'Offenders and Nature' schemes

What are the schemes?

Offenders from HMP Winchester working with the Forestry Commission in Micheldever Wood

Offenders from HMP Winchester maintaining the M3 corridor

Offender from HMP Winchester formative pruning of oak trees at Micheldever Wood

(Photos: Ben Phelan, Forestry Commission)

'Offenders and Nature' (O&N) schemes involve offenders working as volunteers on nature conservation and woodland sites. An offender is someone serving a sentence in custody or in the community.

Those entering O&N schemes during their community sentence often work for one or two days per week on the scheme whereas those serving a custodial sentence usually do it full-time in the last 4 to 6 months of their prison sentence. Prisoners who participate in O&N projects will have been risk-assessed in order that they can be released on temporary license.

What are the benefits and outcomes?

O&N schemes are seen as reparative work that benefits the public, providing experience of teamwork, life and skills training to offenders; and through the worthwhile and visible tasks boosting their confidence and feeling of self-worth.

Examples of tasks that might be included:

Creating and maintaining footpaths and access routes
Opening up dense vegetation to create more diverse habitats
Establishing ponds
Building board walks.

Who is involved?

O&N initiatives involve partnerships between at least one offender management organisation and at least one natural environment organisation. Successful partnerships require some understanding of each other’s priorities, drivers and the policy context in which they operate.

Further information

Enquiries

These can be addressed to:

Claudia Carter (Project Leader)
Social and Economic Research Group
Environmental and Human Sciences Division
Forest Research
Alice Holt Lodge
Farnham, GU10 4LH

Tel: 01420 526191
Fax: 01420 23653
Email: claudia.carter@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

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