Novel species, novel products

SCOPE:

In Dartmoor National Park, we explored whether underused local timber species could be harvested, processed, and turned into high-quality products using local businesses. The project aimed to demonstrate what’s possible when the right people, species, and shared purpose come together, showcasing a bioregional approach to timber use. By focusing on Douglas fir, Beech, Alder, and Western Hemlock, we created a clear example of how woodland management, local milling, and design innovation can combine to deliver ecological, economic, and cultural value, all within a single region.

DELIVERY:

The project began with a detailed assessment of Dartmoor’s woodland resources, combining GIS mapping with field-based woodland inventories to understand the landscape-scale timber potential. While the area contained plenty of high-quality material, we deliberately focused on three underutilised species to explore their potential: Beech, abundant but with limited markets and a potentially less suitable climate for the future; Western Hemlock, which regenerates prolifically and can dominate the woodland floor, impacting biodiversity and timber growth; and Alder, increasingly planted as a replacement for ash affected by dieback.

Working closely with local contractors, Devon Oak, UK Hardwoods, Buckland Timber, and Bowden & Tucker Joinery, we felled, sawed, kiln-dried, and converted the timber into a range of high-value, building-ready products, including glulam beams, flooring, cladding, windows, and doors. From felling to finished product, none of the timber moved more than 60km, ensuring a fully local, bioregional approach.

The process was carefully documented by our in-house videographer Alice Carfrae and local filmmaker Christian Kay, capturing the journey from forest to finished product and providing a resource to share insights, inspire others, and highlight the ecological, economic, and design benefits of using local timber. Through hands-on experimentation, the project demonstrated that underutilised species can be successfully managed, processed, and turned into functional, high-quality products, revealing practical insights that could not be gleaned on paper alone.

Ultimately, the Dartmoor project serves as a model for local timber innovation, showing how woodland management, regional processing, and creative design can combine to deliver tangible benefits for communities, landscapes, and the timber industry.

COLLABORATORS:

Transfixus Creative, Devon Oak, UK Hardwoods, Buckland Timber, Bowden and Tucker Joinery.