Environmental & ecological Policy

We recognise the potential impact of woodland activities on the natural environment and endeavour to ensure that the work that we do encourages all our volunteers, service-users and visitors to develop a high level of respect for the natural world, helping to maintain the sustainable use of the woodland and enhancing its biodiversity and ecological value.

At Outdoor Tribe we achieve this through ongoing education of all the individuals who use the facilities and by taking steps to protect, conserve and develop diversity within the flora and fauna of the woodland.

We periodically carry out ecological impact assessments to evaluate the impact of activities in the woodland, utilising outcomes of those assessments to inform sustainable woodland management.

Management activities are aimed at protecting and enhancing the biodiversity of the woodland and include:

• Felling
• Coppicing
• Selective thinning
• Establishing habitats for insects and small mammals
• Replenishing tree stock through planting
• Pathway creation and maintenance
• Pond management

During woodland activity sessions we educate volunteers and visitors that through learning about and looking after the woodland and respectful towards the flora and fauna. We actively promote the practice of positive interactions between nature and humans.

During our sessions we bring in ecological awareness through our 5 ways for wellbeing model we utilise for many individuals and groups who  who attend sessions. That means, for example, taking care to not cause damage when looking for insects and ensuring that any found are returned to the same habitat in the woodland.

We involve volunteers and service users in clearing away at the end of each session and leaving the woodland ‘no-trace’ as they found it.

We hold enviroonmental and ecological sustainability as a core value. When resourcing our activity sessions or running training we are mindful of reducing waste and of the need to re-cycle and re-use rather than buying new. Through doing this we hope to demonstrate and encourage a wider respect for the environment.

We recognise the choices we make as buyers and consumers have a wider impact on the environment and we take this into account in our purchases by ensuring that, where possible, we buy items which are

• Produced as locally as possible
• From sustainable or renewable sources
• Produced ethically with regards to environmental, workers’ and animal welfare
• Packaged efficiently

Policy reviewed – August 2024