Forestry Commission - News - top fellas gear up to show how its done!

Veteran lumberjack Tom Grimwood does a lot more than simply live in Kielder Water and Forest Park with his wife and family.

Every morning he leaves the house, turns on the ignition key and re-shapes the dramatic Northumberland wilderness from the seat of his hi-tech harvester! The 59 year old from Kielder village, has worked for the Forestry Commission for 41 years and in that time he’s done more than most to create a green future by harvesting timber in the 155,000-acre forest.

Over a quarter of England’s timber production now comes from the woodland and the cycle of felling and planting is being used to sculpt a more natural looking landscape and one which helps protect rare species like red squirrels.

Now Tom and his colleagues are gearing up to show how it’s done as forest chiefs stage the biggest ever public open day of its kind in Kielder. The event takes place on Sunday 13 July, from 10.30am to 4pm offering a chance to glimpse behind the scenes and see huge harvesters in action, while offering a window into the future of the forest park.

Tom’s harvester costs about Ł250,000 and comes complete with computer controlled cutting heads, radio/CD (he likes Celine Dion) and air conditioning.

“It’s a bit like a giant play station as you control the machine using a joy-stick and buttons,” he said. “It’s amazing how technology has leapt forward. We used to use chainsaws, which was really hard work, and the first harvester I operated in the twenty odd years ago was basically a digger with a cutting head. The machines we use today are like something from Star Trek by comparison.”

But there’s more to the open day than mechanical horse power - there’s also the real thing! Byrness forest worker Danny Macneill will display traditional horse logging, once the backbone of the industry. It may have been eclipsed by the raw efficiency of computerised hardware, but horses are still occasionally used in Kielder on particularly sensitive, or hard to access sites. Danny’s father was Canadian and came to Britain during the Second World War to work in the forests while the local lumberjacks were in the armed forces. He’s carrying on the family tradition and he’ll have 19 year old shire, Saracen, and 16 year old Scout, a coloured cobb, demonstrating their skills at the event.

Richard Gilchirst, Chief Recreation Ranger, said:

“This is a rare chance to see mechanical marvels in action and also admire age-old horse logging. Forests have never been more important to the nation. Every year Kielder’s trees remove 82,000 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere, helping to reduce the impact of climate change. It also yields a vital natural resource and offers a home to an incredible range of wildlife, some of it very rare.”

Elsewhere, there’ll be chance to plant a tree, adding to the 3.5 million already hand-planted at Kielder this year, enjoy solar observing with the Kielder Observatory astronomers and quiz the Kielder Partnership on exciting developments planned in the park in the next few years. A wildlife stand will also show exclusive footage from the rare hen harriers nest, located at a secret location in North Tynedale.

The event is based around the Kielder Observatory site, perched high on a hill side with breathtaking views over the countryside. Mini-buses will ferry people to the site from 10.30am from the meeting point at Kielder Castle. The cost is Ł5 adult, Ł3 concessions and Ł12 for a family of four. Places on mini-buses can be booked on 01434 250209. For more on the Forestry Commission go to www.forestry.gov.uk/NorthEastEngland

Media calls: Richard Darn on 01226 246351, mobile 0775 367 0038.

Note to editor
The Forestry Commission is the government department responsible in England for protecting, expanding and promoting the sustainable management of woods and forests and increasing their value to society and the environment. Forestry makes a real contribution to sustainable development, providing social and environmental benefits arising from planting and managing attractive, as well as productive, woodlands.