TEN woodlands from across the West Midlands and East Anglia were celebrated this week at the Royal Forestry Society’s (RFS) prestigious Excellence in Forestry Awards.
Gold and Silver awards were presented at Calke Abbey, Derbyshire, across a total of five categories covering multi-purpose forestry, timber production, small woodlands, education and community woodlands.
The winners reflect the evolving landscape of forestry as landowners and woodland managers seek innovative methods to combat the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and the increasing risk of pests and diseases. Sustainable practices such as continuous-cover forestry (CCF) were a common theme in this year’s competition.
This year, two awards celebrated the trailblazing approach of woodland managers who have passed away recently.
Gold for the Duke of Cornwall’s Award for Resilient Multi-Purpose Forestry – sponsored by Savills and TreesPlease – was presented to Morton Hall Estate, whose owner Bill Mason died suddenly in June. Bill was a long-standing proponent of CCF.
As one of the earliest adopters of CCF, Morton Hall Estate demonstrates the successful results of over half a century of this approach to forestry.
Speaking of Mason’s family and forester, Josh Robinson, judges William Hamer and Martin Fletcher said: “There was clear evidence that despite Bill Mason’s unexpected death, the next generation is ready and able to take up the reins.”
Speaking on behalf of the family, Bill Mason’s daughter Andrea Mason said: “Bill would have been – and the family are – delighted for the woodlands to have been awarded this prestigious prize as its criteria fully align with our management goals. Bill was a forester to his core and he loved to share his knowledge. The family will continue to manage these woodlands in Bill’s stead, using science-driven, CCF-led silvicultural approaches to deliver multi-faceted resilience.”
Winning Gold for the FSC-sponsored Small & Farm Woodland of The Year was Hole Farm, whose owner Robin Carver also passed away this year. Robin purchased the farm with his wife, Rose in 1982, but decades of farming large fields, removal of hedges and poor ploughing practice meant the land and soils were in a desolate condition.
To remedy the situation, Robin planted 43,000 trees across 17 hectares, 10,000 shrubs and over eight miles of hedges. The aim was to restore and safeguard the farmland and its soils.
Charles Inglis, Robin’s son-in-law and successor, said: “By their own admission they made many mistakes, but by their energy, enthusiasm and a willingness to try new ideas they have transformed the landscape. The woods achieved their objective, by massively reducing the damage being done to the soils, creating some fabulous wildlife habitat and producing trees that they could be proud of in the relatively short period of 40 years.”
Silver for The Duke of Cornwall’s Award for Multi-purpose Woodland was presented to Thomas Cook of Sennowe Forest in Norfolk. Thomas is another early adopter of CCF, creating an uneven-age, multi-species forest that relies primarily on natural regeneration.
Silver was awarded to Normanton Hall in the Small & Farm Woodland Award category. John Machin manages 2.38 ha of plantations, which the judges praised for the choice of species, standard of maintenance and for blending with the surrounding landscape.
The Bede Howell Award for Excellence in Silviculture, sponsored by Tilhill, had the highest number of contenders with tough competition between the top entrants. Recognising forests where timber production is the primary aim, the sought-after Gold award was presented to the 160 ha Sotterley Estate for its magnificent plantations of mature oaks.
Judges praised Sotterley Estate foresters Miles Barne and Julian Bachelor for their “laser-focus” on the production of high quality oak timber and meticulous attention to detail.
Silver place for the Bede Howell Award went to Fring Estate for its impressive output of various forest products and its innovative experimentations with species selection and placement.
The Education & Learning Award – sponsored by Forestry Journal and PEFC – highlights the need to get children and young people engaged in nature and forestry.
Gold went to Great Wood Farm Early Years Centre, a nursery based on a farm in Lincolnshire and surrounded by 150 acres of woodland owned by Forestry England. Silver was awarded to Branch Out Forestry School in Shropshire which earned top marks for its links with the community, knowledge of the natural environment and creative curriculum.
The Community Woodland of the Year Award – sponsored by The Woodland Trust – celebrated two woodlands for their commitment to serving local people. Gold went to Astbury Mere Country Park in Chester, an ex-quarry that was originally intended for industrial use in the 1980s before local people came together to form a community group and fight the decision. Silver was awarded to the Boston Woods Trust, an ambitious project that has vastly improved the quality of green space in and around the town of Boston.
The Excellence in Forestry Awards will return next year, held across Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Dorset and South Western regions.
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