Woodknowledge Wales

Woodknowledge Wales

Inspiring innovation through collaboration

Community Sawmillers

Building Connections and Shaping the Future

by

Small sawmillers’ and processors’ Community of Practice come together to create a shared platform to exchange knowledge, identify challenges, and collaborate

On Saturday 12 October 2024, a group of small sawmillers and processors came together both in person and online for a Community of Practice meeting at Y Plas, Machynlleth. The event running from 12pm to 2pm, marked the first step toward creating a collective group to exchange knowledge, identify challenges, and collaborate on practical solutions for smaller sawmills, processors, woodland owners. Not forgetting the vital ingredient of a saw doctor too!

An introduction to ASHS (Association of Scottish Hardwood Sawmillers) was given by Jim Birley, founder and director of Scottish Wood and founding member of ASHS. According to their website, ASHS are ‘more than just a co-operative of sawmills‘, they are ‘a community dedicated to the sustainable harvest, production, and promotion of Scottish timber’. Their aim is to ‘promote and increase marketplace awareness of the beautiful timber resources Scotland has to offer‘.

This was followed by an introduction from chief executive Gary Newman of Woodknowledge Wales. Gary remarked at how the high-value work of these smaller companies often goes amiss in the bigger picture of the forestry and timber sectors but the role they play in keeping a wood culture and economies alive at a local level across Wales is invaluable.

Coming together and using the ASHS model to work from allowed the scene to be set, the interest was there. Gabriel Hibber, forest manager of Coleg Glynllifon, was elected as chair and a second meeting put in place to be held at Glynllifon College, near Caernarfon on the 30 November 2024.

On 30 November 2024, when the group came together at Coleg Glynllifon to discuss next steps, the gathering aimed to build connections and outline how this emerging group could move forward. They will be supported by John Sweeny and Anna Dauksta and the rest of the team at Woodknowledge Wales (WkW).

Setting the scene

The meeting began with a welcome from the first elected Chair, Gabriel Hibber, and John Sweeny with an introduction to the purpose behind forming this group. The hosts outlined how bringing people together with shared goals can foster collaboration, address common challenges, and create mutual benefits for everyone involved. The Community of Practice, as envisioned, is a place to share knowledge, identify opportunities, and help drive practical action across related sectors.

A draft memorandum of understanding (MoU)

A key highlight of the meeting was the presentation by Woodknowledge Wales of their draft memorandum of understanding (MoU). This document outlined the ways WkW already supports communities like this one and how they can assist further. WkW provided examples of their work to date, including:

  • Best practice guides and tools for improving processes.
  • Facilitating access to valuable insights and knowledge-sharing platforms.
  • Supporting stronger connections across the network to address shared challenges.

WkW is committed to enabling the network by providing resources and expertise where needed.

Open discussion

The event moved into an open discussion, encouraging participants to share their thoughts on what the group could achieve and how it might best function. The floor was opened to ideas, leading to a productive exchange of views. Key points included:

  • Identifying common challenges such as biosecurity concerns, future timber supplies and funding gaps.
  • Exploring opportunities to collaborate between sawmills, forestry professionals, and small businesses.
  • Suggestions for practical support, including tailored guidance and events.

This discussion was a constructive exercise in highlighting shared needs and aspirations, with attendees actively contributing ideas for how the group could move forward effectively.

Resources and practical support

At the close of the main session, attendees had access to additional resources. Copies of ASHS best practice guides were available, offering practical insights relevant to the timber and forestry sectors.

In addition, biosecurity information provided by Llais y Coedwig served as a valuable reminder of the importance of safeguarding Welsh woodlands from emerging risks.

Tour of the water mill

After the formal meeting concluded at 2 pm, participants were invited to join a guided tour of the water mill at Coleg Glynllifon, led by Gabriel. The tour provided attendees with a chance to see the practical side of milling operations and discuss how local timber resources can play a role in strengthening Wales’ forestry sector at a local level.

The day’s activities concluded at 4 pm, with the option for informal networking continuing at a nearby pub for those interested.

