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The sustainable use of wood as seen through the eyes of tomorrow’s generation formed the basis of ‘Wood Futures’ children’s conference last week as children from South Wales channelled their energy to produce some bespoke pieces of furniture.

The University of Wales, Newport, in Caerleon resembled a scene from a summer house in a stately home as exclusive handcrafted wooden furniture designed by teenage pupils from St. Julian’s Comprehensive School was assembled by 64 young delegates from Newport primary schools.

Prior to the event, the 13-14 year old Year 9 pupils visited a local Forestry Commission Wales sustainable woodland in Magor, Monmouthshire with members of the FCW Woodlands for Learning Team to source freshly cut wood, known as greenwood. Armed with wood glue, string and teenage creativity, the pupils created mock-up designs for rustic chairs and tables in their school workshop.

Their ideas were then presented to a critical audience of ten and 11-year old Year 6 pupils from Durham Road Junior School, Eveswell Primary School, St. Julian’s Junior School and Monnow Junior School. Having divulged their blueprints and done their market research, the pupils returned to the workshop to don their thinking caps, fine tune their designs and create a flat-pack version to bring to the conference.

‘Wood Futures’, the sixth annual FC Wales Woodlands for Learning Conference, was organised in partnership wtih St. Julian’s Comprehensive School and University of Wales, Newport. Trefor Owen, Director of FC Wales, and Carl Peters, Dean of the Faculty of Education, opened the conference to set the scene with reference to sustainable forestry practice.

The conference witnessed the transformation of innovative ideas into reality. Under the observation of FCW Education Officers, the skilled Year 9 craftspeople mentored the Year 6 pupils to weave, lash and shape willow and ash greenwood into exquisite tables and chairs.

Ria Turner, Design and Technology teacher at St. Julian’s, said, “The Year 9 students got a great deal from the project and we will definitely be incorporating greenwood furniture into next year’s scheme of work. Thank you again for a great day out. Our pupils really enjoyed the experience.”

The furniture created at the conference will be used to enhance the outdoor areas of the participating schools. One Year 9 pupil said, “I never thought we’d be able to make stuff like this. It’s wicked.”

Comparing and contrasting the qualities of greenwood to that of seasoned timber, the children worked alongside staff from the University’s Design & Technology department, each having the opportunity to make their own individual ‘creature doorstop’ as a souvenir of the conference.

Lucy Kirkham, of the FC Wales Woodlands for Learning team, said, “The Welsh Assembly Government is committed to maximising the use of woodland for learning as outlined in its Strategy for Trees and Woodlands, ‘Woodlands for Wales’.

“This conference has raised children’s awareness of the natural qualities of wood and also opened their eyes to the possibilities for making a career from working with this most sustainable product."

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. Wales's forests cover almost 14% of the country's land area - equivalent to the size of Carmarthenshire. The National Assembly owns 40% of Wales's woodlands (the rest are in private ownership).

2. Forestry Commission Wales is the Welsh Assembly Government's department which looks after these public forests on the Assembly's behalf.

3. The Woodlands for Learning Conferences are held annually as part of FC Wales’s aim to celebrate and raise awareness of the wide range of Welsh woodland education programmes and facilities available throughout Wales.

For more information on the conference contact Lucy Kirkham or Cathy Velmans on 0845 604 0845, lucy.kirkham@forestry.gsi.gov.uk or cathy.velmans@forestry.gsi.gov.uk respectively.

More information on the woodlands of Wales is available on the Forestry Commission website, www.forestry.gov.uk

Media enquiries to Clive Davies, Forestry Commission Information Officer for Wales, tel. 0845 604 0845, mobile 07788 190922.