Events and Meetings

KLAW members host and attend KLAW events on a wide variety of topics, including the production of biochar, Langdon Court open day, charcoal making, bat identification, bird ringing demonstration, hedge laying course, a visit to Nimrod and dragonfly identification. KLAW members have also attended an event at Knepp and a conference organised by Kent Field Club. Every year there is an Annual General Meeting in March.

KLAW is currently planning events. All events are announced via emails to members and on the KLAW Facebook page. Please click on the link to KLAW's Facebook in the footer. Events are open to KLAW members and their guests, but please check the details of each event for additional conditions, such as age restrictions, suitability for the disabled,maximum numbers that can be accommodated, restrictions on car parking or whether dogs are allowed to attend. Guide dogs are, of course, always allowed.

Past Events

Online Events

Annual General Meeting

Monthly Management Meetings

Past Events

Frankie Woodgate & Sustainable Woodland Management

Frankie Woodgate, who does commercial coppicing & coppice restoration, regeneration felling, horse drawn timber extraction, mbile sawmilling, hedgelaying, woodland design tree planting and management planning, gave a demonstration of horse timber extraction to KLAW members, at Whippletree Farm Pond Wood

This was a popular and well received event, and to quote one attendee.....

"Well, I'm lost for words..... what a magnificent morning's entertainment and instruction!........ Her woodland felt a truly inclusive ecosystem all of its own, didn't it, with humans, animals and plants working in blissful harmony. I haven't enjoyed a session so much for a very long time, knowing that everyone you spoke to was on the same wavelength, and aiming for the same goals .....and knowing that a fire, coffee and mince pies are also part of the well-functioning habitat collective !....what a treat. Meeting your horses, your demonstrations, the informative posters, the drinks and snacks, your beautiful hornbeam woodland, and the weather too.”

Jude, Toby, Yser and Odin

Please note there could be a small delay because the videos are relatively large files.

Jude Pulling Timber With Basic Gear

Gear For Elevated Pulling Being Adjusted

Toby Pulling Logs Elevated Above Ground

Frankie Introducing Woodland Management

Harnessing Toby

Loading gear to keep logs off the ground

Log Hauling Gear

Thanks to Mark Langridge for photographs

Details Of Jude's Harness

Woodland Work Exhibition

The Group Watching Jude

Visit to Hambrook Marshes

KLAW members first visited this 50-acre site in the Stour Valley next to Canterbury in January 2023. It’s a beautiful place, rich in wildlife, but also under considerable pressure from, and sometimes vandalism by, the large numbers of members of the public who visit. This poses ongoing problems for the admirable team of Trustees which oversees the site.

You can find out much more about Hambrook Marshes by clicking here.

We visited again in January 2025 on an atmospheric morning, with the marsh cloaked with a heavy frost. Trustees Michael Walter, Jon Winder, and Rick Norman explained the radical overhaul in the way the site is now managed: last spring the decision was taken to hand over day-to-day responsibility for land management to the Kentish Stour Countryside Partnership. The approach is working extremely well, with Andy Craswell, who is employed by the KSCP, devoting a day a week to caring for the site, reducing the heavy workload on the voluntary trustees. Significant funding support has been obtained from sources such as Countryside Stewardship. Such an arrangement might be of interest to other KLAW landholders.

Nightingales and Turtle Doves - May 2024.

In May several KLAW members - Keith, Jenny, Jane, Tony, Nicola, Richard and Laura - visited Mystole Orchard to hear the song of the nightingale and turtle doves.

This also included a walk round the usual habitat of both types of bird. A sighting of a turtle dove was made, but with only a brief burst of song.

Although several nightingales have been heard this year only one, who must not yet have found a mate, was still singing. He entertained the group several times, often close to where we were listening out for him.

Recordings were not made this time, but both nightingales and turtle doves have been recorded in previous years at Mystole Orchard. The recordings can be heard by clicking here.

Forestry Commission Visit to Tway Wood: Managing Woodlands for Wildlife

In March three representatives from the Forestry Commission: Elliot Carpenter, Jonathan Varney and Rob Coltman, plus KLAW members attended an event at Tway Wood, hosted by Amanda and Rob. The event was on "Managing Woodlands for Wildlife".

This popular visit, enjoyed by all the attendees, included a walk through Denge Wood, including Bonsai Bank and Tway Wood, viewing the first signs of the orchids that Bonsai Bank is known for, and the wide variety of woodland plants and tree species. Members had the opportunity to discuss their particular interests with other KLAW members. The Forestry Commission experts were able to answer questions on topics ranging from the Forestry Commission's strategy, their role in wildlife management, what to plant where, woodland pests through to grants available for woodland management.

