Best woodlands in North Wales sought by Royal Welsh
Woodland owners across six counties in North Wales are being invited to take part in the Royal Welsh Agricultural society’s annual woodlands competition. The event is held in a different area of Wales each year – South, Mid and North – and in 2012 it is the turn of Anglesey, Caernarfon, Merioneth, Denbigh, Flint and Montgomeryshire to compete for the leading awards.
Two years ago the area of woodland and forestry in Wales was estimated at 303,500 hectares, some 14.3 per cent of the total land area of the country and around 20,000 ha more than the existing data had indicated. This extended area of afforestation was discovered by means of improved survey techniques including for the first time the availability of satellite imagery.
Although private woods account for a small proportion of Welsh woodlands they include some of the most beautiful and well-managed examples and many of the best of these are scattered across the North Wales counties.
The Royal Welsh competition has helped to stimulate interest in this important feature and heritage of the Welsh countryside. Roger Nock, chairman of the RWAS Forestry Section, said it endeavoured to bring forward good practise in the management of woodlands throughout Wales.
“We encourage woodland owners, managers and foresters to put forward schemes where they feel they have achieved good results in the establishment of woods, timber production, wildlife habitat, diversity or landscaping,” he said.
The competition embraces all types of woodland and many varieties of trees, which are commercially valuable and which enhance through shape, colour and texture, the magical portrait of a beautiful countryside and also create and sustain wildlife habitat. Small stands of between one and five ha up to extensive forests of 1000 ha are eligible for judging and classes are scheduled for woods of various ages. Standards of management are taken into account especially improved management over the past 10 years.
One class for an area of woodland of five ha or more focuses on multi-benefit forestry including demonstrable environmental and social benefits such as the provision of public access and sporting recreation. Another section of the competition is devoted to community woodland and is open to community groups for the creation of new, or the management of existing local woodland, for the benefit and interest of the community.
Nine special awards will be available for competitors including the coveted Royal Forestry Society’s Gold Medal Certificate for the best entry in the competition.
Next year a special All-Wales competition will be open to woodland owners – except Forestry Commission Wales – who have diversified in order to add value to their enterprise and are now involved in sustainable forest management. Examples may be sawmilling of at least 50 per cent of their own produce, woodland-based off road vehicle training, mountain biking, woodland holiday projects or other recreational activities.
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