Notice

Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds: successful projects 2022

Published 29 November 2022

Applies to England

• Publication for Northern Ireland
• Publication for Scotland
• Publication for Wales

Read about some of the successful applicants in our Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds projects.

Timber in Construction Innovation Fund

WSP UK Ltd

Project title: Steel-CLT composite design system

Project description

Developing and validating a design method for a composite steel and Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) floor system. The project aims to provide a lightweight and lower embodied carbon alternative to the current steel-composite metal deck form of construction, which is widely used in commercial office developments.

University of Cambridge

Project title: TIMBER: Timber Innovative Manufacturing Benefiting English Resources

Project description

Developing novel pathways for the supply of underutilised local woodland resources into high-value, long-lasting building applications. The project aims to unlock the potential of English forestry by adding value through the design and prototyping/manufacture of structural building components, leading to greater capacity of home-grown low-carbon construction.

WeCanMake

Project title: HomeGrown Homes for People & Planet

Project description

Bristol-based WeCanMake is partnering with Hull-based BlokBuild to create a system demonstrator for how ‘modern methods of construction’ (MMC) can integrate English timber products and materials into their design and delivery. The project aims to create a market-ready “English Wood MMC type-home”, showing how home-grown timber can help tackle the climate emergency and housing crisis.

NMITE

Project title: Building from England’s Woodlands

Project description

Evidencing the suitability and viability of English woodland resource for structural timber systems. Scalable solutions will be developed, and their compatibility stress tested using a sustainable ‘modern methods of construction’ (MMC) approach. This is a collaborative project in partnership with dRMM Architects, Edinburgh Napier University, Built Environment-Smarter Transformation and EcoSystems.

Board Block Timber Ltd

Project title: Pallet timber (and hardwood) in construction

Project description

Demonstrating the viability of using pallet-grade timber in construction through the development of an innovative block-based mass timber construction system. This will involve undertaking prototypical production and completing a pilot building project in England.

Material Cultures

Project title: Forest Builds

Project description

Developing innovative construction systems for housing using underutilised material outputs from English forests. An exemplary research strand will be developed, resulting in a high-quality demonstrator structure. The team aims to showcase the potential of a holistic integration of forestry and construction through digital-material, talks, and exhibitions.

BindEthics Ltd

Project title: Bio-Adhesive for Local Hardwood Construction Materials

Project description

Developing an innovative bio-adhesive made from food waste for making local UK hardwood boards. Unlike the toxic, formaldehyde-based glue used to manufacture engineered wood, this new adhesive will be sustainable and recyclable making the final wood product meet the demands of the end consumer.

Grown in Britain

Project title: Hardwood Curtain Walls for Construction

Project description

Creating the first Grown in Britain, high end, curtain walling for construction, with Gloucester based firm Scandinavian Timber. This project aims to replace imported timbers and aluminium with Grown in Britain certified hardwood. Positioning the UK as innovators of a low carbon, sought after construction method, this project will bring UK hardwoods into our cityscapes and public places in a visible, modern, and impactful way.

Regional Woodland Restoration Innovation Funds

South West

Red Squirrel Southwest

Project title: Collaborative recovery of Exmoor’s ancient Atlantic Oak woodlands, and reintroduction of native red squirrel

Project description

Applying active and targeted wildlife management over a 35 mile stretch of native North Exmoor coastal woodland via an intensive grey squirrel management programme. This landscape scale project will be taking a joined up and collaborative approach, bringing together landowners, academics, and trained volunteers. Continued management of the grey squirrel population will enable the woodland to regenerate and recover, creating a better-connected habitat and improving biodiversity, ultimately leading to reintroductions of Red Squirrels.

Woodland Trust

Project title: Dartmoor’s Future Forests - Developing a local woodland economy

Project description

Creating a high value, local market and supply chain for Dartmoor’s timber and stimulating the creation of ‘Dartmoor’s Future Forests’. This will include improving the industry’s understanding of the multi-purpose uses of quality local hardwoods, stimulating local markets through product innovation and improving supply chain resilience and capacity. These elements combine to drive active management of woodlands, to support restoration of ancient woodlands and to bring forward under-managed woods.

