Meet the Lost Woods team - introducing our new project manager

Our new project manager Joe Geall grew-up in Sussex and has fond memories of playing in local woodlands. His career in humanitarian aid took him around the world - but now he's back in his home county and in the woods once again! This time he's not up in trees but is instead focussed on how to protect our ancient woodlands and help more local people (particularly underserved communities) to experience the wellbeing benefits of spending time in nature. We asked him to introduce himself to project followers.

Tell us a bit about yourself

I grew up in the Sussex Weald and spent my childhood roaming my local ancient woodlands. Living so rurally growing up, the woods were my playground which is where my love and passion for them started. It is in my DNA and deeply rooted in my connection with the landscape and my cultural identity.

As an adult, my career took me elsewhere, far away from the ancient woods of the Weald and across the world where I responded to humanitarian emergencies. I have been lucky enough to have worked with wonderful people and communities across Central & West Africa and the Middle East although in some very difficult and challenging situations.  I returned to Sussex with a desire to work with my local community and spend as much time as possible in Sussex woodlands, which I have missed. I can’t believe my luck to be able to work on a project like the Lost Woods of the Low Weald and South Downs.

What is your role in the Lost Woods project

I am the Project Manager - essentially I help the wonderful experts in the team develop their activities as best as possible. I also represent the project and all charity partners, so a key focus is also to meet with many different community and conservation groups, individuals and other environmental projects in the area. I am learning first-hand from local people about what they feel is happening in our Low Weald and South Downs project area, so that as a project we can respond and help to connect and build ideas around protecting, preserving and accessing local woods.

What are your hopes for the project?

My ambitions for the project are ones that help my community and protect the landscape I grew-up in for everyone to enjoy. I would love to see increased engagement in our wonderful woodlands from underserved groups and people who would not previously had much opportunity to experience the benefits of spending time in nature. Most importantly for me, this needs to be achieved in a sustained and long-term way, not just one-off visits.

I believe this is the best way to preserve what is such an important natural part of our landscape. The project has already had some great success, such as working with the brilliant Burnside Day Opportunities Hub group which has been incredibly inspiring. By increasing connection to woodlands, I also hope that the Low Weald and South Downs becomes identified as an important wooded landscape in its own right, with greater protection and a proud part of the identity for those that live here.  

As a personal ambition, I just want to spend more times exploring the landscape and woodlands so I can learn more about where I live. Nothing beats getting into the woods for health and inspiration.

Have you tried your hand at learning any woodland management skills yet?

Yes! In fact, I have previously volunteered with some coppicers in the Sussex Weald, so I have some basics under my belt already. The courses provided by the Lost Woods of the Low Weald and South Downs and so brilliant for such a wide range of experiences from people with a general interest in woods to new woodland owners starting out on their journey. I joined, Chris (Keeler) from the Small Woods Association on an Introduction to Coppicing course in my first week and had such a great time. Chris is a brilliant teacher with an incredible depth of knowledge, learning from him is a real privilege . His family have been coppicing in Kent for generations and he is a fountain of knowledge on traditional and modern woodland management. At many times in my life I have dreamed of being a coppicer so have a real soft spot for their skills.

Any favourite ancient trees or woodlands in the Low Weald and Downs?

There are so many to choose from. When I started, one of the first things that blew me away about the project was the sheer number of Ancient and Veteran Trees (AVTs)  identified by our brilliant team of tree recorder volunteers. The team have mapped around 2,000 and counting, and plan to identify and map every single AVT in the area. Incredible! I can’t wait to get out there and join them on their next outings.

Bob Epsom from the Woodland Trust showed me a special tree on New Timber Hill, a National Trust site with public access. There is a beech tree which is currently identified as the second tallest native tree in the UK. Standing under it and looking up really makes you realise why our ancestors’ venerated trees as part of their religion and how many still do across the world. It reminded me of these huge tropical trees that I saw in the rainforests of the Central African Republic which were awe inspiring.

By my second month working on the project, I had already visited this tree four times and told every single person I know about it. It makes me excited to think how many wonderful trees exist across the Low Weald and South Downs and I am excited to go out there and find them whilst meeting volunteers who are as excited as me by it all. Sadly, the Beech tree is on a steep slope and not accessible to all, which sadly is a common aspect of woodlands in general. I am going to challenge myself to find a tree just as wonderful and inspiring that everyone can meet.

Please do get in touch if you have an ideas or projects that the Lost Woods can support - you can reach me at lostwoods@woodlandtrust.org.uk.

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