The Story of The Deer Wood Trust
Meet Marc Biddle & Lisa Pugh
Who live and work in Deer Wood.
Marc Biddle is a qualified, and time served horticulturalist, carpenter, builder/landscaper and permaculturalist since 1985. He offers services that are founded on sustainability and conservation principles
Lisa Pugh is a Sustainability and Climate Change Lead Teacher for eduCCate Global. She has been a secondary school teacher of Food Technology and Art for the past 20 years.
In 2013 they bought Deer Wood, a 12 acre mixed deciduous woodland in South Devon and in 2017 founded ‘The Deer Wood Trust’ - a not for profit organisation set up to facilitate conservation and hands-on experiential learning in a woodland environment for people inclusive of all social backgrounds, age groups and walks of life.
This once neglected woodland has been brought back into balance through dedicated conservation woodland management practices and the help of like-minded friends and volunteers.
Marc and Lisa live sustainably off-grid, close to nature in two yurts since 2015. The yurts have been specially adapted to suit this woodland environment.
In 2020, after a 5-year planning application process, they gained permanent permission to live on the land they work on.
In 2015 The Deer Wood Native Tree Nursery was started by collecting seeds and nuts form the wood itself and the surrounding hedgerows. Year upon year this has expanded; now young trees are being sold in and around the South West.
In 2022 Marc and Lisa started developing the Deer Wood Outdoor Education Hub.
The focus is on experiential learning to promote well being for both people and the planet :
- Traditional Carpentry Skills
- Specialist Bamboo Carpentry
- Woodland Horticulture
- Permaculture
- Woodland Management,
- Foraging and Nature Connection
- Earth Friendly Food Courses
- Outdoor Therapies
- Sustainable Lifestyle Visits.
THE DEER WOOD TRUST C.I.C
Company number:
14810543