Looking forward

These meetings laid the foundation for an association focused on collaboration, shared learning, and practical outcomes. This group has the potential to become a valuable resource for those involved in small businesses and individuals occupied in forestry, milling, and timber use across Wales.

By creating a space for connection and shared purpose, the group can help address challenges, unlock opportunities, and drive positive change for the sector.

For those who attended, the event served as a reminder of what can be achieved when people come together with a shared vision. More updates and opportunities for involvement will follow as the group develops.

Stay Connected: To learn more about this and other Communities of Practice, please visit our CoP page.

Discovering how cooperation benefits small timber processing

by

Read the report from our recent Association of Scottish Hardwood Sawmillers (ASHS) study tour for the Sawmillers CoP

From the left Alex Hall, Jonathon Hulson, John Sweeney, Jake Dauksta, Anna Dauksta, Ann Burgoyne 

Date of visit: 22 – 25 May 2024
Organised and lead by: John Sweeny, Sawmills coordinator, Woodknowledge Wales

“I think this trip has been hugely beneficial in more ways than one, with Woodknowledge Wales and the group participants that attended realising more outcomes than were perhaps anticipated.” Anna Dauksta, Head of Forestry, Woodknowledge Wales

250 years ago Scotland was the most deforested country in the United Kingdom with only 1% of forest cover left, in the last 100 years this figure has increased to approximately 19%. Small-scale sawmillers and other members of the ASHS play a vital part in sustaining a wood culture at a local and national level benefiting not only the landscape but also the people who live in it and the economy.

The purpose of this tour was to look at various ASHS member businesses in Southern and Central Scotland to see how the cooperative aspects of the ASHS organisation can benefit small timber processing businesses in Wales.

“Fantastic to see the processes being practiced at the mills in Scotland, and brilliant to be able to talk directly with the operators and owners about troubleshooting and methods being used. I enjoyed making new contacts with the professionals that came along on the tour and I am looking forward to building my network of people in the industry.” Alex Hall, participant.

“It was really inspiring to meet so many successful timber businesses utilising the hardwood resource in Scotland. These local timber markets and small sawmills are driving the sustainable management of woodlands in Scotland, providing a huge diversity of services and high-quality products like home grown elm for artisan furniture and ash for flooring in timber-frame buildings. A humbling tour by ASHA, thank you!” Jonny Hulson, participant.

Read the full report:

WKW-ASH-study-tour-report-FINAL-2024.06.02Download

About the businesses visited

Abbey Timber

A smaller scale sawmill producing both hardwood and softwood air dried and kiln dried timber for exterior and internal uses. Biomass fired kiln and district heating scheme using slabwood.  The main saw is a Mebor 1200.

Caledonia Log Homes

Specialised builder of full scribe and post and beam log homes using Scottish timber.

Tiny Temple

Specialist producer of charred timber and treated (SIOO:X, fire retardants etc) and stockist of modified timber for exterior uses.

Scottish Wood

Scottish Wood is a social enterprise hardwood sawmill  that specialises in the supply of quality Scottish hardwoods and hard wood products, plus premium softwoods from local, sustainable sources in Scotland to trade and the general public through-out the UK. The main saws are Woodmizer LT70’s

Real Wood Studios

Real Wood Studios is a social enterprise for furniture design, production and supply. In 2020 it became a Community Interest Company (CIC). It is home to some of Scotland’s finest designer-makers producing bespoke furniture and interiors from locally sourced hardwoods. The main saw is a trak-met.

Association of Scottish Hardwood Sawmillers (ASHS) study tour

by

Discover how cooperation benefits small timber processing
Limited spaces available. Book now to avoid disappointment.

Date of visit: 22 – 25 May 2024
Cost: This subsidised visit requires a deposit contribution of £200
Organised and lead by: John Sweeny, Sawmills coordinator, Woodknowledge Wales

The purpose of the tour is to look at various ASHS member businesses in Southern and Central Scotland to see how the cooperative aspects of the organisation can benefit small timber processing businesses in Wales.

Travel, main meals and accommodation in single rooms will be subsidised by Woodknowledge Wales. Transport will be by minibus and will depart from northeast Wales on the morning on 22nd of May.

