We’re pleased to publish our trustees’ report and financial accounts for 2024-25.
We had a busy and productive year:
- We welcomed three new trustees, expanding our board to a total of nine. We were particularly pleased to diversify age diversity among trustees, and to have achieved a majority female board for the first time
- Our team of staff grew to 12; our largest number of employees to date
- Income received was greater than any previous financial year, mostly due to the handling of grant income for the PIES project, subsequently paid out to subcontracted parties
- As always, we benefited from a fantastic range of collaborators, partners, funders, donors, volunteers, advisors and others. Without your support we would not be able to deliver the level of public benefits we managed to achieve. Thank you to you all!
Innovating
- Supported more than 10,000 land owners and managers in caring for their woodlands via myForest
- 200,000ha of woodland mapped in myForest
- 7,500ha of new woodland planned and created using myForest
- Added insightful data layers to myForest to support decision making by land managers
- Enhanced the Woodland Condition Assessment to support uplift in ecological conditions of woodlands and biodiversity net gain assessments
- Helped channel £39M of funding to support environmental outcomes via the NatureBid platform
- Attracted 500 respondents to the 2024 British Woodlands Survey exploring attitudes, experiences and actions among private land managers to public access in their woodlands
- Started work developing new British Woodlands Survey for 2025 focussing on environmental change and resilience, creating a 10-year time series
- Co-authored a peer-reviewed research article exploring forest manager attitudes towards pest and disease risks to oak in Britain
Collaborating
- Concluded the PIES project, delivering advice to 146 land owners, supporting the sustainable management of 2,945ha of existing woodland with potential for 455ha of new woodland
- Initiated work to redevelop the Woodland Wildlife Toolkit with the RSPB, Woodland Trust, Forestry Commission and others
- With Forest Research, developed 3 new projects in Forest Lab exploring tree health and growth across Britain with more than 80 land managers
- Supported the development of Whole Farm Tree Plans with the Soil Association
- Worked with ercol to deliver a home-grown furniture exhibition
- Designed and made a new collection of home-grown furniture with the National Trust
Training
- Delivered an Introduction to Furniture Making course
- Delivered a Professional Course, offering bursaries to young students
- Offered a fellowship scheme for outstanding students
- Ran a Summer School for marginalised genders in collaboration with ercol and Grown in Britain
- Production winner in the 2024 Wood Awards for products made by students at the Sylva Wood School
Advocating
- Launched the UKFS Checker to help promote understanding of the UK Forestry Standard
- Our research of the woodworking sector revealed than only 20% of the workforce were women, while in manufacturing roles just 8%
- Awarded a major grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund to run a Woodworking and Gender Project Appointed a project coordinator to the Woodworking and Gender Project and ran a seminar for marginalised genders
You can read more about our and enjoy access to multiple reports here
