TIMBER MERCHANT

MIKE GARDNER B I O G R A P H Y Brought up in Devon. Spending much of his youth on Dartmoor & its wooded fringes. Trees and the wildlife of these woodlands, were in Mikes blood. University broadened Mikes horizons immensely. Studying Ecological sciences in Edinburgh, it quickly became obvious, the importance of trees and forests to our Island ecology and human condition. So many benefits could be achieved from woodlands, especially in the deer and sheep ravaged landscapes of Scotland. Well managed Forestry could supply truly sustainable timber building materials, whilst also providing much needed habitats for so much of our native and exotic flora and fauna. After graduating, keen to get hands on experience working in the woods. He ended up in Cumbria managing various coppice woodlands for a wide range of high added products. Making products from semi natural woodlands. Running Lakeland Charcoal for a couple of years working alongside Walter Lloyd as well as working closely with and drawing on the great knowledge generously given of Bill Hogarth. (Bill Hogarth Memorial apprenticeships). After four years in Cumbria and keen to continue learning about forestry, wood and timber, Mike moved back to Scotland. He started learning more carpentry and traditional timber framing skills to add to his knowledge base before returning to Devon, four years later. For the last 25 years he has been based in Devon in the Teign Valley. Managing woodlands, harvesting timber, saw milling timber. Initially with various mobile mills, as well as designing and building many bespoke timber buildings. Always with teams of quality Carpenters & Designers. As money was saved, machinery upgraded & a yard developed. The business now concentrates mainly on saw milling. Sourcing various timbers from sustainably managed woodlands, primarily in Devon. Occasional purchasing forays into Cornwall, Somerset and very rarely Wiltshire, where they grow some wonderful timber. We manage various forests locally. Continually adapting the woodlands to ‘continuous cover forestry’ (CCF). Avoiding large and medium sized clear fells, maintaining & improving the biodiversity of the forests. Improving the timber quality of the woodlands, whilst also taking a sustainable yield of quality timber and firewood as produce from the woodlands. In the Management of the woodlands we strive towards truly sustainable woodlands management which can be described thus: S U S T A I N A B L E What is sustainability ? 1. able to continue over a period of time: 2. Causing little or no damage to the environment and therefore able to continue for a long time: I believe a third definition is needed. 3. To repair damage to environment and improve biodiversity and create habitats for more species. Why Sustainable Woodland Management? To preserve existing Biodiversity. To improve and develop biodiversity. To fix carbon. To (Re)Create more woodlands. To be carbon efficient. To provide ecologically sound long lasting naturally durable quality building materials. To provide fuelwood. To provide other woodland forest products.