Wood from the Chilterns is used for a variety of purposes including
firewood, charcoal, fencing, building timber, woodcrafts and
furniture. High Wycombe has been the centre of the UK furniture
industry for 200 years.
In recent times the market for Chilterns wood has declined dramatically
because of the prevalence of cheaper imported timber from Europe
and America. The furniture industry has also substituted metal
and plastic for wood in many of its products.
In addition, there is a lack of good quality timber in the Chilterns
because many of the best trees have been harvested. The trees
left in the woods are shading out the young saplings which might
potentially provide more good timber in the future. The competition
from overseas means there is little incentive for woodland managers
to nurture good quality trees for the future.
It is clear that many factors are affecting the management of
Chiltern woods. In the meantime, we can all do our bit to stimulate
the local woodland economy by buying local wood products wherever
possible.
TWIG project
From 1999 to 2002 the Chilterns was home to the UK arm of the
TWIG Project – the Transnational Woodland Industries Group.
This EU-funded project had partners in Germany and Greece as
well as the Chilterns. The aim of the project was to promote
sustainable woodland management and a thriving woodland economy
in each of the partner areas.
The TWIG Project has now ended and its success is widely acknowledged.
It has created new opportunities for the Chilterns woodland
industry. It has also left a significant legacy in terms of
detailed research into Chilterns wood products and woodland
skills.
The TWIG Project has produced a large number of reports –
you can order them as a pack and CD ROM from the publications page.
