SINCE being launched in 2021, Voices of Forestry has proven to be one of Forestry Journal's most-popular features.
Each month, we give someone from the industry a platform to have their say, with topics ranging from tree-planting regulations to horse logging - and everything in between.
It always gets tongues wagging and 2022 was no different. Here's the full list of our Voices of Forestry columnists for the year and a brief description of their article.
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If you'd be interested in featuring in Voices of Forestry, email john.mcnee@forestryjournal.co.uk
Sharing his views this month on the challenges and opportunities ahead was Richard Stanford, who was appointed chief executive of the Forestry Commission in 2021.
He wrote: "I am quickly discovering that it is rare to find someone without an opinion on trees.
"I am less convinced by the number of opinions which are properly informed by evidence, experience and science.
"Having joined the Forestry Commission in August of last year, I am in no way qualified to write in this journal, except by my appointment, and so do so as someone who is under instruction!"
Read Richard's full Voices of Forestry column here
Offering his perspective this month on the challenges and opportunities shaping the market and his own company’s approach was Kenny Brock, sales director at woodchipper manufacturer Först Global.
He wrote: "As most reading this are aware, foresters and arborists across the country are being kept extremely busy with the amount of work being generated by the ash dieback problem currently impacting the UK.
"With around 80 million ash trees in Britain, the second most abundant after oak and birch, the scale of the issue is obvious. 22 per cent of the UK’s broadleaved woodland is ash and the spread of the disease is such that our customers are seeing unprecedented demand for ash clearance for both residential and commercial clients.
"This will certainly continue for the foreseeable future."
Read Kenny's full Voices of Forestry column here
Well known to many across the industry, John Weir spent the latter part of his career focused on the issue of climate change.
Recently retired from his position as advisor for woodland creation and resilience at the Forestry Commission, he was instrumental in preparing guidance on managing woodlands in a climate emergency – guidance which was still being ignored.
He wrote: "I find it really odd that in the last few years, while politicians have been arguing about numbers of trees they want to plant and trying to outdo each other, none of them wanted to engage with the real purpose behind this need for more trees, which was to sequester carbon rapidly to help mitigate some of the worst impacts on society from the climate emergency.
"The fact that these trees also had to thrive through the climate emergency was lost."
Read John's full Voices of Forestry column here
This issue, offering her views on the challenges and opportunities facing forestry from the perspective of a new entrant to the industry was FLS apprentice and recent recipient of the ALBAS award for Trees and Timber Learner of the Year, Rachel Orchard.
She wrote: "The demand for trees is rapidly increasing to meet government planting targets as part of the climate change mitigation strategy, so unsurprisingly both the nurseries are expanding.
"However, they also both explained the difficulty in trying to predict what tree species will be most popular in the years to come given the uncertainty of new pests and diseases and warming growing conditions."
Read Rachel's full Voices of Forestry column here
This issue, offering his own take on the global forestry industry, its shortcomings and how they can be overcome was Stanley Hirsch, CEO of FuturaGene, a subsidiary of Suzano Pulp and Paper of Brazil.
He wrote: "We must determine how to intensify forestry management practices while reinforcing and amplifying social and environmental shared value and resilience.
"We need to grow improved trees (e.g. productivity, wood quality, pest and disease resilience) on less land, without deforestation or compromising land needed for increased food production and biodiversity conservation."
Read Stanley's full Voices of Forestry column here
This issue, offering her perspective on current challenges and opportunities facing the forestry world from a more traditional end of the industry, was Steffi Schaffler of Teamwork Horse Logging, based in south-west Scotland.
She wrote: "Why is it we are so worried about trying something different? The system we work within has its problems and, looking ahead, they might become a bit worse.
"Different methods of management and growing and harvesting trees might have some of the answers for the future."
Read Steffi's full Voices of Forestry column here
This issue, Dr Jo Clark, head of research at Future Trees Trust, made the case for improving the UK’s broadleaved woodlands – and its future timber supply – through forest genetic resources.
She wrote: "Well-managed and species-rich woodlands offer a great deal to society. In addition to timber production, forests clean the air, filter watercourses and reduce flooding and erosion.
"They sustain biodiversity, improve mental wellbeing in urban spaces and provide people with opportunities for recreation, education and cultural enrichment."
Read Jo's full Voices of Forestry column here
This issue, John Clegg, veteran forestry expert with Tustins, looked back at the mistakes of the past, and wondered if we’d really learned from them when it came to planting trees.
He wrote: "Having worked in the UK forestry sector for nearly 40 years, I have seen the bleak years for forestry creation between the abolition of Schedule D tax relief in 1987 and the UK government’s new-found ‘support’ for new woodlands in recent years.
"I had hoped to see an exciting new era of woodland creation which would benefit the UK economy."
Read John's full Voices of Forestry column here
- October: Tubex's Dean Latten argues biodegradable tree shelters are not a 'silver bullet' to plastic problems
This issue, Dean Latten, site director at Tubex, argued biodegradable tree shelters were not a silver-bullet solution to the plastics ‘problem’.
He wrote: "Biodegradable tree shelters have a critically important role in sustainable tree protection, but should not be considered the default solution, as they too are single-use products.
"Cost, scalability, and circularity in material usage are also vital sustainability considerations and biodegradable shelters alone do not necessarily sufficiently satisfy these criteria."
Read Dean's full Voices of Forestry column here
December: Say It With Wood's Toby Allen: The public should cheer at harvesters
This issue, Toby Allen of Say It With Wood reflected on issues raised at the APF, asked what the sector’s priorities should be and considered how they could be positively addressed in the year ahead.
He wrote: "Bringing the public on board might be difficult, but it is crucial. There’s an array of organisations asking for our yearly subs which do a better job of communicating inwards than having awkward conversations outside forestry.
"The public should cheer when they see a harvester – not bitch on Facebook."
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