Welcome to the first ever episode of FUTURE WOODS podcast, where we ask our guests to go beyond sustainability to investigate what a truly regenerative relationship between woodlands and humans might look like. We uncover challenges, from the demise of the rural economy to the over simplified ‘polarized’ debates preferred by the media: “timber production vs biodiversity”, “spiky trees vs fluffy trees” – do we have to choose, or can we have our woody cake and eat it? Does size matter when it comes to forestry? Are large-scale commercial operations always worse for the environment than the little guys? And we discuss solutions, bringing our neglected woods back into management, rebuilding a ‘wood culture’ in the UK, and seeing this incredible resource properly appreciated once again.

In conversation with:

OLLY CRAIGAN, Land Workers’ Alliance – Woodland Coordinator

CAROLINE AYRE, CONFOR - National manager for England

Woodland Livelihoods

Also in this episode, we hear from REBECCA OAKS, author of ‘Coppicing and Coppice Crafts’, ‘Greenwood Crafts’ and ‘Making Charcoal and Biochar’, who shares details of her career making a living from the woods.

Links:

https://www.coed-preseli.co.uk/
https://landworkersalliance.org.uk/
https://www.confor.org.uk/
Share your ideas for future episodes: https://forms.gle/dqQMa1m2WW5mLfwv9

With thanks to the Local Connections Fund for making this episode possible.