CWA Annual Conference & AGM 2022: 30 Sept & 1 Oct, Birnam Arts
The CWA Annual Conference & AGM 2022 will take place on 30 September & 1 October at Birnam Arts. Booking is now open here.
There is support available towards travel & subsistence costs for delegates attending from the HIE area. Please get in touch with Jo (joanna@communitywoods.org) to find out more.
The conference will incorporate the CWA Annual General Meeting at 5.20pm on Friday 30th September.
AGM Booklet 2022 (agenda, proposals, proxy form, Director nomination form)
Draft minute of 2021 AGM
CWA Achievements and Performance 2021-22
CWA Accounts 2022-21 for approval
There is support available towards travel & subsistence costs for delegates attending from the HIE area. Please get in touch with Jo (joanna@communitywoods.org) to find out more.
Conference Programme
Friday 30th September
1.00pm Registration & buffet lunch at Birnam Arts
2.00pm Welcome address by Syd House, CWA Trustee
2.10pm Introduction to Andy Rockall, CWA’s new Director
2.15pm Opening Session
Communities connect with land as owners, partners, managers, and as consultees in terms of how local forests and woodlands are used. The Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform, Mairi McAllan, will reflect on the future role and potential for Scotland's community woodlands; Douglas Worrall (Green Action Trust) will sketch out how communities can be supported and resourced in the Central Belt; and Debbie Hutchison (Enchanted Forest CIC) will discuss how forest events can support community groups. There will be plenty of time for questions at the end.
3.30pm Comfort break / tea & coffee
3.50pm Workshops (parallel sessions)
1. Natural Capital Markets: Community experiences in carbon and biodiversity markets over the last 25 years (led by Kristen Olsen from Plan Vivo)
2. Natural Capital Markets: How to navigate carbon markets (led by James McDougall from The Woodland Trust)
3. Fundraising & Grant Applications: How to make a good application & keep funders on board (led by Joanne Nicholas from Move On)
4. Good Governance & Trustee Responsibilities: Providing transparency for members & clear communication with staff (led by Alice Duthuille from DTAS)
5.00pm Comfort break / tea & coffee
5.20pm CWA AGM 2022
5.40 Opportunity to walk to the Birnam Oak (10 minutes from venue) or network over pre-dinner drinks from the bar at Birnam Arts
6.30 Conference Dinner followed by ceilidh dancing/music by Karys Watt & band
Saturday 1st October
9.30am Day 2 Registration, Birnam Arts
10.00am Welcome address by Andy Rockall, CWA Director
10.05am Mercedes Villalba, MSP
10.20am Presentations from community woodland groups
Sharing experiences with and learning lessons from others are key aspects of a membership organisation. In this session, speakers from diverse community woodland groups describe some of their experiences with purchasing their local woodland, planning woodland buildings, developing woodland crofts and managing a community orchard.
1. Glengarry Community Woodlands
2. West Stormont Woodland Group
3. Carsphairn Community Woodlands
4. Dunkeld and Birnam Community Orchard
11.30am Comfort break / tea & coffee
11.50am Plenary session on partnership working & community wealth building
Community wealth is a hot topic amongst policy makers and Government departments. In this interactive plenary session we explore what it is, how can communities benefit and new ways of looking at woodlands and forests as a tourist resource. The session will begin with short presentations from our speakers. Sarah Cameron (Community Enterprise) will talk about Community Wealth Building; Mathilde Roze (Community Enterprise) will present on Natural Capital and Communities; and Carron Tobin (SCOTO - Scottish Community Tourism Network) will talk about the role that tourism can play in community forests. Following the presentations Diane Campbell (CWA) will facilitate group discussions among conference delegates, feedback to the room and a Q&A.
1.00pm Buffet lunch
2.00pm Depart to site visits – (return transport provided to Dronley & AHUG)
1. Alyth Hill Users Group (AHUG)
The Alyth Hill Group was formed in March 2008 with the objectives of protecting and conserving Alyth Hill, encouraging and improving reasonable access to rural leisure pursuits, and to encourage use of the area for educational purposes. The area managed by FLS is 34 acres and a small segment of this is leased to the Alyth Hill Group.The bike track was established in 2014, and has 3 sections with varying levels of difficulty. The orchard was established in 2012 and has around 150 trees with at least 20 different varieties of apple. The trees include plum, walnut, hazel, cherry, pear and there is also soft fruit. There is a natural bee hive and a temporary shelter for events. The site also includes an experimental area planted by FLS with willow, aspen, eucalyptus and others in an unleased area of the hill. The community woodland has picnic benches, a totem pole, and a foraging area. Find out more here https://www.facebook.com/AlythHillUsersGroup
2. Dronley Community Woodland
Dronley Wood, near Dundee became a Community Woodland in 2019. Dronley Wood is very popular with over 20,000 woodland visits per year. The group’s vision is to develop Dronley Wood towards a multipurpose woodland that will create a long-lasting legacy for future generations. The community woodland offers volunteering opportunities, courses, and school involvement. The group aims to establish a strong connection with the local community by building on tradition and natural heritage to promote social and environmental change as well as health and well-being. Dronley Community Woodland is committed to offering training, research, cooperation, education, and local employment opportunities. Find out more at https://dronleywood.wordpress.com/
3. Dùn Coillich (Highland Perthshire Communities Land Trust)
HPCLT is a local community charity whose objectives are to hold and manage land on behalf of the communities of Highland Perthshire, to facilitate access to the land, to provide environmental education opportunities to young and old and to connect young people with opportunities for skills training. It owns two portions of land, one at Glengoulandie, comprising 400 hectares of hill land, the other is approximately one hectare of green space within Aberfeldy, called the Wee Birks Field. The Trust employs full time staff in managing an expanded training, volunteering and education programme - the Positive Destinations programme. HPCLT provides training, volunteering and education opportunities, managed by its Project Officer and Assistant PO and has established a formal partnership with Breadalbane Academy to take school pupils on our Rural Skills courses and to offer environmental education to secondary pupils through day visits. HPCLT’s work with trainees has led to an increased demand for its services which is a reflection of the high-quality experience that young people are receiving through its training courses and an increased desire for outdoor working. This demand is mirrored in volunteering, as HPCLT has a core group of volunteers who turn up on Tuesday volunteer days and weekend volunteering. The Trust has close links with local primary schools and arrange site visits for pupils to do tree planting, pond dipping and bug hunting. Find out more at https://hpclt.org/dun-coillich
The conference will incorporate the CWA Annual General Meeting: AGM papers, including Director nomination and proxy voting forms, which will be sent to groups in August. If your group has not received these papers by the end of August, or if you have any questions about any aspect of the conference please contact Jo Rodgers joanna@communitywoods.org