This year the CFA UK
Branch tour looked at a wide range of forestry topics associated with the
county of Shropshire, covering both historic events and up-to-date
issues. The tour started at Weston Park, a magnificent country estate
dating back to the 17th Century where the staff are
endeavouring to restore the wooded grounds to their original planting
design. This means gradually removing signs of more recent softwood
planting in favour of the predominantly hardwood cover that was common in
estates of the time. Within the grounds were several magnificent ancient
oaks, and the group spent some time discussing management options for them
with the forester Terry Merchant. However, although these veteran trees,
with which Britain is particularly well endowed, are a biological gem they
evoke little interest from most visitors. Of more concern to the
management of Weston Park is the movement of a large number of visitors
around the estate and the threat of trees falling on them. As such, the
group considered approaches for mature tree management within a public
access context.
The next day was spent at the Ironbridge Gorge Museums, the site of the
original industrial revolution, where the group were able to see how and why
this small area became such an important part of the process of global
industrialisation. The day began with a lecture by Dr Roger White, Academic
Director Ironbridge Institute, entitled The essential role of forests and
wood in the age of iron (shortly to be made available to download from the
CFA website), and was followed by a tour of several of the museums of this
World Heritage Site. Throughout the day the links between trees and industry
were highlighted and we were even able to experience life in the early days of
industrialisation through a recreated Victorian town.
The last day of the tour focussed on some of the challenges facing woodland
management in the present day. The Green Wood Centre teaches traditional
woodland craft but, perhaps more importantly, is looking toward the future of
sustainable small woodland management in the UK. One of the new challenges
facing forestry in the UK is the development of biofuels as part of an overall
trend towards both reducing our dependence on importation of fuel, and also
more ‘carbon-lean’ energy sources. The Centre’s Director, Judy Walker, showed
the group their new wood-fuelled boiler which heats the whole centre and is
fed by locally felled timber and a debate followed on the future of biofuels
in the UK.
The final part of the tour looked at the objectives and challenges of woodland
management close to the city of Telford. James Power, Woodland Officer with
the Severn Gorge Countryside Trust, took the group on a tour of woods
surrounding the Ironbridge Gorge and explained how the Trust is trying to
balance the needs of public access with both landscape and biodiversity
conservation.
The CFA AGM was held on the first night of the
tour and included a presentation of both the Annual Report and the accounts of
the Association. Our Chair, Jim Ball, stated his pleasure in seeing our
membership increase and the financial situation of the CFA continue to
improve. He also reported on positive changes in management structure,
particularly in relation to the Executive Committee and Governing Council, but
stressed our continued need to seek donations from members, and ‘friends of
forestry’ in order to secure the future of the Association. (Minutes of the
meeting, the accounts and the Annual Report are available to download from the
Members Only section of the website).
