Ben Law – författare

Ben Law’s incredible sense of the land and his respect for age old traditions offers a wonderful insight into the life of Prickly Nut Wood.Having travelled to Papua New Guinea and the Amazon, observing age-old techniques for living in, working in and preserving forests and woodland, Ben Law felt compelled to return home and apply his learnings to a 400 year old plot of woodland near where he grew up – Prickly Nut Wood.This is the story of how he came live off the land, how he coppiced and hedged and created charcoal, how he puddled and built shelter and finally how he carved out his famous woodland home that Kevin McCloud has cited as his favourite ever Grand Design.And it’s the story of the wood itself – how it lives and breathes and affects all those who encounter it, and how it’s developed over the twenty years Ben has shared in its lifespan.This transporting tale that will make you long to hear the dawn chorus and wake up every day to the serene beauty of Britain’s woodland.

Ben Law has lived as a woodsman in Prickly Nut Wood for over 20 years. His authentic, incredible sense of the land and the wildlife, and his respect for age old traditions and how to sustain them offers a wonderful, inviting insight into the life and character of Prickly Nut Wood.Having travelled to Papua New Guinea and the Amazon, observing age-old techniques for living in, working in and preserving forests and woodland, Ben Law felt compelled to return home and apply his learnings to a 400 year old plot of woodland near where he grew up – Prickly Nut Wood.This is the story of how he came to know and love his woodland, how he lived off the land, how he coppiced and hedged and created charcoal, how he puddled and built shelter, and finally how he carved out his famous, characterful woodland home that Kevin McCloud has cited as his favourite ever Grand Design.And it’s the story of the wood itself – how it lives and breathes and affects all those who encounter it, and how it’s developed over the twenty incredible years Ben has shared in its lifespan.It’s an incredibly transporting tale that will make you long to hear the dawn chorus, and appreciate the beauty of Britain’s pockets of woodland.

Ben Law’s incredible sense of the land and his respect for age old traditions offers a wonderful insight into the life of Prickly Nut Wood.Having travelled to Papua New Guinea and the Amazon, observing age-old techniques for living in, working in and preserving forests and woodland, Ben Law felt compelled to return home and apply his learnings to a 400-year-old plot of woodland near where he grew up – Prickly Nut Wood.This is the story of how he came to know and love his woodland, how he lived off the land, how he coppiced and hedged and created charcoal, how he puddled and built shelter, and finally how he carved out his famous, characterful woodland home that Kevin McCloud has cited as his favourite ever Grand Design.

A woodland craftsman's workshop should bring immense pleasure, whether it be a simple tarpaulin shelter deep in the woods or a purpose-built haven to shelter from the elements. The tools and devices that furnish it are unique to woodland work and have formed the heritage of woodland crafts that we have today.Following on from his successful book Woodland Craft, woodsman Ben Law explains what makes a good workshop, outlines the key tools needed, gives information on how to sharpen them and provides instructions for making 16 fascinating devices from scratch.The book includes features such as:Clear step-by-step instructionsPhotographs and beautiful illustrations to guide you through the making processInteresting titbits of historical and practical information This is an invaluable guide for every green woodworker.

Accompany woodsman Ben Law as he celebrates the amazing diversity of craft products made from materials sourced directly from the woods. Including brooms, rakes, pegs, spoons, chairs, baskets, fencing, yurts and even a caravan, the items are hewn from freshly cut green wood, shaped by hand and infused with a simple, rustic beauty. Detailed instructions and advice are given for each craft, along with essential knowledge about tools and devices. With fascinating information on the history, language and traditions of the crafts, coppice management and tree species, this book teaches about all aspects of the low-impact woodland way of life.

