4) Woodland Activities for Health and Wellbeing

Introduction

Woods can provide a safe and appropriate setting to expand an individuals’ opportunities and help them realise their full potential. These services are sustainable and locally provided, with capacity to tailor a pattern of services delivery to reflect users’ preferences. There are a wide variety of activities which Service Users can take part in when visiting woodlands. Each activity may differ in terms of the amount of physical exercise, concentration and social interaction involved. Activities can therefore be selected in response to an individuals needs and abilities. They include:

Green Woodworking

This is an ancient craft which makes use of freshly felled timber and embraces a number of woodland crafts including turning, carving and various tasks’ making chairs, hurdles, baskets, etc. Green logs can easily be split along the grain and worked with an axe, then shaped with other simple tools. A manual pole-lathe is the classic, century’s old method used to turn green (unseasoned) wood. Green Woodworking holds several advantages when used to promote health and well-being:

• Service Users gain satisfaction from producing an end product which can lead to an increase in self esteem.

• Service Users are emboldened to learn new skills and are motivated to develop these skills

• Service Users develop hand-eye coordination.

• Service Users develop problem solving skills.

• Service Users develop team working skills.

• It provides an enjoyable medium for moderate physical activity.

• There is no need for power supplies so a workshop can be set up in a relaxing woodland setting.

• Health and safety considerations are minimal when compared to the dangers inherent when working in a modern mechanised workshop.

• The lack of dust and noise results in a healthy and tranquil working environment.

Environmental Arts

This is the use of natural materials and settings to create sometimes ephemeral impressions of the local environment. Woods may be used for performing arts such as dance, song and theatre. These activities can be used to develop creativity, awareness and social confidence. The Groundwork Trust has developed a comprehensive Arts Toolkit for regeneration projects.

Environmental Conservation

Sustaining an adequate level of physical activity for people not interested in competitive sports or exercise for its own sake has been a long-standing problem for health workers. Conservation work such as the control of invasive plants, woodland management and hedge laying are used to motivate to get people active. Physical activity can range from light to strenuous to suit all abilities. This work also brings satisfaction at having produced or achieved something constructive, i.e. the activity has a defined purpose. These activities raise the level of physical activity and provide a forum for learning new skills and improving environmental awareness. In a BTCV (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers) report assessing the effectiveness of exercise in combating emotional problems participants showed signs of improvements in their mental health scores and a strong trend towards decreased depression after the first three months of taking part in a Green Gym. A Countryside for Health and Wellbeing. The Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Green Exercise

Woods for Energetic Activities

Woodlands provide an ideal setting for an array of activities including walking, riding, cycling and orienteering. With their high carrying capacity and low levels of pollution and solar radiation they are a far better option for people less accustomed to exercise than sports halls and playing fields. Many of the Forestry Commission visitor centres have way-marked trails and staff to help facilitate access and navigation around the woods.

Bush Craft Skills

A woodcraft experience can give participants an understanding of teamwork, leadership, communication, problem solving, planning and organisational skills - therefore increasing confidence and self-esteem. Skills covered can include a combination of:

Building a shelter;

Lighting a fire safely and using it for cooking, warmth and signalling;

Finding and preparing wild foods;

Purifying water;

Navigation and orienteering;

Medicinal plants

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Coed Lleol is hosted by the Small Woods Association in partnership with the Forestry Commission Wales and the Countryside Council for Wales