples based on his personal experience, giving this beautiful book an entirely authentic voice. Every page is infused with a deep respect for the traditions of the past while also embracing new ideas, methods and creative thinking. This is a holistic approach to woodland management, which looks at the entire place – the wildlife it supports, the natural cycles of growth and life, the precious products it creates and the communities that inhabit and surround it. All the while, understanding and emphasising that it is a balance of all these things that makes a healthy, biodiverse, resilient ecosystem.
Ben Law, woodsman, craftsman, eco-builder, teacher and writer, lives and works in Prickly Nut Wood in West Sussex, UK. The building of his unique woodland home was featured on Channel 4’s Grand Designs in the UK and was voted by viewers as the most popular episode ever. In addition to the coppicing of his own woodland, he runs courses on sustainable woodland management and permaculture, runs a specialist eco-building company and trains apprentices. Ben Law is the author of several books, including Woodland Craft (GMC Publications, 2015), Woodland Workshop (GMC Publications, 2018), The Woodland House (Permanent Publications, 2005), The Woodland Year (Permanent Publications, 2008), and Woodsman: Living in a Wood in the 21st Century (HarperCollins, 2013).