As a government funded research project, we need to be accountable for the progress we’re making across the different work packages. The second review of the Project took place earlier this month and we are awaiting feedback and recommendations from the independent review team on how best to achieve results for the remainder of the […]
Research project sparks interest in woodland creation among social housing providers
We are currently in the process of finalising the outcomes of research exploring how housing associations might intervene in the forestry and timber supply chain to stimulate afforestation and the home-grown supply of construction timber. This research, part funded by Natural Resources Wales, Woodknowledge Wales and a group of Welsh housing organisations, identified a real […]
NRW become member of Woodknowledge Wales
NRW have become the latest organisation to join Woodknowledge Wales growing alliance. Our membership now consists of over 40 organisations from all sectors of the timber supply chain from housing clients at the demand end, down through the complete supply chain to land-use and forest management organisations. NRW have a substantial influence on the Welsh […]
Coast Redwood Groves in Wales – a planting solution in a changing climate?
Sequoia sempervirens, also known as coast redwood, coastal redwood, Californian redwood, is a species which is increasingly mentioned when considering alternative tree species to cope with a changing climate in Wales. This may come as a surprise to some given that the deep leaf litter it produces decays slowly and deters ground flora causing a […]
RFS Forestry and Climate Change
The Royal Forestry Society (RFS) has adopted a five-point plan on climate change. RFS says that we can not wait to act on climate change until current rural land support mechanisms transition from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to the Environmental Land Managenment Scheme (ELMS) and its equivalents in the devolved administrations in 2025. RFS […]
Home-Grown Homes Project Updates – January 2020
The Home-Grown Homes Project is gathering speed as it enters its final year. Our Interim Report highlights progress and summarises what we’ve learned so far. From Little Acorns – Flexi Home for sustainable living The latest scheme to engage in the project is being developed and built in Wrexham by our members First Choice Housing Association […]
Making better homes from Welsh Timber
Follow-up from the BIG Debate The Home-Grown Homes Project focuses on supply chain development in the production of timber homes in Wales from forest to housing construction, its aim being better homes – better designed, specified, manufactured and built. As part of The BIG Debate at WoodBUILD 2019, difficulties around producing timber homes using wood […]
Standard window design for social housing a step closer?
Woodknowledge Wales are working on a dedicated timber windows supply chain programme to be delivered together with the industry in 2020-21. Let us know if you would like to be involved! See below for the summary of our December workshop. On a cold winter’s day, a group of 16 joinery manufacturers, housing associations and suppliers […]
Clwyd Alyn housing project surpasses RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge target
A timber based Clwyd Alyn social housing project in Llanbedr near Ruthin constructed by Williams Homes surpasses the embodied carbon target set down by RIBA in their 2030 Climate Challenge campaign. An embodied carbon analysis undertaken by Eilidh Forster of Woodknowledge Wales to a measurement methodology agreed by RIBA and RICS returned a value of […]
Reducing supply chain cost in the timber trade
Reducing supply costs in any industry is important and the forestry sector is no exception. Forestry and timber production in the UK has suffered from a lack of policy support, investment and innovation for many years. Hopefully that is starting to change as governments realise that trees and timber products are part of the solution […]