We will return to the same overnight accommodation each night where an evening meal will be provided.

Return travel to Wales on the 25th May after a morning visit to the final business venue. It is expected we will reach north Wales early evening.

Itinerary for visit to Association of Scottish Hardwood Sawmillers – May 2024
Day 1Travel from Wales to Scottish Borders to accommodation at hotel (TBC) near Peebles. Dinner, bed and breakfast will be provided for all participants. Lunches not provided.
Day 2Visit Abbey timber (Sawmill) and Caledonia Log Homes (Builders)  
Day 3Visit Tiny Temple (timber processing business) and Scottish Wood (Sawmill)
Day 4Visit Real Wood Studios (Furniture makers with sawmill) and return to Wales.
 
ParticipantsUp to 9 persons, ideally from smaller scale sawmills, timber framers, community woodland groups, foresters etc.
CostsAlthough the visit would be subsidised by WKW, a deposit contribution of £200 is requested to ensure those booking a place attend.
Dates22 -25 May
BookingPlease confirm your booking with a deposit by 10 April 2024
An example of a handcrafted traditional log home by Caledonia Log Homes

More information on businesses to be visited.

Abbey Timber

A smaller scale sawmill producing both hardwood and softwood air dried and kiln dried timber for exterior and internal uses. Biomass fired kiln and district heating scheme using slabwood.  The main saw is a Mebor 1200.

Caledonia Log Homes

Specialised builder of full scribe and post and beam log homes using Scottish timber.

Tiny Temple

Specialist producer of charred timber and treated (SIOO:X, fire retardants etc) and stockist of modified timber for exterior uses.

Scottish Wood

Scottish Wood is a social enterprise hardwood sawmill  that specialises in the supply of quality Scottish hardwoods and hard wood products, plus premium softwoods from local, sustainable sources in Scotland to trade and the general public through-out the UK. The main saws are Woodmizer LT70’s

Real Wood Studios

Real Wood Studios is a social enterprise for furniture design, production and supply. In 2020 it became a Community Interest Company (CIC). It is home to some of Scotland’s finest designer-makers producing bespoke furniture and interiors from locally sourced hardwoods. The main saw is a trak-met.

Sawmillers visit Grosvenor’s Eaton Estate in Cheshire

by

Woodland creation is a viable economic option for some areas of the estate’s farmlands

Grosvenor Eaton Estate’s Head Forester Greg Vickers hosted a visit to the estate’s state-of-the-art sawmilling operation, Grosvenor TimberWorks, and woodlands for Woodknowledge Wales on 25th November 2023.

Participants enjoyed a two-hour morning tour of the sawmill located in Hatton Heath, near Chester, followed by an afternoon walk through just some of the extensive woodlands managed by Greg.

Since 2015, Greg has been Head Forester for more than 2,000 hectares of woodlands across Grosvenor’s Eaton Estate in Cheshire, the Abbeystead Estate in Lancashire, the Halkyn and Nant Estates in Wales, and the Reay Forest Estate in Scotland.

The woodlands create local employment and supply materials to building and property maintenance activities across various estate holdings. The Eaton Estate alone has over 450 properties requiring routine maintenance and upgrades.

The Hatton Heath sawmill

Hatton Heath Mill took five years to build and became operational in 2021. To construct the sawmill, the project team had softwood grown on Grosvenor’s Reay Forest Estate in the North West Highlands shipped to BSW Fort William sawmill for processing, then transported to the Makar Workshop near Inverness. Here the workshop constructed frames and panels and had them transported down to the Eaton Estate for assembly. To fit in with the estate’s vernacular, the sawmill has a red-brick façade, and details such as red rainwater fittings. All the timber fittings within the building use estate-grown and processed hardwoods.

The site is on the southern edge of estate lands and was formerly a dairy farm. Three full time staff are employed in the mill, working five days a week. At present the sawmill aims to produce 2500m3 timber products per annum. The estate uses 20% of production internally across its various sites. The rest it sells to third parties. A small workshop facilitates on-site secondary processing of stock for the buildings team.

