Specialist Advisor (Forestry) Chris is an independant specialist forestry advisor for WKW. He has over 35 years experience of woodland management in Wales previously working for Forestry Commission Wales, Forest Research and Natural Resources Wales. Chris has specialised in understanding and using silviculture to enable the development and management of resilient and sustainable woodlands. Critically he is […]
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Valorising the potential of the Welsh green gold reserve
A personal reflection by Dainis Dauksta, technical manager, Woodklnowledge Wales Conifers grow superbly across many of the microclimates and soil types found in Wales, producing a widely varying range of wood types. However, Wales is caught in a paradox because tropes, assumptions and misinformation still dominate discussions about using Welsh softwoods in construction. Producing Britain’s […]
Home-Grown Homes Updates – September
With just a few months left of the Home-Grown Homes Project we are now focused on pulling together all findings from the research into usable design guides and tools to leave a lasting legacy from the project. Project Governance update The project’s steering group met in September. It reviewed project progress and in particular discussed […]
Are modern UK forests suited to help restore biodiversity?
Can productive forests provide both carbon storage and enhanced biodiversity? In the public debate across national media and the twittersphere this seems unlikely. Confor’s new Biodiversity, Forestry and Wood report makes the case that planting and managing trees in the UK to produce wood can deliver biodiversity benefits as well as playing a vital role […]
Home-Grown Homes Project updates- July 2020
A new timber frame manufacturing group, an extension request for project partner Cardiff Met and trying out an overheating risk assessment tool. Home-Grown Homes project manager David Hedges, brings us the latest up dates from the project. Project Governance update The project’s Steering Group has met twice in June and July to review progress, consider […]
State of the nation review. Performance evaluation of new homes
Woodknowledge Wales have helped fund and support a report published by researchers at Oxford Brookes University. The report has revealed for the first time a detailed national picture of the actual performance of new build homes through a detailed analysis of building performance evaluation projects. With the UK committed to achieving net zero emissions by […]
The Foundational Economy and its impact on the timber construction sector in Wales
Gary Newman, Chief Executive of Woodknowledge Wales expores what the Foundational Economy is, why Welsh Government are interested in it and what it means for the Welsh timber sector. The Welsh first Minister, Mark Drakeford AM, is increasingly considering Welsh development policy through the lens of the Foundational Economy. I’m also drawn to the Foundational […]
HGH Project Updates May 2020
While the Covid-19 pandemic has brought large parts of the industry to a standstill, we’ve been working away as best we can to progress the Home-Grown Homes project further. Project governance update Acting on recommendations from the independent project review carried out in March, Powys County Council has strengthened governance by creating a steering committee […]
Developing a Welsh Wooden Windows Specification for Social Housing
On 5 May 2020 in the midst of a national lockdown with most joinery businesses closed, 15 participants from across the joinery sector kicked off a Welsh Government funded two-year programme to develop a Welsh wooden window specification for social housing with an online workshop. Welsh joinery industry passionate to act Activities setting up the […]
Why can’t I get thermally-treated Welsh timber?
Timber can be modified by a variety of methods to enhance properties and change appearance. Modification using temperature is relatively simple and extensive trials using Welsh timber have been undertaken, but so far the process has not been developed commercially in Wales. Why can’t I get thermally-treated Welsh timber? This was a question raised by […]
