This year’s Royal Welsh Show offered plenty for visitors to the forestry section, with issues around farming, tree-planting and government bureaucracy generating lots of discussion.
TWEEDLEDUM or tweedledee, ‘tis such fun to be free, and enjoy that jamboree which is the Royal Welsh, that annual, rambunctious reflection of rural life in Wales. For several years we have all been locked up, so it was certain to be a grand show. I was a volunteer on the Royal Forestry Society stand, one of a whole host of volunteers on whom the forestry section depends (not meaning to blow my own trumpet), starting with stewards.
We had Iwan, George and Brian, with the latter two sitting unperturbed like zen masters, gently melting, as they counted the incessant chop chop, chopping of the axe racers crafting wood chip. We should also remember all the volunteers’ wives, husbands, partners or whomever, the generosity and goodwill of whom ensured the forestry section’s success.
It was darn hot for the first two days, but for the previous few weeks I’d been busy felling large ash, and I have to say wearing chainsaw protection does acclimatise you for such weather.
A table was set up on the RFS stand, which turned out to be a bit of an open confessional for many of the farming community, openly expressing their feelings for trees. Perhaps it’s due to the empathy ingrained upon my persecuted face or that farmers have only had sheep and cattle to speak to over the past years (probably the latter), but their comments provided valuable insight for the future of forestry in Wales, more of which later …
Over the years there have been various changes in the forestry section. Dealers have come and gone, and fashions have changed. In the past there were many charities present, with many showing a fluffy bunny sort of attitude towards forestry, relying upon grant after grant, and not perhaps facing up to the pragmatic reality which eventually befalls all woodland. This year, many charities were emphasising what business- or income-generating options are available to forest owners and farmers, a significant shift in attitude. Likewise, many commercial companies, as well as government agencies, were doing their bit to encourage youngsters. Could it be that the industry and those affiliated with it are realising the way ahead is not to be overly reliant on grants, but on sound financial footing?
It was good to see various traditional woodland skills demonstrated by people who knew what they were doing. The RFS welcomed members and possible new members. Of great interest to our hardwood growers was Sarah Jeffrey of Action Oak, an organisation which is unifying over 38 parties to move forward many research projects in the UK and helping to spread the knowledge gained.
The forestry companies were in strength, with Tilhill and Maelor Nurseries attracting many by giving a free tree seedling to children (several of which have already received a permanent home here). Scottish Woodlands’ Doug Scott told me of the considerable new planting work it has planned for the next season. Pryor and Rickett’s Andrew Sowerby highlighted various opportunities, including cricket-bat willow among others, to both farmers and existing woodland owners. Perhaps of special interest was the recent acquisition of Bronwin and Abbey by the Velcourt Group, a farm business and advisory group (could farmers and foresters soon realise they’re singing from the same hymn sheet?). The Small Woods Association highlighted the health and income benefits for woodland owners. For some time it has conducted trials about the mental health benefits forests can provide. It has also been busy on the income-generating potential of such activity (a member of the Small Woods Association could find out more). Stump Up For Trees was ready to support any new planting.
Llais y Goedwig (Woodland Hand), in conjunction with Wild Resources, has been busy under the Dewis Gwyllt banner in developing sustainable income possibilities from herbs, essential oils, syrup production and more.
Training has been a bit of a pain in certain areas of the industry, but MWMAC has been at the forefront in Wales. On its stand was a 360 track machine with tree shear, to highlight a new tree shear training course coming on stream at the end of the summer. Popular with children (and those of more advanced age) was a harvester simulator, based on a Ponsse machine (take note John Deere, you might want to supply a simulator of yours to MWMAC for next year).
Both Ponsse and John Deere had several machines on display – seriously big toys for either deep-pocketed boys or those that have help from Close Brothers Asset Finance.
The Wales representative is Gareth Price, who at one time managed the Welsh government’s Timber 2 programme, as well as the Farming Connect forestry remit.
Talking of funding, many of the organisations offering help for self-improvement seem to be on a different planet to those of us working on the ground. They appear happy to offer grant funding of up to 80 per cent so you can get some consultant into your business (a person who has often only just come out of college, with no practical experience), yet only offer 20 per cent help on, say, a chainsaw course (not very practical). Yet MWMAC helped me by directing me to Focus On Forestry First, which is able to help with up to 75 per cent of funding for chainsaw courses. How long will this last? I don’t know, so you’d better contact them soon at www.focusonforestryfirst.co.uk.
The only academic institution in the forestry section was the Birmingham Institute of Forest Research (BIFoR). Its report for last year makes heady reading. It’s now working with over 100 academics, covering a whole range of issues from climate change to disease research, resilience, the effects of forests on humans and so much more. It is humbling to meet such people. As a general observation, some of the cleverest people I have met are the humblest, and with this I come to Forest Research. Although Tom Jenkins, that familiar face of FR Wales, was not present due to ill health, there were other representatives, including one dressed as an Asian longhorn beetle (yes Caroline Gordon, we know who you are). The net effect of this was that children were all over the stand, expanding their knowledge of all things trees. Seeds were being sown for the future.
