Did you know it’s #GrownInBritainWeek? Today’s theme is collaboration and investing in the future. In 2016, Woodland Heritage invested in Whitney Sawmills, becoming the owner of the highly respected sawmill.
Where our story begins
Whitney Sawmills was founded by Will Bullough in 1990 when the quality of timber available motivated him to try milling and drying his own materials on the site of the historic Whitney Train Station, now Whitney Sawmills.
As well as supplying the varied demands of its customers, Whitney Sawmills also helps to keep rural employment and skills alive. Whitney Sawmills isn’t just a supplier; it is also a customer, buying timber from local landowners helping them manage their woodlands and secure the jobs that they in turn offer.
Will embedded an ethos that Whitney Sawmills should aim to benefit native woodland wildlife wherever possible, as he believed that the lack of responsible woodland management created some of the greatest threats to many endangered species.
Seeing so many of its own objectives mirrored in practice at Whitney, the UK charity, Woodland Heritage, became the owner of the sawmill in 2016.
Woodland Heritage
In 2023 Woodland Heritage introspected, ‘what is Woodland Heritage?’
Heritage comes from c.1200 Old French and means ‘that which may be inherited’. Old French was spoken hundreds of years ago, largely in northern France, and was a mesh of Romance dialects including Italic and Celtic. John Orchard, Chief Executive of Woodland Heritage, adds;
“Woodland Heritage is not the passive act of preserving the past. It is the active process of deciding what world our children and grandchildren will inherit. It requires action.”
Through championing the good use of home-grown timber from sustainable productive woodlands, for the benefit of present and future generations, Woodland Heritage works towards its vision of a thriving UK wood culture that benefits our environment, all people and our economy.
A sawmill is at the centre of the timber supply chain, Woodland Heritage believes that with the right approach, demonstration sites, such as Whitney Sawmills, can evidence the value of sustainable productive woodlands first hand.
Productive Woodlands
In 2023, at the same time as vast quantities of the UK’s woodlands were not sustainably managed, the UK was the seconds largest net importer of forest products, behind China and the USA.
One year on, Forest Research’s ‘Forestry Facts and Figures 2024’ reported that the UK is now the second-largest net importer (imports less exports) of forest products behind China.
We simply aren’t making the most of what we have.
Productive Woodland is part of the answer. It increases sustainability and biodiversity whilst managing woodlands in a way that produces sustainable timber that benefits people and planet.
Today
The legacy of Will’s ‘do it yourself’ attitude lives on.
Today, Whitney Sawmills is a working sawmill, based in Whitney-on-Wye, managed by Dermot Doyne and the team. It continues to supply the varying demands of customers, whilst bringing people together to share skills & experience, through Woodland to Workshop, educational tours & open days. With Whitney Wood standing tall behind Whitney Sawmills, demonstrating productive woodland’s ability to benefit the environment, it is home to pied flycatchers!
Grown in Britain
“Grown in Britain supports new woodland creation, but importantly they also encourage the responsible management of our existing woods and forests.
Only the Grown in Britain logo guarantees that timber has been grown legally in the UK in accordance with the UK Government Timber Procurement Policy and conforming to the UK Forestry Standard.” - Grown in Britain
Whitney Sawmills is a certified member of Grown in Britain, supporting British woodlands and the benefits they bring to our economy, environment and wildlife.
