{"id":5571,"date":"2023-05-06T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-06T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/?p=5571"},"modified":"2024-12-23T01:34:58","modified_gmt":"2024-12-22T15:34:58","slug":"king-charles-iii-continuing-royal-legacy-in-forests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/king-charles-iii-continuing-royal-legacy-in-forests\/","title":{"rendered":"King Charles III: Continuing Royal Legacy in Forests"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

GAELIC blood, like the sap that moves up the fibres of a giant oak, runs through the veins of Geraint Richards, head forester of the Duchy of Cornwall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This son of a Cornish father and Welsh mother is responsible for the management of more than 2000 ha of trees, woodlands and forests \u2013 all FSC certified<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> across the Duchy\u2019s extensive landholding, and we now readily interpret the Latin tempora mutantur \u2026 the changing of the guard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the accession of Prince Charles to the throne on May 6, the king\u2019s eldest son William becomes heir apparent, the Prince of Wales and the 25th Duke of Cornwall and inherits the \u00a31 billion Duchy, a landed estate of more than 52,000 ha stretching across 20 counties in England and Wales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Closer to home, the Prince of Wales Award for Sustainable Forestry, instigated by Charles and managed in Australia by Forestry Australia<\/a>, recognises the achievements of young forest professionals in Australia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"From
Charles oversaw the Duchy of Cornwall from 1969 until the Queen\u2019s passing. Since 1997, the Duchy has followed \u2018continuous cover’ forestry principles, focusing on sustainable, diverse woodlands. Nearly all woodlands hold FSC certification. (Photo credit: Dutchy of Cornwall) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Geraint Richards, who has represented the Prince of Wales at award ceremonies in Australia and New Zealand, graduated with a BSc in Forestry from Bangor University in North Wales. Following a spell with the Forestry Commission, he was appointed Head Forester for the Duchy of Cornwall in 1996 and in 2019 was awarded the Royal Forestry Society\u2019s Gold Medal for distinguished services to forestry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about forests and foresters,\u201d says noted forester Rob de F\u00e9gely, AM, chair of the Forest Industry Advisory Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHis Royal Highness has a well-known passion for forests and natural production systems,\u201d Mr de F\u00e9gely said, \u201cand as Prince Charles he has provided support to the professional forestry institutes in Australia and New Zealand and prior to that in Canada and UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe has encouraged greater awareness of the importance of sustainably managing the world\u2019s forests and training and creating a network of young foresters who will manage them professionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cForestry is about long-term thinking and planning and the award should continue to inspire many younger members of our profession to join his quest to manage the world\u2019s forests sustainably.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Planting trees and managing forests has been a Royal Family affair for over 70 years of the late Queen Elizabeth\u2019s reign. She has planted close to 1600 trees worldwide, and the Queen\u2019s Green Canopy is a unique tree planting initiative created to mark her Platinum Jubilee last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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