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Jeremy Thompson, Managing Director, shares his thoughts on a great 2022 and the exciting year Forest Direct has ahead.

As we move into February and out of the planning phase of 2023, I am excited for the year ahead. 2022 started with a bang, with the clear-up of Storm Arwen still a significant aspect of our workload; this continued through the year and, in reality, will continue well through 2023 with 90,000 tonnes of timber to be cleared.

We developed a scheme in conjunction with our partnership with UKFCG to certify small woodlands under a Resource Management Unit, the first of its kind in the UK, which will allow better access to markets, higher timber prices and improved uplift of timber.

While the economic crisis hit many, we were lucky to have one of our best years, with our team continuing to grow and our client base ever expanding. In 2022 we put 650,000 trees in the ground over 370 hectares and we are delighted to say we already have 1,000,000 trees on order for the year ahead.

We continued to support the sector’s future with our involvement with the RSFS [link] study tour, sponsoring two graduates, Finlay and Theo, Finlay has subsequently joined our team. The tour reminded us of how far we have come and where the many opportunities lie and we were delighted to share our experiences during our trips to Glentress and Damhead.

As the interest in the carbon market continues to grow, we were delighted to have our planting scheme at Damhead validated and began to forge a fantastic partnership with Richard Clarke at Highland Carbon, offering our clients the opportunity to sell their carbon through one of the most respected businesses in the sector.

We spent a great deal of time on our team, ensuring that training was at the forefront of their professional development and creating a positive working environment where our team feel respected and empowered in their roles. I feel fortunate to work with such a fantastic group, and it is essential to me that we provide a great place to work.

So what does 2023 have in store for Forest Direct? We have just finished planting Scotland’s largest Queen’s Green Canopy at Damhead, and are incredibly proud we have been able to honour our late monarch in this way.

We want to continue to nurture our relationships with our clients, we are very grateful for the trust you place in us, and we will continue to deliver for you. We have the team and expertise to take on new clients, please check out our website and get in touch.

So on that note, I best roll my sleeves up as we have a million trees to get in the ground.

Here’s to a great 2023, and a huge thank you to all who continue to support us.

Jeremy