Press Release

THE CROWN ESTATE DONATE TIMBER FOR DUNSTER WOOD SCULPTURE FESTIVAL

6 October 2006

Timber from The Crown Estate’s 2,500 acre Dunster Forest was donated for the Wood 2006 event at nearby Dunster Castle.

The festival is the international chainsaw wood carving festival which took place 25-30 September 2006. Fifteen sculptors from all over the world participated in the five-day event to demonstrate their skills to local people and visitors alike.

The donated timber was felled from softwood trees located alongside the forest rides starting at Nutcombe Bottom and heading south. Local sculptors will be invited to carve the remaining five and six feet-sized tree stumps in spring 2007 to create a new sculpture trail at the Dunster estate in Somerset.

Since 2000 all Crown Estate forests and woodlands have gained Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certification and comply with the standard set under the UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS).

This is not the first time that the The Crown Estate has donated timber to the festival. A few years ago it contributed a rare piece of black poplar, which had become available due to windblow. It can now be seen on the sculpture trail at Webbers post.

Commenting on The Crown Estate’s contribution Alvin Houchen, Head Forester based on the Dunster estate, said: “We like to be involved in events that support both the community and the local economy. We were thrilled to be taking part in the festival again and the resulting sculptures took great skill and dexterity to make, especially given that the tool of choice is a chainsaw rather than traditional hand carving tools. We look forward to watching the estate’s sculpture trail develop next year.”

Mike Leech, head ranger at Exmoor National Park who is project manager for Wood 2006, and a chainsaw sculptor himself, said: “Chainsaw sculpting is a specialist skill and it tends to be reserved for people already working in forestry or tree surgery. We started the Wood festival two years ago to showcase local, UK and international talent, which has grown in popularity beyond our expectations. Visitor number this year exceed previous years.

“The generosity of The Crown Estate has always been appreciated and welcomed, and by supplying timber from its Dunster forest gave the visiting sculptors a wider choice of material.”