FOLLOWING a long delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, winners of the Royal Forestry Society Excellence in Forestry Awards have finally been recognised.
The awards, conducted in Wales, the Isle of Man and, for the first time, in Northern Ireland, were presented in three separate events at Shane's Castle, Co. Antrim, Glanusk Estate near Crickhowell in South Wales and Gwydyr Forest near Betws-y-Coed, North Wales, in September and October.
Judges praised the quality, quantity and variety of entries and shortlisted 21 sites. They said: “We finished judging confident that the forest industry has a great deal to offer the people in each country. We saw employment created, landscapes protected and the environment improved.
"We saw people eager to learn and set something valuable aside for their children and grandchildren, and real benefits provided for local communities.”
Winner of the Duke of Cornwall Award for Resilient Multipurpose Forestry, sponsored by Savills and TreesPlease, was Coed Caeaugwynedd, Llanfyllin, Powys, owned and managed by Keith and Decia Blacker.
Llanover Estate, Monmouthshire, took second place, with certificates of merit going to Powis Castle Estate and Shane’s Castle Estate, Co. Antrim.
Keith Blacker said: “We have gained considerable knowledge from RFS meetings over our 50 years’ membership. Combining that with the experience of a career in industry has helped us to create an exciting forestry business focused on satisfying customers and their needs.”
The RFS Award for Excellence in Silviculture, sponsored by Tilhill, went to Llangoed Estate, Builth Wells, Powys, owned by Gerard and Jane Chichester and managed by Andrew Bronwin.
The Myarth, Glanusk Estates, Brecon, took second place, with a certificate of merit going to Largybeg Wood, Baronscourt Estate, Co. Tyrone.
Gerard and Jane Chichester said: “We are delighted to be honoured with this award. We have always taken great pride in our woods which are a crucial part of the estate and give us immense pleasure.”
The Community Woodland Award, sponsored by the Woodland Trust, went to Slieve Gullion Forest Park, Meigh, Co. Armagh, owned and managed by DAERA Forest Service, with Llyn Parc Mawr, Anglesey, in second.
Receiving the award on behalf of DAERA, Forest Service CEO John Joe O’Boyle said: “Slieve Gullion Forest Park is an exemplar of partnership working to maintain and improve facilities and visitor services with local councils and others. The award is great recognition for investment and development that has taken place over recent years and the use and enjoyment local communities and others get from this wonderful resource.”
The Small and Farm Woodland Award, sponsored by the Forest Stewardship Council UK, was jointly won by Bron Haul near Abergele, Conwy, owned and managed by David Brown and Ruth Pybus, and Portloughan Farm, Strangford, Co. Down, owned and managed by David and Alison Sandford. A certificate of merit went to Wurthymp Wood near Wrexham.
David Brown and Ruth Pybus said: “We are delighted to win this award for the second time. The more we manage the woodland, the faster it is developing from a young mixed broadleaf plantation to a continuous cover woodland yielding increasingly valuable products. We hope other woodland owners will be inspired by this as our climate and biodiversity emergencies demand that we create diverse, resilient woodlands for the well-being of future generations.”
David Sandford, Portloughan Farm, previously the NI Chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN), said: “We wanted a warm wood, well-populated with shrubs and undergrowth, that would be haven for wildlife. We also wanted a wood that could grow good timber with an eye to having firewood from thinnings.
“We are delighted to win this award and to be acknowledged for the hard work that went into establishing this woodland on our farm. Being an RFS member for 15 years, the society has been a great source of information and advice. It has furthered my knowledge at every step and made this woodland possible.”
Winner of the Education and Learning Award, sponsored by Forestry Journal and PEFC, was Coleg Glynllifon Further Education College, Gwynedd, with School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, in second place and a certificate of merit going to Nature’s Classroom, Creggan Country Park, Derry.
For Coleg Glynllifon, Jeff Jones said: “Students are given as wide a range of practical activities as possible from using our static Mebor sawmill to process timber on the estate to using new technology such as Haglof mensuration equipment.
"Working with industry is an important part of the student experience, we appreciate the support we receive from local companies for providing valuable work experience placements and allowing student visits to learn about the forestry and countryside sector.”
Entries had been invited during late 2019 and early 2020, but judging was delayed until earlier this year.
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