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 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

Since building his famous Woodland House from his own woodland, author Ben Law has evolved his own style of natural building, now tried and tested on many other builds across England. Ben has built houses, workshops, a classroom, lean-tos, a shop and a store to industrial specifications. Whilst this style’s origins can be found in traditional forms of building, Ben has developed an entirely new vernacular using many innovative ideas and techniques.Filled with detailed colour photographs and drawings, this unique and practical `how to’ book, is unquestionably a benchmark for sustainable building. Roundwood Timber Framing encourages communication between woodsmen, planners, architects and builders, and helps to close the loop between environmental conservation, use of renewable local resources and the regeneration and evolution of traditional skills, to create durable, ecological and beautiful buildings.Ben is a now a much admired figure. His previous books have sold extremely well and this book, with its highly original and fascinating contribution to design and build, is set to capture the public’s imagination and desire to increasingly learn traditional crafts.