Novel Species, Novel Products:

Proving what’s possible with Dartmoor timber

Here at Evolving Forests, we’ve recently wrapped up a project that’s been ambitious, hands-on, and, most importantly, proof that it can be done. Right on our doorstep in Dartmoor, we set out to explore whether underused local timber species could be harvested, processed, and turned into high-quality products using local businesses. The answer? Yes. And now we have a clear example to show how it’s possible.

Dartmoor National Park holds nearly 12,000 hectares of woodland. But in the past 27 years, very little new woodland has been planted—and none of it with commercial conifers. While intentions around woodland management have been good, there’s been no coordinated or strategic approach to managing Dartmoor’s timber as a resource.

Through earlier work funded by the Forestry Commission’s Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Fund, we built a solid understanding of Dartmoor’s woodland structure, age, and timber quality. We know there’s some great material out there—Douglas fir, quality hardwoods—but currently, 90% of conifer leaves the region, and much of the broadleaf ends up as firewood. That’s a lot of value left untapped.

So we asked: what would it take to do things differently?

We set out to test what could happen if we brought together the right people, some novel species, and a shared purpose. The aim wasn’t to create a new supply chain overnight—but to demonstrate what’s possible, and to show that with a bit of vision, local timber can be used locally in creative, high-value ways.

Working with the Woodland Trust, we harvested three underused species—Beech, Alder, and Western Hemlock from Dartmoor woodlands. Beech because there’s loads of it and no thriving market for it since the demise of furniture making in the country. Western Hemlock because it naturally regenerates so freely it produces thick carpets of baby Westen Hemlocks meaning no other flora or fauna can flourish at lower levels of the woodland floor—its officially a pest and hugely problematic in the area. And Alder as it seems to be what people are planting to replace the swathes of ash lost in recent years to dieback. Every step of the process was handled by local businesses:

• Dartmoor Horse Loggers felled the timber  

• Devon Oak transported it  

• UK Hardwoods milled and kiln-dried it to spec  

• The timber was then crafted into prototype flooring and cladding by UK Hardwoods, glulam beams and finger joints by Buckland Timber, and doors and windows by Bowden and Tucker Joinery

This was not about scaling up production. It was about learning by doing—and showing that it’s possible to manage woodlands for resilience and for timber, process that timber locally, and create beautiful, functional products. All within a single bioregion.

Documenting the Process

To help us share the story, our very own in-house videographer Alice Carfrae and our good friend & local filmmaker Christian Kay of Transfixus Creative captured the entire process through film and photography. The project and media created supports a broader case for woodland management that delivers ecological, carbon, and economic benefits.

We also showcased the resulting "Dartmoor Sourced, Dartmoor Made" products at local trade events and ran design workshops with architects to explore how these materials might be used, marketed, and specified in future projects. The work even earned a feature in Annular magazine by architectural journalist and critic Oliver Lowenstein.

Reflections & what comes next

This was a project full of surprises. Some of the timbers that milled easily weren’t as appealing to the makers, while those that posed more challenges in processing ended up being the most enjoyable to work with. That’s the value of doing the work—it reveals insights you just can’t get on paper.

Most of all, this project reminded us of the strength and integrity of the local timber industry. The people we worked with brought not just technical skill, but real passion and vision.

While this project was never meant to launch a full-blown supply chain, it does serve as a model—something that other regions can look to. With the right collaboration and commitment, similar approaches could be taken up in other bioregions across the UK.

At Evolving Forests, we’ve always believed that forestry is as much about people as it is about trees. This project brought that belief to life.

If you're working in woodland management, architecture, timber, or design and want to explore a similar approach in your region—we’d love to talk.