The mill works five days per week, usually milling hardwoods on two days and softwood for the other three days. The mill’s daily output can vary between 5m3 and 7m3 when processing hardwood, where special orders will often make up part of the production. When milling softwood, the outputs can rise to 15m3 per day.

The team stack timber outdoors for air drying prior to kilning. They fell and mill hardwoods in winter to avoid rapid drying during summer months.

As well as processing timber from its English and Welsh estates, timber is transported by ship from the Reay Estate via Kinlochbervie in Sutherland to Mostyn Docks. The short distance between the port and the estate helps minimise distance travelled by road, reducing its carbon footprint

The Eaton Estate woodlands

The Eaton Estate woodlands occupy over 400 hectares on the Cheshire plain. Planted for landscape and amenity use in the 1840’s on what had been agricultural land, the woodlands occupy sites along the five approaches (formal drives) to the main hall. The medieval ridge and furrow system are clearly visible within the woodland.

The heavy clay soils primarily hosts oak alongside a mix of broadleaf and conifers. Ash, alder, sycamore, lime, beech, hornbeam, and birch grow among Douglas fir, yew, larch, western red cedar, and Norway spruce. More recent plantings of hybrid lime and cherry have achieved yield class 8 to 10 with Douglas fir achieving yield classes in the high teens. Hornbeam is growing well but attempts to grow sweet chestnut have not been so successful.

Woodland creation is a viable economic option over traditional agricultural practices for some areas of the estate. In particular, the lower ground near the Dee flood plain.

The tour ended back at the sawmill and a donation was made to the Estate’s chosen charity in thanks for their hospitality.

For further information about our Community of Practice for Sawmillers and future site visits, please contact john.sweeney@woodknowledgewales.co.uk

Membership and Communities of Practice (CoP) Manager

by

Job opportunity: Join the Woodknowledge Wales team and mission

Share this opportunity:

Download job description
Membership and Communities of Practice (CoP) Manager Job Opportunity

Are you passionate about collaborative approaches as a means to drive change? Do you believe in the importance of developing and supporting strong relationships with member organisations built on trust and shared ambitions? Are you committed to improving the quality and sustainability of our natural and built environments? If so, would you like to work with us in Wales?

We’re a growing and highly motivated multi-disciplinary team. As our Membership and Communities of Practice Manager, you will help develop our membership further as well as strengthen relationships with existing member organisations across forestry and land use and the timber supply chain. You will support our communities of practice, a collaborative network of practitioners across the wood value chain. Your role in building knowledge and trust among our members is key to accelerating the just transition to a zero carbon Wales. As such, your work will be instrumental for all aspects of our ongoing and future projects from forest creation up to completed buildings.

Find out more about our current membership on our members page.

Read about our collaborative network of practitioners on our communities of practice page.

Job description

JOB TITLEMembership & Communities of Practice Manager
PURPOSE OF JOBTo manage and develop our membership and our communities of practice (CoP) and to support the Woodknowledge Wales team in delivering on its wider mission and purpose.
REPORTING TOGary Newman, Chief Executive
COLLABORATING WITHCommunities of Practice directorCommunities of Practice chairsCommunications manager
LOCATIONCardiff Office or home-based with an expectation to travel within Wales and the borders as required by the job. This primarily relates to in-person CoP events, visits to our members and occasional in-person team meetings.
AREA OF WORKThroughout Wales working with organisations in the timber supply chain from forest to end-product.
HOURS OF WORKFull-time. Part-time considered. Some long days may be required from time to time including occasional overnight stays.
SALARYBetween £33k and £38k depending on experience
DURATIONFunding for this post is currently secured until 31st March 2025 with an aspiration to develop a long-term funding model for this core role.
HOW TO APPLYSend your CV with a covering letter stating why you believe you are suited to the post to gary.newman@woodknowledgewales.co.uk
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION3rd December 2023
DATE & LOCATION FOR INTERVIEWMonday 11th December 2023 – online or in Bangor, Gwynedd

About the role

This is a pivotal role in our organisation. You are the key contact and the face of the organisation, when it comes to our members. You are coordinating requests from our team members for collaborations with our members as well as requests coming in from our members. Together with our Communications Manager you will develop member communications. In collaboration with our Chief Executive and members of the team you will work on expanding and developing our membership further.

