Summer School Report
Summer School 2022 report We are delighted to publish a full report of the amazing 2022 Summer School run in partnership with the V&A Museum. In September 2022, the third annual Sylva Wood Summer School took place in collaboration with the V&A Museum, and specifically the Make Good: Rethinking Material Futures programme to create ‘Field …. Read More
Join us for Artweeks 2023
Join us as we open the Sylva Wood Centre again to visitors on May 7/8 and 13/14 during Oxfordshire Artweeks. Artweeks at the Sylva Wood Centre The Sylva Wood Centre will be taking part in Oxford Artweeks this year! May 7th, 8th, 13th and 14th. Open 10am-5pm. With open workshops on both Artweeks weekends, take …. Read More
Job Vacancy: myForest Manager
We are seeking an exceptional forester or land manager to join our dynamic team Salary range: £27,000-32,000 Position: Permanent, Full-time Location: Sylva office / home working providing woodland advice Sylva is known for its highly innovative approaches to supporting sustainable forest management across Britain. The myForest platform is one of our flagship projects, used …. Read More
Commercial Unit Available – The Old Pigsty
The Old Pigsty is a commercial unit available to rent from Sylva Foundation by a suitable business concerned with designing or making with wood. The unit lies slightly separate from other buildings and units at the Sylva Wood Centre, providing ample space and privacy with views across the countryside, while remaining within close proximity of …. Read More
Sylva Summer School exhibition opens at the V&A
In September we hosted our third annual summer school. This year we collaborated with the V&A museum and specifically the Make Good: Rethinking Material Futures to create ‘Field Notes’. The work of the 12 practitioners taking part in the summer school is now on display in the V&A’s Susan R Weber Furniture Gallery. in May …. Read More
Impact Report 2022
We’re pleased to published our Impact Report for 2022. The theme this year is ‘collaboration’. Through our many collaborations we can illustrate the diversity of our work, and just as importantly, shine a spotlight on our partners, and the impact we are making together. Collaboration is one of our core values: To work extensively and …. Read More
Innovative support available for existing and new woods across England
Landowners and managers across England are invited to apply for an innovative package of fully-funded advice, providing vital information to support them in taking the next steps in managing existing woodland and/or creating new wooded areas. The fully-funded advice is being delivered under the PIES (Protect Improve Expand Sustain) project. It is run by a …. Read More
A celebration of Martin Wood
On 14th September, several hundred people gathered in Oxford to celebrate the extraordinary life of Sir Martin Wood (1927-2021). Martin co-founded Sylva Foundation with Gabriel Hemery in 2009, and later, with his wife Audrey, became a Patron of the charity. A celebration of Martin Woods’ life – the event held in Oxford on 14th September …. Read More
Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22
Sylva Foundation Trustees’ Report and Annual Accounts 2021-22 The trustees of Sylva Foundation are pleased to release the formal report from the board for 2021-22 and the independent accounts produced by our financial auditors. Read more and download. 2021-22 at a glance continued to support Defra under the Resilient Treescapes Project Supported the Future Oak …. Read More
Hand-crafted stools made in collaboration with the National Trust
Sylva Foundation has teamed up with the National Trust to turn trees lost to Ash dieback into a range of hand-crafted stools. The ash stools made at the Sylva Wood School in collaboration with the National Trust ©National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra Ash dieback is a widespread fungal disease that has had a dramatic impact …. Read More
Call for urgent action to adapt forests to climate change
Forestry, conservation and government organisations have come together to reaffirm their commitment to work together to promote the importance of adapting trees, woods and forests to climate change. The Forestry and Climate Change Partnership (FCCP) has published the Forestry and Climate Change Adaptation Accord which sets out a collective vision that Britain’s trees woods …. Read More
Sourcing and Using Home-Grown Wood Products
Sylva Foundation’s views on sourcing and using home-grown wood products. Using more wood products sourced from UK forests will stimulate our economy while improving the environmental condition of more woodlands, reducing wood-miles (carbon footprint of importing timber), and help reconnect people with the benefits of a working countryside. Sylva Foundation has set out its views …. Read More
Innovative support launched for existing and new woods across England
An innovative new project known as PIES, standing for protect, improve, expand, and sustain, has been launched to help with the creation and management of woodlands across England. PIES project. Image (c)GabrielHemery The project is funded by the Trees Call to Action Fund. The fund was developed by Defra in partnership with the Forestry Commission …. Read More
Wood School Assistant Appointed
We are delighted to welcome Phillip Gullam as our new Wood School Assistant. Phillip Gullam – Wood School Assistant Phil previously taught at Rycotewood for a number of years, teaching various furniture-making courses. He brings to the role a breadth of experience gained over the years. Phil has been involved in the teaching and assessing …. Read More
Job Opportunity: Wood School Assistant
Wood School Assistant [job title pending] Sylva Wood School Sylva Foundation is looking to recruit an exceptional individual to join its Wood School team based at the Sylva Wood Centre. Since launching the Wood School in 2019, it has gone from strength to strength. The Wood School plays a central role in Sylva’s mission; nurturing …. Read More
Martin Wood – engineer, philanthropist, and conservationist
A joint statement by sister charities: Earth Trust, The Oxford Trust, and Sylva Foundation It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Sir Martin Wood (1927-2021). Sir Martin Wood FRS in 2012 Sir Martin and Lady Wood together founded our three sister charities. Each of us has a distinctive vocation, voice and …. Read More
The New Sylva returns
After selling out early in 2021, we are delighted to announce that The New Sylva is back in print in a new format, with signed copies available in our online shop. The book was co-authored by our CEO Gabriel Hemery as a way of promoting the Sylva Foundation and raising funds towards our activities. The …. Read More
Impact Report 2021
We are delighted to publish our first ever Impact Report, highlighting our achievements and impacts during the last year. The report came about thanks to the support of an amazing volunteer, Shems Hadj-Nassar, who brought her communications expertise to bear in supporting our team in writing and designing the report. This perfectly illustrates how Sylva …. Read More
Annual Report and Accounts for 2020-21
We have published our Trustee’s Report and Independent Accounts for the year 2020-21. The trustees of Sylva Foundation are pleased to release the formal report from the board for 2020-21 and the independent accounts produced by our financial auditors. Click to download in full, or read the summary below. 2020-21 at a glance: download Sylva’s …. Read More
What Future for our Iconic Oak?
