Royal Forestry Society’s prestigious Excellence in Forestry Awards took place on 24 October 2024. This year, ten woodlands from across the West Midlands and East Anglia were celebrated. Gold and Silver awards were presented across a total of five categories covering multi-purpose forestry, timber production, small woodlands, education and community woodlands.
The winners at this year’s RFS Excellence in Forestry Awards 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.
Small & Farm Woodland of the Year
Since 2019, FSC UK has sponsored the Small & Farm Woodland of the Year award. This award recognises and rewards smaller woods which have been actively managed in the last ten years, and is aimed principally at the hands-on woodland owner, including farmers. Andy Sharkey, FSC UK’s Forest Standards Manager, was delighted to be able to join RFS at the awards to meet the winners.
Winning Gold for the Small & Farm Woodland of The Year was Hole Farm, whose owner, Robin Carver sadly 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 Ha, 10,000 shrubs and over 8 miles of hedges.The aim was to restore and safeguard the farmland and its soils. Thanks to ample energy, enthusiasm and a willingness to try new ideas, they transformed the landscape in a relatively short period of 40 years.
The woods played a key role in this by massively reducing the damage to the soils, creating some fabulous wildlife habitats and producing a diverse and healthy range of trees.
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 was awarded to Normanton Hall in the Small & Farm Woodland Award. John Machin manages the 2.38 Ha of plantations, which the judges praised for the choice of species, standard of maintenance and for blending with the surrounding landscape.
“These woods are already providing additional wildlife habitat and are laid out with rides to allow access for local walkers,” the judges commented. “They are also used by the local forest school with children involved with various woodland activities.”
John said “I am happy to receive the award because it represents a communal effort particularly on the part of Andy Martin and David Hare whose energy and dedication have been vital to the emergence and development of the plantations. It will also please the people in the community who walk there and enjoy the amenity, not least the school children who participate in the Forest school activities which take place there.”
You can find more information about the RFS Excellence in Forestry Awards and the awards winners here.