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This year’s competition saw 29 woodlands and 47 stand classes entered by woodland owners and managers across South West Wales. Tilhill Forestry’s impressive haul of 25 awards out of 38 possible prizes follows their success in 2023, which saw the business take home 12 wins. This year’s presentations took place in the Confor Marquee on Tuesday 23rd July.
The RWAS Woodlands Competition is open to all ‘owners and occupiers of woodland in Wales and aims to encourage good management practice in all stand classes of woodland’. The judges awarded prizes based on both long and short-term management effectiveness in their woodlands.
The judges of the Woodlands Competition said: “We have been very pleased to see the recognition of the environmental challenges, both current and in the future, being reflected in the planning and management of woodlands – management that reflects both the role woodlands can play in mitigating climate change but also the need to adapt the woodlands to be resilient in the future.”
This year saw a rise in entries for recently planted woodland creation sites, reflecting a growing commitment to forest expansion. This is encouraging news following recent reports that Wales achieved just 12% of its tree planting targets, with Confor calling for a “radical review” of the Welsh government’s approach.
The woodlands entered were all described as well designed to fit in the landscape and reflected existing habitats using both broadleaf and conifer trees.
Arwel Davies, Forest Manager at Tilhill Forestry, won nine awards, including the coveted ICF Challenge Trophy for Best Professional Management in all Woodland Classes. He said: “I was delighted to achieve two gold awards for the best managed woodlands of 11-50 hectares and 51-200 hectares for Cwmbran Uchaf and Banc Farm respectively. I was also awarded three stand classes within these woodlands which was great to be able to report to the woodland owners.
“It was an honour to be awarded several special prizes. Cwmbran Uchaf won The EFG Perpetual Challenge Cup for the best woodland in the entire competition, as well as The RC Williams-Ellis Perpetual Challenge Cup for gaining the highest cumulative number of points for the Stand Classes entered.
“I was also fortunate enough to win The Wilson Memorial Shield – awarded to the Forest Manager gaining the highest cumulative number of points for the stand classes entered – and The ICF Challenge Trophy, for the Best Professional Management in all Woodland Classes.
“This was the icing on the cake and recognises the excellent services that we offer our clients. Our contractors have worked very hard in getting these woodlands looking their best, and this is a testament to their dedication in delivering high quality work.”
Arwel Davies collected his awards at the Royal Welsh Show 2024
Forest Manager Sonia Winder, who was in receipt of six awards and attended the presentation, had the following to say: “I was absolutely thrilled to find that I had won a gold medal for the Best Managed Woodland of 10 hectares or under, and a silver medal for Best Managed Woodland of 11-50 hectares.
“I was also awarded two Gold and two Bronze stand class medals. The icing on the cake came when two of my woodland owners, the Carbon Community and the Binmore Family, made long journeys to join me to receive the woodland awards from Stuart Goodall, CEO of Confor, at the Royal Welsh Show.
“Managing forests well always brings challenges, whether that’s with finances, weather conditions, pests or pathogens, or with finding the right people to carry out work. I’m very proud of my work, which brings me much joy.
“These awards are a result of teamwork between keen woodland owners, myself as manager, and all of our loyal contractors who frequently work through rain, wind and heatwaves without complaint; not to mention my colleagues and our business support staff who work tirelessly to keep everything in the business running smoothly.
“Forestry is a long-term business. Trees need nurturing to enable them to deliver the benefits of sustainable timber, carbon sequestration, flood alleviation, wildlife habitat, and soil health, all whilst remaining financially viable. I want to continue to manage woodlands that I can be proud of, that will continue to provide long term benefits for people and the planet”.
Sonia receiving the medal for Fron Uchaf on behalf of Potanow Forestry LLP.
Alun Morgan, Forest Manager, based in Wales, also took home seven awards, including a special prize for the ‘Charles Shakerley Memorial Perpetual Challenge Cup’, awarded to the Best Conifer Entry in Stand Classes.
