Exeter charity Britannia Sailing Trust has partnered with North Devon National Trust to create a 15-hectare community woodland dedicated to the provision of natural materials to heritage craftspeople.
The new partnership will see Britannia Woodland, which is in the process of being planted, set aside and managed by the National Trust. The mixed natural woodland, nestled between an ancient woodland and species-rich grasslands overlooking the sea, will be sustainably managed for longevity and habitat biodiversity. It will provide public access to nature and a sustainable source of timber for future boatbuilders and other heritage craftspeople.
Sam and Vicki Samuels, boatbuilders and founders of the sailing charity, developed the idea in collaboration with Britannia Sailing Trust. This was inspired during their eight-year project to restore their ship, Britannia, now nearing completion in Exeter. One challenge facing the Sailing Trust was finding high-quality, long lengths of timber for the restoration due to the depletion of forests, often harvested before reaching maturity.
Among the new trees will be an oak sapling found growing amongst sawdust and gravel beneath Britannia’s hull. Sam describes the tree’s unlikely beginnings and future place in the woodland as “a testament to regeneration and the power of nature.”
He explains the reasons behind the collaboration: “We needed to source many hard to find like-for-like materials to replace planks, create sister frames, lay decking and craft spars. During the search, we found the availability of high-quality timbers suitable for boat building was greatly reduced since the 1970s, when I restored Britannia for the first time.
He continues: “Wooden sailing ships can’t be crafted from any old pieces of wood. Not only is the species of tree important, but the age of the tree, the shape of its branches and the location where it was grown are all important aspects of selecting the right piece of wood for a job. Boatbuilding depends on bountiful and well-managed natural forests, native species and healthy eco-systems. Without this, it is very hard to construct vessels of quality, which are necessary to ensure the craft will flourish into the future. Thankfully, timber is a renewable resource. In a boatbuilding woodland, timber can be harvested in a way that supports the health of the forests.”
Daniel Cameron, Lead ranger at North Devon National Trust, adds: “Over time Britannia Wood will be a very biodiverse place full of life with blossoming trees and insects, small mammals, birds and bats. I was taken by the idea of a sustainable boat using local timbers and had just embarked on a newly planted woodland, when Britannia Sailing Trust asked whether we might have one with future timbers. The timing was perfect, so it seemed natural to name it after the boat. The coastal woodland oaks next to Britannia wood were in fact used for curved boat timbers and I love the links to past and future this project creates”
While the hull has been successfully restored, further work is essential to prepare Britannia to sail, and this next phase will require additional financial support. If you’d like to support Britannia's fundraising campaign, please go to the Crowdfunder page.
