Conservation and connection, supporting our beautiful ancient woodland
Our Autumn Conservation Weekend, now in its 17th year, is our third volunteer residential weekend of the year, open to all volunteers at the wood
A woodland workout and a chance to learn about the trees, plants and creatures of the wood, while making a valuable contribution to support their ecosystem for the following year. Over two days and two nights at Hazel Hill, you will get the chance to try your hand at a range of conservation activities to help maintain this woodland as a resilient environment for the future.
Ask participants of this weekend, “What was your favourite part?” and the answers are many and varied. Some point to the satisfaction of achieving helpful tasks outside while getting exercise and fresh air. Others talk about the surprise and delight of discovering Hazel Hill’s amazing and diverse species of moths, as well as a dizzying range of fantastic fungi. An almost universal answer is the enjoyment of spending time in community, gathering round the campfire, and the delicious meals cooked by the team.
Become a volunteer and get involved!
What to expect
Led by our experienced conservation team, you’ll choose from a diverse range of activities, learning about woodland management, conservation and wildlife along the way. We may selectively clear small trees with loppers and bow saws, to create better growing conditions for other trees (e.g. clearing birch to allow oak to thrive). Or we may spend some time focusing on the Tree Nursery. We will also maintain butterfly habitats by scything and raking.
You’ll also have the opportunity to learn from some of our fascinating and knowledgeable survey volunteers who may drop by. At this time of year, you’re most likely to meet experts in fungi and moths.
There’s always downtime to enjoy together, or solo if you prefer, and plenty of ways to relax in the wood. In the evenings, we’ll gather around the campfire, sing songs (if you want to!) and share delicious food.
For those who don’t fancy a sing-along around the campfire, there’s the option to relax in our wood-fired sauna on Saturday evening as a reward for all your physical efforts. Or you can do both!
A full schedule and booking link will be released close to the event. In the meantime, contact Lauren to become a volunteer and be added to our volunteer mailing list if you’re not already! That’s the best way to receive updates on these events.
Autumn Conservation Weekends through the years
We shape the Autumn Conservation Weekend around what the wood needs each year. We strive to keep it free, but occasionally need to charge to cover food and other resources, ensuring we can continue to support these events. If you can contribute to help us keep these activities free, we would be very grateful. Please donate here.
Here’s a taste of previous years, along with just a few of the activities you might expect!
Planting acorns
2025 was a “mast year” for acorns, meaning an incredible number of them in all the woods of the UK! We took the opportunity to plant 150 acorns in our tree nursery, using nutrient-rich compost made from our kitchen food waste.
Learning how to split and weave hazel
In 2024, we were fortunate to have the opportunity to learn hazel-woven fencing techniques from the amazing Alistair Hayhurst. We’re very pleased with the results, and we’ll happily share what we learned from this craftsman of these traditional and “endangered” techniques that we’re so pleased to see being supported and kept alive.
Hedgelaying techniques
That same year, an enthusiastic group of volunteers helped us replace old fencing with a living barrier using traditional hedgelaying techniques.
Scything and other habitat-friendly traditional skills
Scything is another ancient technique that we teach at the wood. Every year, we scythe and rake the “rides” (wide pathways originally created to travel on horseback) and glades to encourage wildflower regeneration and enrich butterfly habitats.
Find fascinating fungi & meet marvellous moths
If we’re really lucky, we’ll be joined by some of our knowledgeable surveyors, who will survey the amazing range of fungi in the wood and check in on our thriving moth population. Our fungi surveys are not about foraging; we’re simply observing.
While we aim to keep this event free or by donation, booking is essential. A booking link will be published closer to the time. In the meantime, contact Lauren to join our volunteer programme and receive updates on all things volunteering. We understand that some people who want to help are further away and less able to regularly volunteer. Please chat with Lauren about your needs and how much you’re able to commit.
Read 16 years of Conservation Weekend memories from our Chair of Trustees
