If you’re considering how to make better use of your farm’s woodland resources, you may be wondering where to start.

When taking over a family farm with established woodlands, understanding the opportunities and challenges can seem daunting. Grown in Britain spoke with Will and Pam, the new owners of Plas yn Grove Farm in North Shropshire, about their early journey into sustainable woodland management…

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TRANSFORMING WOODLAND HERITAGE INTO SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

“We both lived and worked in South Africa for 10 years – I as an architect and Pam in fashion – before returning to the UK to take over the family farm in 2022,” explains Will. “One of our first priorities was understanding how to make better use of the beautiful small clusters of woodland scattered across our land.”

Plas yn Grove Farm includes around 40 acres of individual pockets of broadleaf woodland, featuring everything from hazel coppices and sweet chestnut plantations to old oaks and conifers. While maintaining their traditional farming operations – dairy cows in summer and sheep in winter – Will and Pam saw an opportunity to diversify into sustainable timber management.

GETTING STARTED: THE POWER OF EXPERT GUIDANCE

After attending the Groundswell festival, they learned about the PIES project, led by the Sylva Foundation in collaboration with The Forest Canopy Foundation and Grown in Britain and funded by the Government’s Trees Call to Action Fund.

“This was really helpful to understand both the commercial and ecological value and opportunities for our woods,” Will shares. We commissioned a survey of our 40 acres of woodland under the Sylva Foundation PIES funding scheme in 2023, which led to the development of a comprehensive 10-year management plan approved by the Forestry Commission.

“Speaking to lots of people and finding really good consultants has been invaluable – Charles Robinson and Simon Smith from Robinson Forestry (Certified Expert Providers) have been fantastically helpful in the process.”

The Woodland Management Plan was approved at the end of last year, and it enables us to carry out felling / thinning operations over the next 10 years.

BALANCING COMMERCE AND CONSERVATION

The farm’s programme is already well underway, with several key initiatives demonstrating their commitment to sustainable forestry. One of their most ambitious projects involves an ancient peatland bog on the farm that was drained by the Victorians for agriculture and forestry. “It’s now quite dense woodland,” Will explains, “but we’re working with Natural England on a ‘re-wetting’ project to restore the peat to its natural state. This will involve careful selective felling to allow the moss to return to its original condition.”

Their current projects are equally thoughtful in approach. “We’re undertaking a 30% thinning this summer,” Will notes, “primarily focusing on removing ash trees affected by dieback disease. We’re planning this carefully to maximise the timber’s value – some will go to local sawmills as saw logs, some will be processed for firewood, and we’re keeping back the best logs for our own future use.”

The replanting strategy demonstrates their balanced approach to woodland management. “We’re restocking with a mix of native broadleafs and some conifers,” Pam explains. “It’s about finding the right balance between supporting biodiversity and ensuring future timber value.”

Alongside these larger operations, they’ve implemented several smaller-scale woodland management initiatives:

• Traditional hedge laying using coppiced stakes from their own woods
• A community ‘Log Club’ that meets regularly to process windblown timber
• Parkland tree planting for future generations

The couple have also begun hosting educational activities that support their woodland management goals. Green woodworking courses run alongside hedge laying and planting workshops, helping to share traditional skills with the wider community. Even their local Scout group is involved, participating in tree planting activities during their regular visits to the farm.

“All these activities work together,” Will reflects. “The woodland management provides materials for our courses and community projects, while these events help people understand why active woodland management is so important for both timber production and biodiversity.”

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

In 2021 – 2022 they did a lot of thinking about their ideas and ‘vision’ and business plans for the farm (see map?). While much of this is slightly on hold while they focus on Will’s architecture practice and bringing up their three young children, they do have an exciting vision that centres on creating a truly circular system. “We’d really like to establish something where everything works together and supports the local community,” Will explains. Their ambitious plans begin with expanding their current course offerings to include timber framing, using wood harvested from their own woodland.

To support these educational initiatives, they’re planning to convert some of their fantastic old farm buildings into accommodation. “People seem happy to travel to these courses but need somewhere to stay,” notes Pam. This transformation would allow them to host extended workshops and training sessions.

The couple are particularly enthusiastic about developing their woodland resources further. They’re planning to establish dedicated areas for willow and hazel coppicing, which would provide sustainable materials for both practical farm use and craft workshops. They also envision creating their own timber products, ranging from split chestnut fencing to bespoke furniture, all crafted from their farm-grown wood.

Looking even further ahead, Will and Pam hope to construct timber-frame glamping structures using their own materials, creating unique stays that showcase the possibilities of local timber. They’re also exploring ideas for cookery schools, pottery workshops, and furniture-making spaces, all designed to bring more people closer to nature and traditional crafts and they’d love to Mill their own timber, seasoning the planks and selling timber for furniture – as well as making our own furniture

While acknowledging they’re at the start of their journey with sustainable woodland management and Grown in Britain certification, their experience through the PIES project shows how careful planning, expert guidance, and a clear vision can help transform traditional farmland into a hub of sustainable woodland enterprise.

KEY FACTS

• 2 hectares new woodland
• 5,300 native trees
• 12 tons carbon capture per year
• 15 years annual maintenance support

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For more information about certification email: enquiries@growninbritain.org

HELPFUL RESOURCES

• The Sylva Foundation – Offers funding schemes and support for woodland management
• The Forestry Commission – Provides guidance and approval for management plans
• The Forest Canopy Foundation – Expertise in woodland creation
• Local Forestry Consultants – Essential for surveys and planning
• Woodland Management Courses – Valuable for skills development
• Community Networks – Connect with other woodland owners and managers
• Expert Providers – Organisations experienced in woodland creation and management working under the Forest Canopy Foundation’s code of conduct and certified by Grown in Britain