Our trees are our future and as John Orchard, Chief Executive of Woodland Heritage explains, we need to grow more of them and think differently about how we use them.
You know we face a climate crisis. You might not know that at a time when so much of our woodlands aren’t sustainably managed, the UK is the third largest net importer of forest products, behind China and the USA.
It means we simply aren’t making the most of what we have. Woodland Heritage is doing something about this by championing the good use of homegrown timber from sustainable, productive woodlands for the benefit of present and future generations.
Through a combination of demonstration sites like James Wood in Somerset and Whitney Sawmills in Herefordshire, alongside research, education, membership and outreach programmes, the charity builds on the wisdom and skills of the past and present to weather the challenges of tomorrow. Put simply – grow trees and use wood – for our future.
Productive woodland and Whitney Sawmills
Productive woodland is part of the answer to this conundrum. By selectively felling, the canopy is opened, new plants appear, attracting new insects, birds and wildlife. Through this traditional cycle, sustainable forests produce beautiful timber for striking buildings, long lasting furniture and treasured objects. In addition to social benefits, a hectare of mixed broadleaf trees sequesters 596 tonnes of CO2 equivalent over the next 100 years. Of course, timber products and places are vital stores of carbon, too.
But to bring these benefits to life we must support and invest in the nation’s processing capabilities. This is where Whitney Sawmills enters the story. The business is a vital part of the charity, and Whitney Sawmills demonstrate the value of productive woodland first hand. The sawmills are a well-established, keystone business offering a range of green and dried hardwood and softwood timbers. There is an impressive range of species and sizes of timbers in stock and the mill has a proven ability to meet demand for unusual and bespoke specifications, cut to order.
This track record means the company is as renowned for its involvement in restoration projects like HMS Victory as it is for supplying leading furniture makers, construction projects and even timber bikes and yurts. Beyond providing this vital service at a time when over the last 30 years we have lost three quarters of our sawmills, the business routinely brings people together to share skills, experience and research.
Woodland to workshop
The charity and sawmills are proud of their involvement in courses like ‘Woodland to Workshop’, which broadens horizons and raises awareness by educating participants from the forest through to the workshop and beyond.
This ground-breaking course is supported by knowledgeable practitioners and eminent speakers from the timber industry. Based in the woodland, timber yard, sawmill and joinery workshop, this is an intense, practical course that will give attendees knowledge to last a lifetime.
Places are available now and the hope is that by attending the course those that grow trees and use wood can take action to improve a healthy supply of homegrown timber from sustainable, productive woodlands. Building on the course, the sawmill and charity are walking the walk, too. Since the charity and sawmill joined forces the percentage of the sawmill’s timber supply, which is home-grown has changed dramatically, from an estimated two thirds five years ago, to over 95% at the time of writing.
Woodland heritage
Heritage comes from c.1200 Old French and means ‘that which may be inherited’. Old French was spoken hundreds of years ago, largely in northern France, and was a mesh of Romance dialects including Italic and Celtic. So, ‘that which may be inherited’. The charity feels the key word is ‘may’. It’s far from certain.
Because the world of woodlands often changes slowly, the decisions we make today directly affect the knowledge, skills, woodlands and timber we pass on to future generations. This in turn affects whether our children and grandchildren can create a thriving wood culture that benefits their environment, all people and their economy. This means woodland heritage is not the passive act of preserving the past. It is the active process of deciding what world our children and grandchildren will inherit. It requires action. Have you thought about your woodland heritage? What are you passing on?
More at: www.woodlandheritage.org/join-us www.whitneysawmills.com
