Bringing Common Sense to Tree Management

Lydney Park, Lydney, Gloucestershire GL15 6BU
Thursday 19 April 2012 - 2pm –5.30pm
Cost: £15 CLA members; £25 non-members

Sponsored by Smiths Gore

The Lydney Park Estate was acquired by Benjamin Bathurst in 1719 and has been in the Bathurst family ever since. In 1935 Charles Bathurst was created Viscount Bledisloe for his services as Governor-General of New Zealand. The Estate is now home to the 4th Viscount Bledisloe and his family.

The Estate extends to approximately 3500 acres with around 1200 acres of mixed woodland managed under FSC guidelines. Elsewhere on the Estate there is a substantial in-hand dairy farm, a high quality pheasant shoot, together with a mixed portfolio of let residential, commercial and agricultural property. The Lydney Park Spring Gardens and Roman remains are open during the period Easter to early June.

The woodland lies 2-3 miles to the south of the Forest of Dean and is planted with a mix of softwoods and hardwoods, both providing excellent quality timber. Although run commercially the Estate woodland is multi-purpose and is managed for timber production, sporting interest, amenity and conservation. 356 acres are designated as Ancient Semi Natural woodland and there is a 43 acre SSSI which is also designated as a Special Area for Conservation, as it is a nationally important site for hibernating lesser horseshoe bats.

The Estate has a thriving sawmill supplying mainly home grown timber to local contractors. Products include fencing stakes, posts, panels, sawn green oak and the sawmill also supplies local demand for firewood.
The afternoon will begin with an introduction to the Lydney Park Estate woodland from Smiths Gore’s Marc Liebrecht.

Mike Seville, the CLA’s National Forestry & Woodlands Advisor, will explain the impact of the newly published guidance by the National Tree Safety Group "Bringing Common Sense to Tree Management".

This guidance is trying to redraw the legal landscape relating to tree safety and put it firmly in the context of the real risk which trees pose to individuals and to society and to balance this against the benefits trees deliver. The CLA has been instrumental in driving this approach forward.

The Duchy of Cornwall’s forestry expert, Geraint Richards, will share his practical experience of woodland management along with his views on the current timber market and this will be followed by a tree disease update and forecast from the new South West Regional Director of the Forestry Commission, Brendan Callaghan.

The event will close with Graham Clark, CLA Regional Surveyor; explaining how members can benefit from the new Renewable Heat Incentive.

This event is not only aimed at large woodland owners and managers but also those responsible for smaller numbers of trees where members are concerned about how proactive they need to be in regards tree safety management in order to mitigate their liability to third parties.

There will be an opportunity to explore the Deer Park and Woodland Spring garden after the seminar.

To book on line www.regonline.co.uk/claswevents