The Forestry Commission also provided links to a wide variety of information on managing woodlands which are given below the photos from the event.

Attendees at the event in Tway Wood

Inspecting a large beech tree in Tway Wood

Massive Gall in Tway Wood

Sources of information and funding for managing woodlands

Managing woodlands for wildlife

Permission to fell trees

Applying online for a felling licence

Managing and protecting wildlife

Wildlife licences: when you need to apply

Tree planting, woodland creation and grants

Tree planting and woodland creation: overview

Woodland creation planning Grant

Woodland creation offer (England)

Ecological site classification tool

Natural England's Countryside Stewardship funding scheme

Grants under the tree health pilot scheme

Ips typographus

Guidance for landholders.

Eight toothed spruce bark beetle

Ash die back

Managing ash dieback

A farmer's guide to managing ash dieback

Oak processionary moth (OPM)

Managing oak processionary moth

OPM hub

Sweet chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica)

Tools and resoufrces for OPM

Biochar event

KLAW members plus Tim Owens of Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty attended an event at Mystole on the production of biochar. This event started with an informal presentation on the strengths and weaknesses of small scale production of biochar. Then we had a practical demonstration of what sizes of wood to use, how to pack the steel drums used to turn the wood into charcoal and the stages of the project (such as sieving the charcoal to test the effect of particle size). There were very interesting discussions on biochar, involving experts, enthusiasts and those new to the subject of biochar. At the end there was a walk round Mystole to see the work done on improving the habitat for ground nesting birds, such as nightingales and turtle doves. More details of the project are given in the Research section by clicking here.

Demonstration of Sieving Charcoal

KLAW Members

Hedgelaying Course

Several members of KLAW: Keith, Jenny, Genevieve, Lesley, Amanda and Rob attended an excellent training course on hedgelaying, given by expert and prize-winner Rob Graham. Rob talked us all through the best tools, techniques and safety measures. Rob also explained the various styles of hedgelaying, including the "rope" style which he demonstrated, with flexible branches twisted along the top of the hedge to hold the laid hedge firmly in place - as well as giving a very attractive finish to the hedge. We each then had the opportunity to try laying a section of hedge, under Rob's watchful and patient guidance.

The course ended with a hot drink and delicious home-made biscuits, with thanks to Sally and then a walk round Claringbolds, Rob and Sally's smallholding. This included meeting Rob and Sally's rare breed and very special sheep.

More details of Rob's courses and environmental work are given on their Instagram pages. Click here for more information.

Rob demonstrating "rope" winding

Knepp: September 23rd 2021

Several members of KLAW: Ali, Tom, Jenny, Keith and Ed, were able to visit Knepp for an inspirational meeting of like-minded people, mainly from Kent. This was coordinated by the Knepp estate and Nicole Khan, the RSPB's Kent Turtle Dove Conservation Officer.

Charles Burrell, owner of Knepp Castle, a 3,500 acre estate that has been in the Burrell family for 220 years, led the session and the guided tour of points of interest in the estate. The visit was also supported by Penny Green. Penny is Knepp’s resident ecologist, managing the Knepp Safaris team, volunteers and research students, and co-ordinating the biological monitoring of the rewilding project.

Opening Session Led By Charlie Burrell

All the attendees were delighted with the visit, gaining insights into options for assisting wildlife in a wide variety of ways. For example we heard about the projects re-introducing beaver and white storks. We had the opportunity to discuss methods of protecting nationally endangered birds such as Turtle Doves.

Guided Tour Of Knepp

More information on the Knepp wilding projects can be found here. Information on the Knepp Safaris can be found here, information on the Knepp Estate can be found here, information on Knepp meat can be found here.

More information on the RSPB's Turtle Dove Conservation and the work of Nicole Khan can be found here.

Online, Zoom and Video Events: Please click on the topic of interest

Annual General Meeting

The minutes of the 2025 AGM, held at Langdon Court ME13 9DA, are available by clicking AGM 2025.

If you are interested in earlier AGM meetings please email Secretary@KLAWonline.co.uk

Langdon Court

Monthly Management Meetings

The minutes of management meetings from January 2024 are available by clicking the files listed below.

If you are interested in earlier meetings please email Secretary@KLAWonline.co.uk

NOTE: Details of KLAW events are also in the minutes of management meetings