The Wyre Forest area is more highly wooded than many, with estimates of 10% cover, of which 60% is broadleaved.  It is highly fragmented with about 35,000 woods in the area.  By overlaying maps of poverty and urban cover, it was illustrated that Wyre is one of the most deprived rural areas in the country.  Building forestry skills and jobs is therefore a priority in the area.

 

 The ensuing discussion with 9 local representatives focused on the infrastructures necessary to build a healthy skills base, whereby the culture of ‘woodlanders’ could be re-established, with better career paths and the ability to provide strategic support to forestry contractors  and smaller woodland owners.

 

To see this in practice the Panel members went out to meet some of the Forestry Commission apprentices. They were enthusiastic about working in the woods and appreciated the support they were being given.  The group talked about the issues of running a small business or partnership as well as demonstrating the practical skills they had developed.  They had learned about the scheme following a ‘week in the woods’ – an orientation course about careers in forestry run for young people.  This was discussed as an example of how important forest education can be.The panel members viewed the work of the volunteer-led biological records centre which was tracking the biodiversity in the Wyre Forest and then to hear about how LiDAR technology has been utilised to study the underlying archaeology of the area.

 

 

 

They then travelled to Uncllys Farm, home of the Wyre Community Land Trust. The farm is the base for a number of forest and farming activities.  Panel members met a group on a green wood working skills course, making gates and hewing posts by hand.  This was against a backdrop of a 60 year old cherry orchard that was being restored. 

John Iles, Managing Director of the Land Trust explained how the idea of building a £600,000 classroom facility had developed into a partnership of 19 organisations turning over £4 million. The discussion after lunch focused on the issues of building such a  partnership without the benefit of a formal designation such as a National Park or AONB.  While a number of the projects were self financing, there was also the experience and capability within the group to apply for other grants and funding streams.