Woodlander – A Guide to Sustainable Woodland Management contains everything you need to know if you are managing, or intend to manage, a small woodland.Ben’s inspiring, forest-dwelling life has allowed him to put together a complete package of detailed information and practical examples based on his personal experience, giving this beautiful book an entirely authentic voice. Every page is infused with a deep respect for the traditions of the past while also embracing new ideas, methods, and creative thinking. This is a holistic approach to woodland management, which looks at the entire place – the wildlife it supports, the natural cycles of growth and life, the precious products it creates and the communities that inhabit and surround it. All the while, understanding and emphasising that it is a balance of all these things that makes a healthy, biodiverse, resilient ecosystem.The book consists of:Types of WoodlandsUnderstanding Your WoodlandEstablishing New WoodlandsTools for Woodland ManagementSocial Forestry

Woodland Craft Handbook is an inspirational yet practical guide to traditional crafts, woodland coppice products and forest permaculture.Step into the shoes of woodsman Ben Law as he explores this diverse collection of crafts made from materials sourced directly from the woods. Crafts including:BroomsRakesPegsSpoonsChairsBasketsFencingWalking sticksThe items are one-off and unique, hewn and shaped by hand, infused with a simple, rustic beauty.With fascinating information on the history and traditions of the crafts, coppice management, tree species and the tools and devices used, we learn about all aspects of the low-impact woodland way of life.Much as the traditional techniques associated with the woods were passed down through families, this book aims to help secure their relevance and adapt them for future generations.The book features 220 photographs and 123 illustrations.

In 2003 Ben Law captivated the nation by building his woodland house on Channel 4s Grand Designs programme, the home was later voted the most popular Grand Design ever by viewers. The presenter, Kevin McCloud, loved the project so much that he has written the foreword to this book! A Grand Designs Revisited programme was aired on British TV in October 2005. Full of stunning colour photographs, The Woodland House is a visual guide to how Ben built his outstandingly beautiful home in the woods. It is also a practical manual, and the story of a man realising a lifetimes dream to build one of the most sustainable and beautiful homes in Britain. The Woodland House gives details of the evolving design process, the identifying of materials, costings, project management and the actual building. It proves that low cost, low impact and high aesthetics can go hand in hand and that it is possible to build green and affordably. As the pre-eminent UK example of building with wood and renewable materials this will also appeal to the growing number of people with environmental and green interests, as well as to the building community

Packed with stunning colour photographs, The Woodland Year is an intimate month-by-month journey through Ben Law's yearly cycle of work, his naturally attuned lifestyle and his deep understanding of the wood in which he lives. Each month includes guest contributions from woodlanders in other parts of England and Wales. The Woodland Year provides a fascinating insight to every aspect of sustainable woodland management; the cycles of nature, seasonal tasks, wild food gathering, wine making, mouthwatering and useful recipes, coppice crafts, round pole timber frame eco-building (pioneered by Ben in the UK), nature conservation, species diversity, tree profiles and the use of horses for woodland work. This is a profound book that is both practical and poetic. It describes a way of life that is economically and ecologically viable and sets a new standard for managing our woods in a low impact, sustainable way. As such, it holds some of the fundamental keys to how we can achieve a lower carbon society. AUTHOR: Ben Law has always had a passion for healthy, biodiverse farms and woodlands. Having gained an Advanced National Certificate in Agriculture, Ben became a shepherd and set up a conservation landscaping business, specialising in ponds and wild flower meadows. Bens appearance on Channel 4's Grand Designs is the most watched in the series history, is the hosts and publics favourite episode and was one of the 25 programmes chosen to represent Channel 4's 25th anniversary. Ben visited the Amazon in the late 1980s looking for positive solutions to deforestation and on his return set up and directed the charity, The Forest Management Foundation, working primarily with community forestry in Papua New Guinea. He has also worked for Oxfam as a permaculture consultant. Ben was a founding member of the Forest Stewardship Council and has lived and worked at Prickly Nut Woods in West Sussex, UK, since 1991; training apprentices and running courses on sustainable woodland management, eco-building and permaculture design. He runs a specialist eco-building company, The Roundwood Timber Framing Company Limited. 318 colour photographs