Timber Strategies

Project title: Long-term resilience of coastal woodland

Project description

Exploring how best to bring Southwest England’s coastal and estuarine woodlands, living in increasingly saline environments, into long-term resilient management and enhance them as ecological & societal corridors. The project will involve engaging with landowners, conducting surveys, and carrying out trial planting to ensure viable seed for these woodlands, bringing them back into management.

Pryor & Rickett Silviculture

Project title: Woods Awakened

Project description

A novel approach to getting under-managed woodlands back into active management in the Southwest (and Northwest) of England. The project will provide access to a professional forester to manage woodlands in a cost-effective way and help support woodland management that fits in with a woodland owner’s core objectives.

Withycleave

Project title: Woodland Savers stage 2

Project description

Continuing development of a novel model of woodland ownership, “Woodland Savers”, a body to buy woodland at scale to prevent fragmentation and ensure good management, with shareholders or members providing the funding.

RSK ADAS Ltd

Project title: Will earwigs predate green spruce aphid over winter to provide early season control?

Project description

Establishing whether earwigs can provide early season control of green spruce aphid in Sitka spruce forest in Devon. The project will determine the winter activity and diet of earwigs and whether their numbers can be boosted with Wignests, or artificial releases.

The SLIM Woodlands CIC for and on behalf of the National Coppice Federation

Project title: More Coppice into Productive Management

Project description

This project aims to bring more Southwest coppice woodlands into active management by establishing a new information baseline (extent, type, condition, and restorability of coppice woodland), developing a priority framework (including online map) to inform management/policy action, and providing decision-making support to landowners, and establishing a new officer-level role to coordinate future action. It is intended for the project to be a template for rollout across other regions of England and be applicable across Great Britain.

North West & West Midlands

Cumbria Woodlands

Project title: Who/what/where woodlands hub

Project description

Building an online tool that will enable owners to take the first and next steps towards woodland management. The tool will guide woodland owners in the right direction, connecting them with the information, products, and services they need.

The Woodland Trust

Project title: Shropshire Hills AONB Woodland Restoration Project

Project description

Engaging with woodland owners in and around the Shropshire Hills Area of Natural Beauty (AONB), providing them with the knowledge and detailed plans to enable woodland restoration to take place. This will include condition assessments, woodland management, and restoration plans and costings. The project aims to get 100ha of Planted Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS) and Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW) ‘restoration ready’.

Cumbria Woodlands

Project title: Integrated Woodland Management Support

Project description

Reducing barriers to management by demystifying the woodland management plan process. The project will help woodland owners and non-specialists understand what is required, making the process of developing a plan interesting, even fun, through “gamification” and production of compelling media.

Grown in Britain

Project title: Connecting Fragmented Sources to Sustainable Demand

Project description

A collaboration between Grown in Britain and the National Trust to deliver a comprehensive and transformational change to home grown local supply chains for the benefit of all. The project will restore fringe, dispersed, neglected and storm/pest ravaged woodlands via new income streams and market pull for local products.

East & East Midlands

Lincolnshire Deer Group

Project title: Targeted deer impact surveys using thermal imaging & drone technology

Project description

Developing effective and targeted aerial deer population surveillance using thermal imaging and the latest drone technology. This will involve clear and accurate assessment of habitat impacts and the deer population over three years to facilitate targeted landscape scale data-led deer management.

The Woodland Trust

Project title: Eastern Claylands Woodland Management Pilot

Project description

Working with farm clusters in the claylands of East Anglia to trial a new model of collaborative woodland management. The project will aim to understand whether a full-cost recovery grant and cluster-based approach could unlock opportunities and increase uptake of active restoration and woodland management.

Small Woods

Project title: Network for Resilience and Growth

Project description

A new approach to woodland management assistance, demystifying assessment, planning, and marketing processes through a joined-up resource and support network for woodland owners and managers. This will ensure that more woodlands are brought into management by owners who have a greater understanding of their needs and opportunities.

