More Wood for Welsh Homes

More Wood for Welsh Homes; Wales’s inaugural Timber Industrial Strategy aims to increase the utilisation of locally sourced Sitka spruce in the production of structural timbers.

More Wood for Welsh Homes; Wales aims to significantly increase the number of timber-frame houses being constructed, rising from 1,400 last year, which accounted for only 28% of residential buildings. The government is determined to enhance timber production, including C16 and various mass timber products, sourced from local forests. This initiative is part of a new strategy focused on making wood work for Wales.

80,000 Hours

That’s a remarkable amount of work hours for a single machine, the Norcar 600 owned by Erkki Rinne is taken well care of, it even has the original Diesel engine.
Kieran Anders Forestry

Kieran Anders is a forestry contractor working in the lake district. His work involves hand cutting and extracting timber using a skidder and tractor-trailer forwarder.
Promoting safety in the workplace

It is not possible to eliminate chain shot, but there are simple steps that can be taken to reduce the risk.
Glasfryn Fencing and Sawmill

Arwel takes great pride in the fact that the mill has no waste whatsoever, “the peelings are used for children’s playgrounds, gardens and for farm animals in barns in the winter and the sawdust has multiple uses in gardens and farms as well.
Keeping Timber Hauliers Safe

Timber hauliers need to encourage young blood in, and also look after the hauliers we have, we need make the sector a safe and positive place to work.

FIND US ON

At the Royal Welsh Show, Huw Irranca-Davies, the Deputy First Minister for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, proudly launched Wales’s first Timber Industrial Strategy. “I am thrilled to unveil this strategy,” Irranca-Davies expressed. “My vision is for our forests to be actively and sustainably managed, offering economic, environmental, social, and cultural benefits to the people of Wales for many generations to come. This strategy will play a crucial role in making that happen.”

This new strategy aims to harness timber to create green jobs, supporting Wales in building thousands of sustainable homes while aiding policymakers in their pursuit of net zero goals. The strategy is divided into six key components: increasing timber supply, enhancing forest resilience, promoting resource efficiency and a circular economy, building confidence in demand, developing sector capacity, and encouraging changes in behaviour.

“As the global community strives towards achieving net zero emissions, timber and wood fiber are poised to make a significant and immediate contribution to the necessary materials transition for decarbonization,” stated Huw Irranca-Davies, Deputy First Minister for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, during the launch of the initiative ‘Make Wood Work for Wales’ at the Royal Welsh Show yesterday.

Wales currently boasts favourable conditions for the cultivation of both softwood and hardwood species. However, the resources provided by Welsh woodlands remain underutilized, as highlighted in the 32-page strategy document. The demand for low-carbon, high-performance materials is increasing, particularly in relation to Welsh housing needs; yet, the alignment of Welsh timber processing with this demand, especially concerning structural construction products, is currently inadequate.

“To secure a reliable and purpose-fit timber source for the future amid rising pressures from global markets, Wales must undertake initiatives to enhance the sustainable yields of Welsh-grown timber and wood fibre,” the strategy asserts. Current projections indicate a continued decline in future timber yields; consequently, a multifaceted approach involving both afforestation and enhanced productivity from existing forests is essential to bolster sustainable timber yields in order to meet future demands and mitigate risks associated with timber security.”