A significant part of your role is to manage and support our communities of practice (CoPs) in collaboration with the CoP director and the CoP leads. We are currently running five such collaborative networks and are planning to establish two further CoPs over the coming 18 months. Each community has a member of our team assigned as their dedicated CoP lead. The CoP director is responsible for knowledge sharing and learning across these networks by bringing together the CoP leads in our internal ‘CoP of CoPs’.

Our CoPs gather professionals of the same trade or supply chain level around a shared challenge or opportunity. They are an essential part of our work, guiding what we focus upon as well as informing and validating outputs across our projects. This approach helps to extend impacts and accelerate shared learning within and across the supply chain.

Our CoPs are centred around practical solutions and capacity building and give members the opportunity to prototype innovative approaches together with others. Each community defines its own agenda and schedule of actions based on the needs of its members. Woodknowledge Wales ensures flow of information between CoPs, so that we can progress together.

Key Responsibilities

  • Membership engagement and development
  • Supporting the development of our CoPs by working with the CoP leads to plan, organise, attend, potentially facilitate, and report meetings and events.
  • Being able to work effectively with a diverse range of organisations in our existing CoPs (Architects and Designers, Timber Frame Manufacturers, Housing Associations, Small Timber Processors and Joinery Manufacturers) as well as helping to develop new communities in the areas of farming and forestry.
  • Identifying opportunities for collaboration, innovation and change across the supply chain to demonstrate the value of participation in the CoPs, thereby helping to deliver project objectives and help deliver on Woodknowledge Wales vision and purpose.
  • Being pro-active and creative in problem solving.
  • Preparing progress reports and contributing to writing articles for Woodknowledge Wales newsletters and website

In addition, the successful candidate is expected to contribute to the overall mission of Woodknowledge Wales and help design, organise and participate in events such as webinars, workshops and conferences (incl. the annual WoodBUILD conference and expo)

Key abilities / experience

We are looking for someone who can work closely with a growing, independently working team of driven individuals in a flexible and supportive way across job boundaries. You must be able to engage with all relevant individuals and organisations in the supply chain from forest to construction sector. You must be able to do this in a way that promotes trust and supports the mission and purpose of Woodknowledge Wales as an independent for-public-good organisation. You must be able to communicate with humility, empathy and clarity in discussion around complex challenges to landscapes and communities posed by climate change.

Person Specification

Essential criteria

  • Project management
  • Evidence of effective partnership working
  • Thorough working knowledge of Microsoft Office
  • An organised self-starter, able to manage own workload and work independently to tight time scales
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills – specifically the ability to work closely with and build trust with partner organisations
  • Excellent problem-solving skills, coming up with ideas and solutions as issues arise.
  • Willingness to work in a flexible way and respond to changing circumstances.
  • Full, clean driving license and access to a car for travel throughout those parts of Wales where there is limited access to public transport.

Desirable criteria

  • Facilitation skills. We can organise training in facilitation skills if required.
  • Be up to date with changes in legislation which impact on the forestry, timber and construction supply chain.
  • Understanding and experience of wider delivery of social value.
  • Welsh language skills would be a plus.

About Woodknowledge Wales

Woodknowledge Wales is an independent mission driven membership alliance. We are a charitable Community Benefits Society, which is a form of cooperative that exists for the benefit of society. We are governed by a voluntary board. We aim to create and share knowledge to accelerate change. We believe that timber demand and supply can be better aligned and more purposefully driven to deliver greater climate change mitigation and biodiversity enhancement across land use and construction. We are transparent and collaborative in our approach.

We are a growing interdisciplinary team of driven individuals motivated to inspire, catalyse and accelerate the transformation to a regenerative zero carbon society through the growing of trees and the use of wood. We believe that the most effective way to do this is to build trust in the change agenda by supporting organisations involved in both timber use and supply. We seek to capture and share the knowledge gained by holding engaging events, by creating informative case studies, by developing new guidance and through inspiring communication. We support policy makers to create enabling policies and then help overcome barriers to implementation.

Download job description