EUROPEAN accents will mingle with Somerset accents when 37 delegates from ten European countries converge on Milverton this week to take part in a three-day workshop on Sustainable Forestry.

Forests and woodland provide the backdrop to much of our countryside and contribute enormously to many things we value. As well as providing timber and wood they enhance landscapes, provide beautiful walks and wildlife habitats, give opportunities for outdoor recreation and field sports and are deeply embedded in our culture. From a broader environmental perspective they also provide carbon sequestration, slow rainwater ’run-off’ to reduce flooding and soil erosion.

This workshop is the first in a series that will explore the sustainability of forestry management and the UK and European policies that support them. Through site visits, presentations and discussion delegates will consider the current situation and ask what needs to be done to ensure that UK and European woodlands are managed sustainably for future generations.

This event has attracted significant figures in the forestry sector including the chairman of the Forestry Commission, Sir Harry Studholme, who said: “As the UK is one of the least wooded areas in Europe there is a real opportunity to learn from our more forested neighbours.

“At the same time how we manage our woods sustainably in an unstable economy and a changing environment is a problem we all share. This workshop is an extraordinary opportunity for experts and managers of forests to debate the issues and learn from each other.”

The event is a collaboration between Forum Synergies and UK based EuCAN. Co-organiser Gwil Wren of EuCAN said: “We are delighted to be helping to organise this important event. Forestry and woodland are woven into the fabric of the UK and Europe, so it is tremendously encouraging that so many high profile figures in the sector are coming together to examine and debate the issues and chart a way forward.”