South East & London

The Woodland Trust

Project title: Mapping rhododendron, and other INNS, using remote sensing

Project description

Developing and testing a universal “rhododendron mapping tool” using fine resolution hyper-spectral airborne remote sensing. The tool will be used to produce a series of accurate maps in key rhododendron-infested areas of the High Weald, Kent Downs, and Surrey Hills that can be used to inspire, plan, cost, and develop funding for eradication programmes with landowners and partners.

English Woodlands Forestry

Project title: Woods that Pay are woods that Stay

Project description

Through several case studies, knowledge exchange, and the production of guidance, this project will provide economic and practical information to woodland owners to help them understand the finances and processes of undertaking sustainable woodland management. This will break down some significant barriers to active management and can be scaled nationally.

Eastbourne Borough Council

Project title: Woodland Capacity in East Sussex

Project description

Engaging with East Sussex forestry to understand how much resource potential it has and how it can provide (i) high-volume competitive wood for the construction industry (ii) an increase in UKFC management plans (iii) increase in agro-forestry and biodiversity, (iv) ability to plan 30 years ahead considering potential markets.

Penfolds Woodland Management in partnership with the Royal Forestry Society

Project title: Successful Woodland Management Plans and Forest Practices

Project description

Delivering a series of workshop events aimed at demystifying forestry through field-based learning structured around the creation of a woodland management plan. The project will involve delivering 14 woodland planning workshop events, creating 4 short films to support learning, and conducting 50 follow up support visits.

Yorkshire & North East

re:heat

Project title: Regional Woodland Restoration Yorkshire and Northeast, Northwoods

Project description

A 3-year programme of integrated activities to stimulate practical action in the unmanaged and undermanaged woodlands of Yorkshire and the Northeast. The project will develop, demonstrate, and support innovative approaches and technologies in woodlands, supply chains, and markets to improve woodlands’ biodiversity and sustainability. Register for updates.

Living Woods Northeast CIC

Project title: Rekindle: Sustaining our Small Woodlands

Project description

A 3-year project sustaining management of small woodlands with income from commercially unviable material, generated by community groups and private owners previously supported by public funds. A scalable, collective social innovation model for woodland management will be developed. The project will improve the skills of owners and volunteers, train an apprentice, and create new local supply chains for woodland products.

Routes to Market for Ash Timber Innovation Fund

Small Woods Association

Project title: Routes to production and market for Ash BioChar

Project description

Following an initial feasibility study assessing the suitability of diseased Ash for the creation of Biochar, this project will research and develop end usages of this product that maximise long term lock up of carbon. Working with small woodland owners and managers, Small Woods will establish biochar co-operatives and develop a supply chain for this end product.

Little Tread Industries

Project title: Combined Charcoal and Firewood Kiln

Project description

Developing and testing an innovative method of producing kiln dried firewood using waste heat from charcoal production. The project aims to combine two existing and proven technologies into one integrated system. The technology will be protected as Open Source so that it can be of benefit to other small woodlands suffering from Ash Dieback.

Grown in Britain

Project title: Ash - A New Seat at the Table

Project description

Building a new, sustainable, and high value market for home grown Ash timber in the UK furniture market. A new supply chain for ash boards and ash plywood will be created by developing a range of furniture with ercol, the classic British furniture icon, to sell through high street retailers, partners and directly from ercol.com.

CloudForest Supply Chains Ltd

Project title: CloudForest Digital Supply Chain and Online Marketplace

Project description

Working with Sylva Foundation, Snug Homes and Kiss House this project will develop a collaborative platform that connects timber in forests with construction demand. Making it easier for construction companies to source English Ash and other timbers. This will improve the economic prospects for bringing native woodlands into management and reduce the timber procurement risks and challenges for innovative small and medium-sized construction firms.

Temporary Infrastructure Innovation Fund

National Trust

Project title: PAWS Track Matting Trials 2022-25

Project description

A collaboration between National Trust and Woodland Trust to trial and evaluate a 2.5km+ temporary track matting system at National Trust Ashridge to extract timber from increasingly sensitive woodlands. The project aims to demonstrate minimal disturbance to soils, wildlife and archaeology, increasing the partners’ capacity to deliver similar restoration works nationally.