How Llais y Goedwig can help

Community woodland groups are active all across Wales – the Llais y Goedwig network enables groups to be in touch with each other, to share experience and resources, to hear the latest news and to help each other solve problems and to engage in policy development.

Although growing, we are a relatively young movement and know that many people – both forestry professionals and the general public – know little about community woodlands. 

The core of Llais y Goedwig’s work is to support member Community Woodland Groups to manage their local woodlands. We do this by:

• Providing advice and support through our enquiry service – ask a question or request support and one of us will be in touch to point you in the right direction.

• Sourcing funding for Regional Development Officers to work with new and existing groups at a local level – turning the advice and inspiration available on the Links and Resources section of the website into reality – whether you’re a new group needing support with setting up a group or negotiating a management agreement, or a well-established group wanting support and training in management techniques or a new direction for the group, our Development Officers can help.
  
  
• Organising local and regional events and networking opportunities – topical events hosted by members. Networking events are a friendly and practical way for people to hear about community woodlands, share skills and experience, pick up new ideas and hear from the experts.  If you would like to host a Llais y Goedwig networking event or if you are keen to raise the profile of community woodlands in your area and need some assistance contact us via the contacts page. 
  
  
• Raising the profile of community woodlands among policy makers. The Board of Directors and staff team keeps abreast of policy developments and attends meetings where it is important that ‘the voice of community woodlands’ is heard. Creating awareness of community woodlands at events such as the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show and National Eisteddfod is also important, as is inviting politicians and policy makers to our own annual National Gathering to experience the breadth of the network in a woodland setting. 
  
  
• Forming partnerships with organisations that support community woodlands in Wales is also key to ‘spreading the word’ about community woodlands.
  
  
• Spreading the message about community woodlands in the woods and at meetings and also online. Follow Llais y Goedwig on Facebook and Twitter.