Forests From Seed: 2-day workshop (for adults)

About the course

During this two day training we will be looking at the Children’s Forest ‘Forests from Seed’ project.  We will gather wild tree foods and medicines of the season, exploring how to harvest with respect and care, preparing the seeds for planting as part of the reciprocal cycle of life.

We will be located at our small tree nursery and will teach how to set up your own tree nursery and grow healthy, locally sourced trees with children, families and communities to grow trees for Children’s Forests and other tree planting initiatives. We will explore all the tending processes needed over a year to grow trees from seed to sapling, looking into details such as growing methods and mediums, and pests and problems as well as exploring ways in which we can support communities to come together to grow, honour and celebrate trees of all ages with songs, stories and more.

You will take home with you some seed prepared for winter, so your own tree nursery will have begun!

Who is this course suitable for?

This workshop is for adults and will support those working
with children in outdoor education such as Forest School facilitators, Teachers with an interest in outdoor learning or adults wanting to share with families. Also those who want to try growing trees from seed for their own enjoyment in a respectful way. It will equip those wanting to set up a small community tree nursery with the knowledge to begin that process and offer ways to engage your community.

The course will cover

• Learn how to forage, process and germinate tree seeds, harvesting in reciprocity as our ancestors did.
• Learn different ways of treating various kinds of seed in order to germinate and grow them into saplings. 
• Offer practical knowledge on how to set up a small tree nursery and engage local children and communities to grow trees for Children’s Forests and other tree planting initiatives.
• Create opportunities to nurture and deepen our connection to the more than human world.

Course fees (for the two day training):

£65 – £100 (sliding scale)

• Standard fee: £85
• Supporters fee: £100
• Supported fee: £65

We committed to making this work as accessible and inclusive as possible therefore have a number of concessionary spaces reserved for those in financial need, plus one fully funded space. Please enquire at [email protected].

Please pay at the level comfortable to you. We support paying it forward – when you pay more as a supporter, it will directly facilitate someone else to attend via the supported (concessionary) rate. And all additional income will directly help with the planting of Children’s Forests, contributing towards a bright future for all.

Terms & Conditions

To read our refund policy, please see the latest version of our Terms & Conditions here.

About the tutors

Pippa Johns: Pippa has 25 years experience of working with land, designing and making ecological gardens that produce food for people alongside providing habitat for abundant wildlife and building soils. She has worked on Organic farms and smallholdings and has taught Permaculture for over 20 years. Pippa is passionate about inspiring people to develop their own connection to a piece of land to grow food for families and communities. She has designed and taught on Permaculture design courses, been a tutor for the Permaculture Diploma and developed her own courses in ecological gardening and connection gardening. She has created the first Children’s Forest tree nursery, facilitating children to grow native trees from local seed, for planting Children’s Forests. 

Anna Richardson: Anna has been a nature mentor and trained forest school leader for over 20 years, working with children of all ages and mentoring adults in plant lore, foraging, nature connection and bushcraft. The 8 Shields deeply informs Anna’s work and approach.  She is passionate about connecting to nature through creativity and reverence for life and is also a forest school trainer through Circle of Life Rediscovery and has co-authored two books : Learning with Nature and The Children’s Forest and is the founder of the Children’s Forest.