The marketing of British hardwoods

This paper considers the paper of the same name written by J.H. Newnham70 years ago, and then outlines the current situationand trends. The management of woodlands is a long-term process,but it is nevertheless disturbing to note that much of the broadleavedwoodland in Britain today is still suffering the same haphazardmanagement Newnham complained of, with high levels of under-managementand a poor growing stock. Newnham also regarded theforest industrywhich utilizes timber from British woodlands as not keepingupto date with new ideas and methods, and not giving consumersthe goods they actually require. There have been many significantadvances in softwood processing during the last 70 years, butthis level of innovation is not evident in the hardwood sector.The importance that we now place on the amenity and environmentalvalue of broadleaved woodland should not prevent managers fromgrowing at least some high-quality trees with a view to theirproviding a contribution towards the costs of management. Thiswill not happen unless there is a robust and concerted effortto manage deer and squirrels in broadleaved woodlands. New marketsfor some traditional products, developments in technology andthe willingness of people to network information may offer awider range of outlets to woodland owners in the future. Thefuture is viewed with some optimism; but so it was by Newnham.