Our Woodland: Tru Wood

‘Tru Wood’ is located in South Shropshire, near Bucknell, just a stone’s throw away from the Welsh border.

The site is a 3.5 acre semi-ancient woodland that is fortunate to have an abundance of flora and fauna and an array of ancient woodland indicator species throughout. It borders onto the larger Bucknell Woods (part of the Shropshire Hills Are of Oustanding Natural Beauty) and is proud to have such a neighbour and to be part of that larger woodland network. The species list is extensive within tru Wood: Grand oaks, mature beech trees, coppiced hazel, fabulously high Red Cedars, Bluebells, foxgloves, St John’s Wort, numerous ferns, wood mice, wood ants, deer of multiple species (including the Shropshire specific Long Haired Fallow Deer), woodpeckers, wood warblers - the list goes on and on far beyond the above mentioned. (Pine Martens have even been recorded by the Shropshire Wildlife Trust in Bucknell Woods, and there is a conservation zone for the long-eared bat species in a cottage located within the woodland.) Needless to say, it is a magical spot. The woodland is owned by Toni Pettitt, owner of Branching Out Forest School & Social Forestry, and her husband, Rudolf Righton-Warrilow:

“We have been managing the woodland since we bought it back in 2014. It’s been such a learning curve for us and has enriched our lives in ways that we had never envisaged. The overall ethos of our management style is selective thinning (that is, we are slowly removing the non-native conifers on the site which have in recent years become quite dominant), and promote natural regeneration of the woodland. We have refrained from planting any saplings, and have found that sitting on our hands has paid off - so many saplings are poking their heads through now! Since taking ownership of the woodland we have been able to become so much more self-sufficient in our lifestyle: We fell and mill our own timber for building materials, we produce our own firewood, and we forage and harvest what is in season. With all this come a sense of awe and well-being: Something we desperately want to share with others and feel incredibly motivated to do so.”

Tru Wood has been set up to welcome people and groups onto site with the following amenities:

A central fire circle area
Large communal bench and table area
Compost toilet
Tool working area
Relaxation spots - hammocks, carved our chairs from stumps etc.
Car parking facilities at the site*

*Due to the extreme flooding in the last two years the road leading to the site has deteriorated and is only suitable for larger vehicles. Therefore we would encourage only those who are in need of this closer access to utilise these facilities. Otherwise, we arrange to meet individuals at a nearby parking location in Bucknell Wood and complete the 10 minute walk to Tru Wood with our participants. This is an ideal opportunity to welcome the mind and body into the woodland, warming the body up for its time outdoors and producing some exercise endorphins to start the session on a high.

There are specific areas set up for Forest School too, aimed at different ages and interest in children:

A ‘serving hatch’ (becomes a theatre, cafe, shop etc!)
Mud kitchen
Scramble net
Climbing area
Slack line
Mud slide - and more!

This ensures that children of all ages and interests can explore and enjoy the site, and their own individual interests can guide them to where in the woodland they want to play.

Our aim is to ensure that all interests and needs are met and people feel safe, relaxed and comfortable on site.