A steady stream of contractors and children flowed to the D A Hughes stand, the adults to chat with Alan and see the range of Sunward 360 excavators (proving popular with the arb sector), GB harvester bars and sprockets, Pfanzelt tracked winches and tool carriers, and much more. All the children enjoyed sitting in the seats of the small diggers (it’s funny how children never grow out of playing with levers). Bio Equipment brought its Dragonbite tree shears, the front-loader-fitted Halverson firewood processor and Osprey firewood grapple. Although not sold by Bio Equipment, the Dragonbite shears were mounted on Sany 360 track machines. One thing of interest with both Sany and Sunward, both Chinese brands, is their design; servicing and maintenance is straightforward, with easy access to the parts which count. Oxdale of course had its original splitter design on show, as well as a whole host of other British-built items.
Fuelwood had a large display of Uniforest products and Heizohack chippers.
Fence and Forget had on display a whole range of creosoted fencing and split chestnut posts, but also full round robinia or false acacia posts. On the continent these are sought after, due to the fact that they have a highly durable heartwood. I have asked many times why don’t we plant more and the standard reply from officialdom is it’s a non-native and very invasive species! Yet to germinate the seeds you need to soak them in practically scalding water and rabbits love them. Considering the species has been on these isles since the early 1800s or earlier, you would expect it to have spread like Japanese knotweed. But that’s not the case, so why do such officials call it invasive?
A regular hornet’s nest had been stirred up, or could it be Welsh black bees? No doubt beekeepers will know what I’m talking about – a peculiar type of bee native to the Celtic fringe with a reputation for vile temper. All this hullabaloo stemmed from the Welsh government’s announcement that all farms should have 10 per cent tree coverage. In fact, many farms have far more than that already, and First Minister Mark Drakeford was cross-examined by a rabid army of reporters. Do I feel sorry for him? Not particularly, as he is well paid for his efforts. Yet why are the press so unimaginative, like a bunch of lambs bleating the same old questions already asked by other unimaginative lambs?
Perhaps the comment expressed by many visitors would make the basis for a far better interview with Mr Drakeford.
One farmer likened the current state of affairs here in Wales to a person paralysed due to a broken back, in that the brain is fully active, coming up with good ideas, but unable to get them working due to paralysis. Likewise, the current Welsh Assembly comes up with good and interesting ideas (one floating around the show was the creation of a nationwide national forest), farmers and foresters want to proceed, yet they are held back by a bloated bureaucracy.
Several farmers mentioned how they wanted to plant bracken-infested land with trees, land which would be ideal as forest, providing a host of benefits to the farmer-grower, to the environment, and to the future of any timber-related industry, yet time and again it was mentioned that many was a time when permission was refused, due to officials grading such land as woodland pasture – land which had a few stunted trees and was infested with head-high bracken. As one farmer pointed out, traditionally it had been burned every year to clean it up, hence so few stunted trees. If it was not burned and given time, a woodland of some type would no doubt develop. Once again, a missed opportunity. Of those farmers that had applied to plant such land, the refusal and appeal system was so protracted that the few who did get permission would run out of time to proceed with work. Many abandoned their plans and did not appeal, concerned that any such appeal would only let them be victimised at some later date by government officials.
The old Forestry Commission, for all its imperfections, was mostly operated by foresters or people knowledgeable about trees. Unfortunately, at Natural Resources Wales, the tree growing has become diluted, and with a policy of employing from within, so as the more experienced tree-growing staff retire or move on, they are replaced by staff with no forestry background. Recently, one farmer was advised that he needed a felling licence to remove dead ash trees!
It seems that everybody and their dog takes priority over the landowners’ wishes.
Another often-heard chestnut is: “We won’t give permission as two or three fields away from the proposed planting is a plant which possibly feeds a rare butterfly, which we haven’t seen here, but possibly might come here, and the plant might positively multiply into these fields and eventually grow on the proposed woodland site, possibly providing habitat for the rare butterfly which we haven’t seen in this area.” As far-fetched as this sounds, similar experiences have become all-too-common here in Wales, leading to a loss of good will among farmers. Many will make sure the special habitat does not expand. Thus the loser is the environment, in that there isn’t new woodland, and another existing habitat which would have expanded naturally will no longer do so.
It costs money and time to prepare scheme applications, yet many are handled badly. Bureaucrats seem to be there to inhibit planting rather than aid it. Yet if you have clean, good agricultural land the system is simple, which beggars belief, especially with the increase in the cost of food. For many farmers those many parts of Wales which are ideal for forestry are also ideal for grappling hooks and mountain goats. It seems the bureaucracy behemoth which oversees land issues was, up until recently, swallowing close to 40 per cent of the rural government payments. Somebody somewhere has got things seriously wrong.
No wonder the hackles are raised with the farming community, especially when they hear of the Welsh government paying over the odds for good agricultural land for tree planting. Perhaps it’s time Confor invited the farming organisations over for a cup of tea and biscuits (only the cheap biscuits, we can’t have them thinking we have too much money). I think all parties would be surprised as to the similarities they share. If the Woodland Trust, some years back, could become a bedfellow with the National Sheep Association, it shouldn’t be too difficult for Confor to work with the farming community.
Despite the love–hate relationship which seems to exist between farmers and the Welsh government, there is considerable good will towards forestry, especially with the forward-thinking farmer, who can see forestry can positively contribute to their business model.
Some are even planting areas without any grants, avoiding unnecessary bureaucracy.
It looks like history is repeating itself. Sir William Schlich wrote in 1915: “Very little has yet been done to increase the area under forestry. Too much talking and too little action. That is the long and short of it.”
It will be good to look back, come next year’s Royal Welsh, to see what improvements have occurred.
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