Coppicing & Greenwood Trades
NVQ Level 2 Diploma

Course Intro

Our Coppicing and Greenwood Trades NVQ will help you to develop skills and knowledge for a successful and rewarding career in the trees and timber sector.

A hands-on vocational course designed to equip you with practical skills in traditional woodland management and greenwood crafts. This unique programme allows you to work directly with the land, learning environmentally conscious methods of managing woodlands with minimum impact, improving biodiversity, and honing your craft skills with sustainable greenwood use. 

This course is offered in partnership with NPTC Group of Colleges.

 
WHAT IS COPPICING?

Coppicing is an ancient form of woodland management that uses nature’s ability to regenerate continually to harvest wood from a living tree. It involves periodically cutting trees down to ground level which promotes vigorous regrowth, creating a sustainable supply of wood which can be used to produce both products and energy. Coppicing is also fantastic for increasing the lifespan of trees, improving tree health and promoting biodiversity! 

We will resurrect old coppice woodlands by restoring them, and plant trees to create new ones. 

What will I learn?

Modules covered include the following, each will have a particular focus on sustainability:

Within this NVQ, students will also undertake an external Chainsaw Maintenance and Felling Course, providing you with an additional, sought-after qualification. This involves 5 days’ intensive training, followed by a practical assessment and will be separate from your normal classes. You will be informed of the dates with plenty of notice.

Modules may differ slightly depending on your chosen location (Talgarth or Treherbert)

Why study Sustainable Coppicing and Green Wood Work Skills?

Students will study in beautiful and unique woodland settings. This course is ideal for students who want to further their experience of working in forestry to increase their ability and confidence, or for anyone with a passion for nature, craft, and sustainability. 

After this course, students may be able to:

• Move into a Level 3 course in Green Woodworking and Coppicing
• Use transferable skills for employment opportunities in the trees and timber sector
• Start a career as a self-employed or salaried tree surgeon or woodworker
• Use this qualification towards entry to the BMC undergraduate course
• Move on to other higher education courses such as Forestry or Arboriculture

Why Study at BMC

• Course tutors all have extensive experience from a broad spectrum of coppicing and green woodworking, bringing up-to-date techniques and knowledge.
• No exams! You will produce a portfolio of evidence throughout the year and be assessed via observations or a brief oral test.
• Learn real-world, practical skills which are in high demand, in unique learning environments.
• Students under the age of 18 without Grade 4/ C or above in English and Maths at GCSE level can opt for additional teaching and support to study for these qualifications alongside their NVQ.
• As a part of their course, students will undertake the BMC Change in Practice module, which is 1-day per week and incorporates environmental science, where you will learn about earth cycles and ecosystems, as well as communication, research and business skills.
• Your learning experience within these sessions will be supplemented with various activities, day trips, guest lectures, and projects relating to your subject, where you will work with local organisations to complete practical work. You will use your project experience to imagine a venture and create a business plan. 
• BMC’s learning model, applied across all courses, integrates the head, hands and heart, multi-sensory protocols, outdoor learning and multiple hierarchies of knowledge or ways of knowing.

*Courses are subject to change without notice. Known as C&G Work-Based Trees & Timber.