Earlier this month, the Sylva Foundation was delighted to welcome Defra’s Trees and Forestry team to our base at the Sylva Wood Centre in Oxfordshire.
The visit brought together 45 civil servants, including Deputy Director Richard Chapman, alongside senior leaders from Sylva for a day of shared learning, field demonstration, and collaborative discussion around the future of British forestry.
A Shared Vision for Trees and Woodlands
The day began with an introduction to Sylva Foundation’s overarching mission. As an environmental charity, our work spans sustainable forest management, timber design and innovation, environmental education, and pioneering technology for land managers. We shared our vision for the future and outlined our ambitious new five-year strategy, setting the stage for how practical innovation can support national tree-planting and woodland management goals.
Three Deep Dives into Forestry, Tech, and Timber
To make the most of the day, our visitors split into three groups and rotated through a series of hands-on, expert-led sessions:
- Bridging the Knowledge-to-Action Gap: Chief Executive Dr Gabriel Hemery led an interactive workshop exploring the ‘deployment gap’—the space between scientific knowledge and practical action on the ground among woodland managers. Drawing on empirical evidence from the Sylva-led British Woodlands Survey, the session examined what motivates land managers and how policy can better support real-world, sustainable management.
- Tech in the Field: Director of Operations Paul Orsi and Head of Forestry Andrew Clark demonstrated the Woodland Condition Assessment app, a digital tool developed by Sylva for the Forestry Commission. The team gained hands-on insight into how technology can streamline ecological monitoring in the field, helping land managers make informed decisions backed by robust data.
- The Home-Grown Wood Chain: Head of Wood School Joseph Bray took the group on a tour of the Sylva Wood School and our wider innovation site. The tour showcased the value of home-grown timber and highlighted our collaborative work with partners including ercol, the National Trust, and local craftspeople to strengthen the UK’s sustainable wood supply chain.
Looking Ahead
Welcoming Defra’s Trees and Forestry team was a wonderful opportunity to build stronger bridges between policy, technology, and practical woodland stewardship. By working together across government, forestry, and charity sectors, we can continue to foster resilient, multi-benefit woodlands across the UK.
Thank you to Richard Chapman and the entire Defra team for joining us, asking thoughtful questions, and bringing such great energy to the Sylva Wood Centre!
