A Working Woodland

Forest Workshop
Neil Sutherland Architects were employed to prepare a Design and Feasibility Study. This study sets out a vision for a complex of buildings and working area that will allow the Trust to consolidate existing activities and increase our capacity to utilise the local timber.

The proposals include a workshop, drying and storage shed for firewood and sawn wood and outdoor working area. There is also the potential to design and build a prototype house, designed to utilise locally produced timber.

The Centre for Timber Engineering at Napier University is interested in assisting with the project as a demonstration of sustainable and affordable use of local timber, particularly Sitka Spruce. It is hoped that this will be a stepping stone towards supplying greater quantities of local timber into the local construction market.

Once established the Forest Workshop will enable the Trust to convert local timber into value added products such as quality firewood, timber cladding and dried, planed and moulded flooring.

Stage 1 of the forest workshop is underway with the construction of the woodfuel storage shed.  The shed is being built by Wood Knoydart CIC (KFT's trading subsidiary) and will be ready to be filled with firewood by the end of December 2013.  Thanks to HIE and SRDP for funding this much needed facility.