Coed Caer Bedw also won a bronze award within the ‘Best Managed Woodland Category 11-50 hectares’, with judges praising how this woodland is managed to reflect the owners’ objectives, which include future resilience and diversity, alongside financial benefits.
Jack Griffiths also took home three awards, including a Gold Medal for South Dairy in the Stand Class E for Conifer Woodlands, which was established over a two-year period and comprises of comprises of roughly 60% conifer and 40% broadleaf.
Regional Manager for Wales Iwan Parry said this about the wins: “These awards are a testament to the team, and everyone involved in delivering a high-class service for Tilhill Forestry clients, and are very well deserved.
“A huge congratulations to Arwel who has picked up the ICF Challenge Trophy for the best Forester and is the third person within the Wales team to have picked up this award. The whole team has worked really hard and contributed to the management of these woodlands that have won awards.”
Full list of Woodlands Competition awards won
Broadleaved, Conifer and Mixed Wood or Stand of Trees
Class 1, Best Managed Woodland 1 – 10 Hectares
GOLD Cefn Cerrig – 10.3 hectares (Sonia Winder)
Class 2, Best Managed Woodland 11 – 50 Hectares
GOLD Cwmbran Uchaf – 43.5 hectares (Arwel Davies)
SILVER Glandwr Woodland – 36.7 hectares (Sonia Winder)
BRONZE Coed Caer Bedw – 40.9 hectares (Alun Morgan)
Class 3, Best Managed Woodland 51 – 200 Hectares
GOLD Banc Farm – 149 hectares (Arwel Davies)
SILVER South Dairy – 70 hectares (Jack Griffiths)
Stand Class Winners
Class A – Broadleaf planting or restocking under 10 years old
GOLD Medal – Glandwr Woodland (Sonia Winder)
Class B – Broadleaf woodland 11-40 years old
GOLD Medal – Fron Uchaf (Sonia Winder)
Class C – Broadleaf woodland over 40 years old
BRONZE Medal – Troed y Rhiw (Jack Griffiths)
Class D – Conifer planting or restocking under 10 years old
SILVER Medal – Llettyrhaflaeth (Alun Morgan)
BRONZE Medal – Glancwm Sidan (Alun Morgan)
Class E – Conifer Woodland 11-30 years old
GOLD Medal – South Dairy (Jack Griffiths)
SILVER Medal – Cwmbran Uchaf (Arwel Davies)
BRONZE Medal – Cefn Cerrig (Sonia Winder)
Class F – Conifer woodland over 30 years old
GOLD Medal – Taliaris (Alun Morgan)
SILVER Medal – Cwmbran Uchaf (Arwel Davies)
BRONZE Medal – Ddolwen (Alun Morgan)
Class H – A Community or Public Access Woodland
SILVER Medal – Banc Farm (Arwel Davies)
BRONZE Medal – Glandwr Woodland (Sonia Winder)
Special Prizes
The Charles Shakerley Memorial Perpetual Challenge Cup awarded to the Best Conifer Entry in Stand Classes D, E & F
WINNER – Taliaris (Alun Morgan)
The EFG Perpetual Challenge Cup awarded for the Best Entry in Woodland Classes 1, 2, 3 & 4
WINNER – Cwmbran Uchaf (Arwel Davies)
Cash Prize of £100 awarded for the Best Farm Woodland
WINNER – Ddolwen (Alun Morgan)
The RC Williams-Ellis Perpetual Challenge Cup and awarded to a Privately Owned Woodland gaining the highest cumulative number of points for the Stand Classes entered
WINNER – Cwmbran Uchaf (Arwel Davies)
The Wilson Memorial Shield awarded to the Forester or Manager of a privately owned Woodland gaining the highest cumulative number of points for the Stand Classes entered
WINNER – Arwel Davies – Tilhill Forestry Ltd
The ICF Challenge Trophy for the Best Professional Management in all Woodland Classes
WINNER – Arwel Davies – Tilhill Forestry Ltd