Green Aspirations are holding the annual coppice gathering at the site near Port of Menteith again this year.
Following on from the coppice gatherings described in previous Rowans, Green Aspirations are running the Great Scottish Coppice Gathering 2024! Coppicing is one of the earliest forms of woodland management and has provided a sustainable source of timber for thousands of years, across the UK and here in Scotland. However, in the last century or so, estimates are that actively managed coppice woodland area has fallen by nearly 95%. Here at Green Aspirations, we’re trying to change that by gathering with people who want to make a difference and restore this ancient art.
The Great Scottish Coppice Gathering is an opportunity for active coppice workers, those with an interest in coppicing, and those who are new to the method to get together, share experiences, and generate new ways to rebuild the coppice tradition in Scotland. We’ll get hands-on with some cutting in a coppice we’re restoring near our site in the central belt. We’ll also be doing some coppice crafts, making products from the sticks we cut. There’ll be time for discussions and socialising and – for those who want to make a whole weekend of it – great food as well. Camping is provided for free on our site.
The event runs over the weekend of 16th and 17th March 2024, kicking off on the Friday night for those coming from further away. Our site is on the Cardross Estate, near to the Lake of Menteith in Stirlingshire.