Archbishop Barry Morgan at the Royal Welsh Show looking at a tree harvesting machine
From affordable housing to country nature trails to pulp for paper, the forestry industry is playing an increasingly important role in the Welsh economy, the Archbishop of Wales said this week.
In a visit to the Royal Welsh Show at Llanelwedd Dr Barry Morgan said the industry offered wide ranging opportunities for people in rural areas, particularly for farmers keen to diversify.
The Archbishop toured the forestry section of the show, seeing machines used to harvest and strip trees and meeting producers involved in the processes. He also saw a demonstration wooden house designed by Coed Cymru out of locally sourced timber and designed for affordable housing. The Ty Unnos (”House in a night”) is an adaptable modular unit able to create a range of house types.
The Welsh Government says the forestry sector in Wales contributes an estimated £429 million to the national economy and employs nearly 9,000 people.This estimate is based on the production of timber alone and excludes woodland recreation, tourism, energy generation and timber transport.
Dr Morgan said, “Wales is rich in natural resources and forestry is an increasingly important part of our economy. Timber can be produced on land not suitable for other agricultural purposes and therefore opens up an important route for farmers looking to diversify. Apart from wood processing, the industry also helps promote rural tourism through forest nature trails and, through innovative schemes such as the Ty Unnos project, can hopefully help us develop much needed affordable and sustainable housing.”
The Archbishop’s tour was organised by the Church in Wales’ Provincial Rural Group. The Revd Richard Kirlew, who leads the group, said, “As a church we are involved in communities across Wales and see at first hand the challenges people face, particularly in rural areas. Over the past few years we have seen the benefits the forestry industry is bringing to many of those areas, in a whole range of ways, and so we are keen to highlight its contribution to our way of life and to our economy.”