Forest managers and others with an interest in trees are invited to share their knowledge and expertise with a team of researchers who are aiming to discover how declining health is affecting trees across the UK, and to understand views on possible new treatments. Future Oak project The survey is part of the Future Oak …. Read More
Join us for Artweeks 2021
We are pleased to be opening up the Sylva Wood Centre again to the public for Artweeks 2021. We are open for two weekends: 15/16 and 22/23 May from 10am-5pm. In a change from previous years, we are providing more open workshops that visitors can enjoy seeing the craftspeople at work and talk to them …. Read More
Mary Barkham Appointed Trustee
We are delighted to welcome Dr Mary Barkham as a trustee of the Sylva Foundation. Mary was appointed as a trustee at a board meeting held on 19th March 2021. Dr Mary Barkham Sylva trustee Mary has had a career spanning both the public and private sector. She has a degree in horticultural science and …. Read More
Help Shape Tree Health Policy
If you manage trees in England, whether in an urban or rural setting and at any scale, from large woodlands through to individual trees, we want to hear your views on a range of potential tree health policies and interventions. This is a chance for you to help shape future support from government. The results …. Read More
Sylva CEO receives Peter Savill Award
In 2020, CEO Dr Gabriel Hemery was jointly awarded, with Professor Julian Evans, the Peter Savill Award for contributions to the British forestry industry. Peter’s widow Michelle Savill recently visited the Sylva Wood Centre to hand over the beautiful prize, turned from a piece of walnut burr. The great silviculturist Dr Peter Savill served as …. Read More
Jim Waterson Appointed Trustee
We are delighted to welcome Jim Waterson MICFor MRICS as a trustee of the Sylva Foundation. Jim was appointed as a trustee at a board meeting held on 25th November 2020. Talking about his appointment, Jim Waterson commented: “I have the strong conviction that resilient trees, woods and forests are more important than ever at …. Read More
Annual Report and Accounts 2019-20
We have published our Trustee’s Report and Independent Accounts for the year 2019-20. 2019-20 at a glance: deeply saddened by the death of one our founding trustees, Dr Peter Savill appointed two new trustees, including our new Chair of Trustees, Sarah Taylor supported a high-profile research paper on ash dieback, based on the work of …. Read More
Welcome to our new Forester
We’re delighted to welcome George Dennison to Sylva as a new member of staff taking up the new role of Forester. Thanks to grant funding provided by the John Ellerman Foundation the new position of Forester at Sylva will mean we have more capacity to work with landowners, forestry professionals, and partners to support sustainable …. Read More
Woodland Creation In the Making
We’re delighted to announce the development of a major new project. Working in partnership with the Forestry Commission and the Woodland Trust, the Sylva Foundation is delivering a Woodland Creation Test and Trial to support the development of Defra’s Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme. Woodland Creation project Sylva Foundation is well-known for its innovative land-management …. Read More
Forester Wanted
We are looking for an exceptional and early-career Forester Job advert We are looking for a Forester to join our dynamic small team. The important role will focus on improving the support we provide to users of our services, including working on new developments, improving communication with users, and providing training. The successful applicant is …. Read More
Invitation to Tender to Supply Woodworking Machinery
Sylva Foundation is seeking a suitably qualified supplier to supply, deliver and install/commission industrial woodworking machinery. We are pleased to offer this as an open process for suitable suppliers to tender proposals. Deadline for submissions is 12 noon on 3rd April. Specification summary: Surface Planer, with Spiral/Tersa Block minimum 500mm wide.Minimum 7 KW motor Thickness …. Read More
Renovation of the old Grain Store
Despite the wet winter we’ve been busy at the Sylva Wood Centre completing the renovation of our old Grain Store. We’ve just completed this timelapse film, taken over several months, which finishes with the fitting of innovative thermally-modified hardwood products, including cladding, windows, and a door. The Brimstone products were provided by Vastern Timber, in …. Read More
The Future of Furniture Craft Education
Our Head of Wood School, Joseph Bray, writes about his recent experience completing a Churchill Fellowship exploring furniture education in the US and Scandinavia. Download Joseph Bray’s report for the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust: The Future of Furniture Craft Education This time last year I was returning from the first leg of my Churchill travelling …. Read More
Announcing the death of our trustee Peter Savill
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our long-standing trustee and great friend to Sylva Foundation, Dr Peter Savill. Dr Peter Savill, formerly Chair of Trustees – Sylva Foundation Peter served as a trustee for the charity since its inception ten years ago, and was a great friend and professional colleague …. Read More