2003 Annual Report

Since the AGM in May 2002, the UK Branch has held two events.

The first was a seminar (run jointly with the Institute of Chartered Foresters in November 2002) on “The  World Summit:  what does it means for forestry?”. The aim of this seminar was to highlight the outcomes and discuss the potential implications for forestry of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD).  Approximately 70 people from the UK and overseas gathered to hear a range of talks and enter into a lively debate on how we stand following the recent meeting in Johannesburg. 

The second was a tour in the Scottish Borders.  Held in May 2003, this attracted about 20 members. They visited the Dawyck Botanic Garden (a woodland created from bare hillside over the last 200 years); the Carrifran Wildwood project (born from a vision by local people of restoring a heavily-grazed valley to a wild and largely wooded state); Glentress Forest, managed

by the Forestry Commission for recreation, timber production and conservation;  and traditional estate woodlands at Bowhill that belong to our former President, The Duke of Buccleuch.

Plans for 2004 include a tour based in Oxfordshire (likely dates 20/21 May) and a possible seminar examining the work of  the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), looking ahead to its review in 2005.