Passion for conservation creates income in the Wye Valley

David Lucas has developed his passion for woodland and wildlife conservation into a thriving business. He is now producing 15,000 bundles of birch per year, all from managed woodlands, and continually creating and enhancing habitats for wildlife.

And thanks to his long-standing working relationship with AMC this lively rural entrepreneur is now planning further diversification.

David has a forestry background working for the Forestry Commission from 1981. In 1990 he started his own business as a forestry contractor and from 1996 specialised in woodland products, mainly bundles of birch for racecourse trainers and equestrian events. The raw materials for these products are sourced from sustainably managed woodlands in the Wye Valley and his own woodland.

From this beginning Ty-Craddog Woodlands, based at Llansoy Usk in Monmouthshire, has developed and gone from strength to strength.

“My passion has always been woodland conservation and habitat management. I am able to do just that. We coppice birch on a rotational basis, sometimes to clear sites such as heath-land reclamation and deer glades, or for forest plantation management. I save private landowners, and in the case of the Forestry Commission, the taxpayer, considerable cost. I then take the income from selling the birch in bundles.

“This income has been growing over the years. All production takes place on site. We cut coppice and use birch re-growth to produce consistent and uniform bundles of birch which are sold throughout southern England and in to the Midlands. The bundles are predominantly purchased by racehorse trainers, racecourse managers and equestrian centre managers to construct hurdle or chase fences,” he said.

Red deer reserve

AMC has been involved in all aspects of the business plans of David and Jane Lucas.

“Over the years we have taken out various loans which have been used for land purchase, to expand the business and to build our own house.

“The main reason for purchasing the land was to grow our own Christmas trees and develop a native tree nursery producing trees from locally grown seed. Four years ago we developed a retail site to sell Christmas trees and other products. We now sell around 500 trees every Christmas.

“We also have an enclosed herd of 60 red deer, which are a great hit with customers especially the kids, as they can feed carrots to the deer adjacent to the Christmas tree area. We have an educational display about deer and their place in our countryside with interactive activities for the kids. The deer are kept in semi-wooded areas, as close as possible to natural conditions.

“Martin Waite, our AMC Regional Agricultural Manager has been working with us on our latest investment. With AMC’s financial support we are constructing a deer larder and cutting room to meet the latest European food hygiene regulations. We aim to have this facility up and running by May 2007. Obviously we have to manage our deer by humane and selective culling hence the requirement for an up-to-date processing facility. We aim to produce a wide range of venison products from our own deer and the expanding wild deer and boar populations in the Wye Valley area,” said David.

“This is really the best of both worlds – a successful business supporting the local environment,” said Martin. “AMC is delighted to be working with such a renewable business and we are giving him every support. David has put a lot of thought into the deer reserve. With the many visitors to the farm buying Christmas trees this should be a very successful venture, as he has a ready market for home-produced venison and wild boar products on his doorstep.”