UK Forestry’s Knowledge Gap: When Experts Lack the Facts 🌲
70% of forestry pros—from woodland owners to forest managers—say they don’t have the resources they need to make informed choices.
A new survey from Maelor Forest Nurseries (BSW Group) just dropped, and it’s calling out a glaring issue in UK forestry: a serious lack of accessible information on tree improvement. Here’s the headline stat: 70% of forestry pros—from woodland owners to forest managers—say they don’t have the resources they need to make informed choices. And it’s not just a minor inconvenience; this gap is fueling some wild misconceptions. Case in point: 26% of respondents think tree improvement might weaken resilience (it doesn’t) and 23% worry about the cost, even though improved yields usually mean better returns 💸.
Here’s the kicker: even the so-called experts are often in the dark. With limited and scattered sources, forest managers are left relying on Google, social media, or secondhand advice to stay informed. As Maelor’s Nursery Director Andrew Henry put it, “we must do much better at sharing the benefits” of tree improvement so everyone—from newbies to industry vets—can make the best decisions.
The solution, in our opinion? A new, open approach to forestry knowledge that brings everyone to the table. Let’s stop locking up insights for specialists; instead, let’s empower the whole sector with reliable, science-backed info. 🌍 Open knowledge could help the entire industry—from rookies to veterans—navigate today’s complex environmental challenges.
With better access to verified data, UK forestry could make meaningful strides toward a climate-ready, sustainable future. Improved knowledge-sharing across the sector would empower local forestry efforts and link them with ecosystem restoration communities addressing similar challenges, enabling UK professionals to draw on broader conservation insights. 🌱
Because sometimes, the more people who know, the better the decisions we all make.
Sources
A new industry survey calls for clearer information and support in the understanding of tree improvement. Maelor Forest Nurseries Ltd. Retrieved from https://www.maelor.co.uk/resource-hub/our-news/2353.
