WITH the global climate emergency quite rightly dominating the news agenda of late, it was apt that the theme running throughout this year’s Confor Woodland Show was ‘Forests, Wood and Climate Change’.
Taking place on 5 and 6 September at Longleat, the event featured over 100 exhibitors ranging from large-scale machinery and arb supplies to nurseries, tree-planting and woodland management, as well as a packed seminar programme and the UK Loggers team selection for this year’s world championships.
Cutting-edge tech was also on display at the event, with Artio Geomatics presenting on drones and how they can be utilised for forestry applications such as aerial photograph surveys, evaluation surveys and 3D site modelling.
In the arena, Exac-One was demonstrating the Treemaster MS300 modular multi-tool tree shear system, which is capable of cutting or trimming trees up to 450 mm in diameter and cutting fallen trees into firewood. Kilworth Machinery showcased the Tajfun RCA400 firewood processor. With a 15-tonne splitting force, the RCA400 features single joystick control, a maximum log diameter of 40 cm and an adjustable log length from 25–40 cm.
The popular Forest Workers Zone was also back, with a whole host of kit on show, along with chainsaw carving, horse logging and field archery. Among the exhibitors in the Forest Workers Zone was Jas P Wilson, which had a range of FAE mulchers on show, alongside a Botex trailer and forestry timber loader roof crane, as well a live demonstration of the Posch K-415 firewood processor.
From its stand, Home Forestry showed off the diminutive Alstor 840 Pro 8-wheel-drive combi machine. Featuring hydrostatic transmission, and a 5-metre timber crane and a maximum load capacity of 3,000 kg, the 840 Pro is able to quickly switch from forwarder to first thinnings harvester. Also on show was the Rabaud F80 horizontal log splitter. This hulking piece of kit offers 80 tonnes of splitting power with AUTO2SPEED double automatic cylinder speed and three different splitting grids (16/24/28 logs).
Elsewhere in the Forest Workers Zone, Reeds’ stand had a Cat 310 tracked excavator fitted with the Steelwrist X12 tilitrotator on display, as well as a John Deere 7290 R tractor with Stehr SBV 80 H3 plate compactor.
The comprehensive seminar programme covered numerous hot topics including funding the future of the industry, woodland expansion as a solution for the climate emergency, changing your woodland business for a changing climate and how to manage and adapt to ash dieback.
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