Branching out with a winning formula

A farm that’s home to the Rolston herd of British Saddlebacks in East Yorkshire has won the first Royal Forestry Society (RFS) Excellence in Forestry Farm Woodlands Award.

Woodbottom Farm at Stainburn near Otley, primarily a pasture farm, took second place. The awards, which were supported by the Forestry Commission, will be presented at the Great Yorkshire Show on July 15.
Winning the award was John Hepworth, owner of Braemar Farm at Rolston, Hornsea, in East Yorkshire.
John had started to plant woodlands in 1989 with the help of a Woodland Grant Scheme, filling in an area between a public footpath and a public bridleway. He has now expanded the woodlands to cover around 30 hectares, or about half the farm, establishing a number of different woodland types. These include the Hornsea Community Woodland which has public access, flowering shrubs and a mix of trees designed to attract birds; 11 hectares of Swedish willow destined for biofuels and a stand of eucalyptus which was planted in 2003 and which he is now harvesting through thinnings.

Judges Roderick Leslie and Rodney Helliwell said: “The awards recognise the importance that woodlands bring to farms, both in terms of an added income stream, but also in promoting biodiversity.

“John Hepworth simply bubbles with enthusiasm, for his trees ranging from native broadleaves to Willow and Eucalyptus energy crops, and for the wide range of people he welcomes to his new woods in one of the least wooded parts of the north east. The farm now has much greater interest, both to the owner and the public, as well as increasing the biodiversity of the area.”

John said: “I am growing wood not just as an amenity, but as a future income. It is a delight to see all sorts of people enjoying those woodlands where there is public access, including a group of 120 children brought to site by Teaching Trees.

“I like to understand how woodlands should grow and develop, and I have taken on several of the points the judges made. The RFS was the first to point out the income potential of thinning the Eucalyptus when the Yorkshire Division visited in 2008, and their suggestions have brought in some welcome additional income.“
Second placed Woodbottom Farm also originally established its 5.57 ha woodland with the aid of a Woodland Grant Scheme.

Judges commented: “This was a beautifully designed and executed farm woodland, with a well thought out range of native species growing well and a ride and glade network which made the wood a pleasure to visit.”

Owner Justin Arnold explained: “The woodland is on an area that was formerly pasture land. It has brought a wider range of native habitats to the farm, and, while it was primarily introduced as part of our commitment to conservation, we are also expecting to grow some valuable timber through appropriate pruning and thinning.

“The award is recognition of the efforts of all involved and the sound establishment and management practices employed by Keith Rawling as forestry adviser.”

Trees on site include oak, ash, small leafed lime, native broadleaves such as wild cherry, field maple and crab apple and woody shrubs. Although there is no public access to the land, visits have been arranged for local residents and for a group from the nearby Nidderdale AONB and the woodland was the venue of a two day training course for Yorwoods.

The RFS Excellence in Forestry Awards were being piloted during 2009 by The Royal Forestry Society in Yorkshire and the North East during 2009.

Crispin Thorn, Forestry Commission Regional Director Yorkshire and the Humber, said:
“We were delighted to sponsor the RFS awards in their first year and I was impressed by the interest in the competition. I hope the success spreads across the country in the future. Woodlands can help the local economy in many ways from timber and woodfuel businesses, to leisure, recreation and tourism. I believe these awards also show how trees, woods and forestry are important in other ways from education and learning outdoors, bringing communities together and keeping vital forestry skills alive.”

RFS Chief Executive Dr John Jackson said: “This has been a highly successful pilot and it looks likely that the competition will now roll out across the country starting in London and South East next year. “

To find out more about the Excellence in Forestry Awards, or the RFS, visit website www.rfs.org.uk or call 01442 822028 or write to the RFS at 102 High Street, Tring, Hertfordshire, HP23 4AF.