Earlier this week we were delighted to host a workshop at the Sylva Wood Centre for the South-East regional group of the Institute of Chartered Foresters.
Some 40 people attended the event. In the morning they benefited from a classroom session in our Teaching Barn. Speakers provided fascinating insights on behalf of Forestry Commission, Woodland Trust and BSG Ecology. We reviewed the processes and legislation around Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) as well as emerging habitat banks and more.
Sylva Foundation’s CEO Dr Gabriel Hemery presented the new Woodland Condition Assessment (WCA) app which the charity recently developed on behalf of government. The WCA app includes a specific set of questions and outputs required by anyone needing to create a baseline assessment of the condition of a woodland as part of a BNG process. Afterwards, the group enjoyed a walk in Sylva’s adjacent Future Forest to test the WCA app in the field. There was plenty of discussion about the methodology and outputs, but the WCA passed through with flying colours, welcomed as a great step forward in simplifying woodland condition assessments.
Our group were impressed by the tree growth in our young Future Forest which is now in its seventh growing season. As one senior member commented, “if only all new woodlands looked like this so soon after planting!”
Find out more about the Institute of Chartered Foresters nine member regions.
